Posted on 05/25/2007 6:44:54 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
If there's one thing I've learned from asking readers to send in stories about John Wayne, it's this: people really loved the guy.
Even if they didn't know him personally, many speak of brief encounters with his gentle ways and humorous personality as if they're talking about somebody they've known for years.
The Duke turns 100 years old Saturday, so we thought we'd celebrate with our very own birthday card.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
On his album, “America, Why I Love Her,” Wayne recorded a narrative of “The Hyphen” which might well be the shortest and best summation of his feelings for this country;
THE HYPHEN
The Hyphen, Webster’s Dictionary defines,
Is a symbol used to divide a
compound word or a single word.
So it seems to me that when a man calls himself
An “Afro-American,” a “Mexican-American,”
“Italian-American,” An “Irish-American,”
“Jewish-American,”
What he’s sayin’ is, “I’m a divided American.”
Well, we all came from other places,
Different creeds and different races,
To form a nation...to become as one,
Yet look at the harm a line has done-
A simple little line, and yet
As divisive as a line can get.
A crooked cross the Nazis flew,
And the Russian hammer and sickle too-
Time bombs in the lives of Man;
But none of these could ever fan
The flames of hatred faster than
The Hyphen.
The Russian hammer built a wall
That locks men’s hearts from freedom’s call.
A crooked cross flew overhead
Above twenty million tragic dead-
Among them men from this great nation,
Who died for freedom’s preservation.
A hyphen is a line that’s small;
It can be a bridge or be a wall.
A bridge can save you lots of time;
A wall you always have to climb.
The road to liberty lies true.
The Hyphen’s use is up to you.
Used as a bridge, it can span
All the differences of Man.
Being free in mind and soul
Should be our most important goal.
If you use The Hyphen as a wall,
You’ll make your life mean...and small.
An American is a special breed,
Whose people came to her in need.
They came to her that they might find
A world where they’d have peace of mind.
Where men are equal...and something more-
Stand taller than they stood before.
Happy birthday to the Duke. May we never forget him nor what he stood for.
The best man Hollywood produced int he last century. I can watch his movies over and over - today’s films, just once or twice.
“We’re burnin’ daylight...plenty of time to sleep in the grave.” -Happy Birthday, JW! Fill yore hand!
I saw it when it was in the theaters.
How would you grade it? I may watch it later tonight.
Amen to that!!!!!
Can’t think of a film he was in that I didn’t care for. I especially like “The Searchers” and “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon”. Happy Birthday, Duke!
You are so right.....
To be honest, I don’t know. I’ll do a quick search, if I find something I’ll pass it along.
Wayne was politically a right-wing conservative. He took part in creating the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals in 1943, and was elected president of that organization in 1947. He was an ardent anti-communist, and vocal supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committee. In 1951, he made Big Jim McLain to show his support for the anti-communist cause. He was also instrumental in having Carl Foreman blacklisted from Hollywood after the release of the anti-McCarthyism western High Noon, and later teamed up with Howard Hawks to make Rio Bravo as a right-wing response. Wayne used his iconic status to support conservative causes, including rallying support for the Vietnam War by producing, co-directing, and starring in the critically panned The Green Berets (1968). In 1978 however, he enraged conservatives by supporting liberal causes such as the Panama Canal Treaty [9] and the innocence of Patty Hearst[10].
Due to his enormous popularity, and his status as the most famous Republican star in Hollywood, wealthy Texas Republican Party backers asked Wayne to run for national office in 1968, as had his friend and fellow actor, Senator George Murphy. He declined, joking that he did not believe the public would seriously consider an actor in the White House. However, he did support his friend Ronald Reagan’s runs for Governor of California in 1966 and 1970. He was also asked to be the running mate for Alabama Governor George Wallace in 1968. Wayne vehemently rejected the offer[11]. Wayne greatly admired Wallace and sent him three checks for $10,000 with a note reading, “Sock it to ‘em George!”[citation needed]. Nonetheless, Wayne actively campaigned for Richard Nixon[12].
Wayne’s strong anti-communist politics led to a particularly unnerving situation. Information from Soviet archives, reported in 2003, indicates that Joseph Stalin ordered Wayne’s assassination, but died before the murder could be accomplished. His successor, Krushchev, reportedly told Wayne during a 1958 visit to the United States that he had personally rescinded the order.[13][14]
I’ve been working through every one of his movies via netflix. I’m probably only 1/4 in.
Pity we can’t put him in the White House.
Thank God the Duke was REAL!
c]:-)
When John Wayne made this movie, The Green Berets, he saw the people of the United States were losing interest and hope in the Vietnam War. He attempted to give the troops a morale lift and the American people a look at what is really going on with the VC and their way to fight a war. I don’t believed it worked for most but it sure as hell did for me. I was a kid when it came out and I was determined as hell to become a Green Beret. I went through hell during training and actually became a Special Forces qualified Army personnel. It was the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life.
God Bless John Wayne and all he stood for...
Sad thing is, that would never happen today. They'd name it after some "oppressed" illegal alien who died in the desert because the gringos failed to rescue him .
That would probably still happen today, because while it may no longer be the hotbed of Republican conservatism that it was in the 1960's and 1970's, Orange remains a "red" county. However, I hope none of the supervisors in neighboring Los Angeles County read your post--it might give them ideas as to renaming LAX.
OHHH rack itt Monk I remember that song
You know what I remember the song came out I was only kid in my Jr high class that knew who was John Wayne GO FIGURE LOL!
OMG I was watching Cowboys right on TCM they been having back to back Duke movie I saw McClintock in letter box that was so cute
I remember what bank commerical was Well fargo at that time I think so I try find at YOU TUBE I saw at You Tube once
Here commerical Western saving I don’t think they exist anymore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJTPr_N7Se4
I do remember the commerical back in da day
Thanks for your service. I was already out of the Army when he made the movie.
His effort in making that was appreciated by many even though the left antiwar hippie crowd moaned and groaned about it. Thanks to him there was at least one movie that depicted Vietnam in a positive way.
I don’t know if he made any money off it but I don’t think he cared whether he did or not. I’m pretty sure he wanted to make a statement against the commies and the likes of Hanoi Jane.
I've never watched a movie that many times. However, I've seen The Girl Can't Help It (1956) nine times in the theater, and if it comes again to a movie house, I intend to see it yet another time.
Happy Birthday to my hero - John Wayne!!!!
Cool!
Thank You Mr. Wayne.
God Bless You & Yours.
I loved the WAR WAGON. My parents took me to see it when I was a kid.My hero ever since.Kids today dont have many heros Im sorry to say.
Saw it, thanks!
Although we hear plenty of stories about Hollywood lefties being blacklisted, this story has hasn't had much airplay.
“They don’t make ‘em like JW any more .”
Indeed, we miss you Duke. Happy Birthday Mr. Wayne.
The Cowboys will always be my favorite movie. My brother thinks I’m sick, cause it’s one movie where John Wayne dies!! but gosh, I love that movie, and so does my son!
Ping
Hehehe. I’ll third that on the Searchers and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon.
"Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I'm not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be."
~~~ John Wayne
” The Man who Shot Liberty Valance just may be the perfect movie.”
Great song to by Gene Pitney , also safe in heaven .
The first time was when we lived in Newport Beach, CA. When I was in my early teens, my cousin Ron was a cabinetmaker at a local boatyard, and was working on the Duke's boat (a converted minesweeper). I went to visit him for lunch one day. While I was there the Duke showed up to look things over, I remember he was very friendly, and even made an attempt to laugh at my juvenile attempts at humor (I do a pretty good John Wayne impersonation even today).
The last time was when I had landed a part as an extra and happened to run into him a couple of times during filming. We talked a couple of times and he told me that I reminded him of some skinny kid who did a really bad imitation of him a few years prior. I asked him if it was at the boatyard, and he said, "Yes! Dammit! It WAS you. You son of a bitch!" We had a laugh about it, and he told Denver Pyle (also on the set) about it. They both had a laugh on my account.
” It suffers today because there are less John Wayne types and too many fairies like John Edwards and John Kerry.”
Thumbs up !
So,so true.
Reagan was a similar target when he headed the union. I've heard different accounts either that he was to be killed or they were going to mess up his face. This was the time that Reagan carried a concealed gun.
John Wayne wasn’t the greatest actor but he was the biggest star ever to hit the silver screen. I salute him. I am never bored watching a John Wayne film that I have seen countless times before.
Excellent post and bears repeating!
ping
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