Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

John Wayne: The Forgotten History of “The Duke”
Ammo.com ^ | 6/29/2021 | Sam Jacobs

Posted on 06/29/2021 2:59:14 PM PDT by ammodotcom

John Wayne is an American Hollywood icon every bit the equal of James Dean or Marilyn Monroe. He is also a man from another era, a man whose conservatism came as naturally as walking down the street. Affectionately known as “The Duke,” he spent three decades as a top box office draw with 179 film and television credits to his name

His story is as American as his values. Born Marion Robert Morrison in Iowa at a whopping 13 pounds, his family relocated to Southern California. His family first arrived in America from Ireland in 1799 and his grandfather was a Civil War veteran. His nickname was bestowed upon him in childhood (“Little Duke” at the time) by a milkman amused by the omnipresence of Wayne’s Airdale Terrier, Duke.

Wayne attended the University of Southern California where he studied pre-law and played football for the Trojans before a broken collarbone from a bodysurfing accident ended his college athletic career. Losing his athletic scholarship forced Wayne to drop out of school.

He was first hired by the legendary Western director, John Ford, and silent Western star, Tom Mix. It was Mix who then introduced him to Wyatt Earp, who Wayne credited with his on-screen mannerisms.

(Excerpt) Read more at ammo.com ...


TOPICS: History; Miscellaneous; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: 1of; blogpimp; johnwayne; pimpingjohnwayne; pimpmyblog; wayne
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

1 posted on 06/29/2021 2:59:14 PM PDT by ammodotcom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

Didn’t they try to Cancel John Wayne and remove his Statue from the Airport in Orange County CA because of what he said about Blacks in a Playboy Interview back in the 70’s?

I recall reading about that last year.


2 posted on 06/29/2021 3:02:37 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Trump - Make America Great Again / Biden - Make American Grovel Again...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

Morrison found work at the movie studies through his coach, Howard Jones, before he dropped out of school. Cowboy star Tom Mix found jobs for players in exchange for season tickets. Morrison was working as a grip when he was spotted on the lot and cast for the lead in The Big Trail in 1931.


3 posted on 06/29/2021 3:12:13 PM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

“every bit the equal of James Dean or Marilyn Monroe”

That’s an insult to JW.


4 posted on 06/29/2021 3:12:42 PM PDT by o-n-money (Not my president: WRONG Not the president: RIGHT)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: o-n-money

Earp died in January 1929, some time before Wayne made his first picture.


5 posted on 06/29/2021 3:19:54 PM PDT by Bookshelf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

They should have added “The Quiet Man” to the list of Wayne’s best.


6 posted on 06/29/2021 3:21:04 PM PDT by T. Rustin Noone (the angels wanna wear my red shoes......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kickass Conservative

Yes they did. You had to read the whole interview to get the full context of the line.

IIRC, He wasn’t denigrating blacks, merely acknowledging their situation given the sociological climate of the times.


7 posted on 06/29/2021 3:23:00 PM PDT by AFreeBird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Bookshelf

He appeared in uncredited roles as early as 1926. USA football players were pretty big celebrities in Los Angeles in those days and it’s not inconceivable at all that he would’ve met Wyatt Earp through his relationship with Tom Mix.

I do need to add a correction to my earlier post which is that The Big Trail was 1930, not 1931.


8 posted on 06/29/2021 3:27:11 PM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: AFreeBird

The Democrat Plantation.


9 posted on 06/29/2021 3:27:35 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Bookshelf

While John Wayne didn’t get his first leading role til 1930, he was doing bit part work for Fox before that starting in 1926.


10 posted on 06/29/2021 3:28:22 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (A Leftist can't enjoy life unless they are controlling, hurting, or destroying others)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Kickass Conservative

They wanted to rename John Wayne Airport because they were claiming he was racist despite him marrying Mexican wives.


11 posted on 06/29/2021 3:28:43 PM PDT by White Lives Matter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

Wonderful man.


12 posted on 06/29/2021 3:28:47 PM PDT by Notthereyet (We're so angry we can spit pea pellets at a tree and drill the dang tree. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AFreeBird

The funny thing about John Wayne Airport is that John Wayne hated it because of the noise the Planes made taking off over his Home on Newport Bay.


13 posted on 06/29/2021 3:29:21 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Trump - Make America Great Again / Biden - Make American Grovel Again...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

Didn’t a Nevada nuclear test drift over a movie set at one point?


14 posted on 06/29/2021 3:31:37 PM PDT by Track9 (Dealing with democrats is like living without toilet paper. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

13 pounds at birth.

His mother probably had a thing or two to say about that.


15 posted on 06/29/2021 3:34:41 PM PDT by lurk ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

Stalin tried to assassinate him which means he was an outstanding American.


16 posted on 06/29/2021 3:38:54 PM PDT by fso301
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kickass Conservative
Didn’t they try to Cancel John Wayne and remove his Statue from the Airport in Orange County CA because of what he said about Blacks in a Playboy Interview back in the 70’s? ,p> I recall reading about that last year.

Yes, they did.

They were more successful in "cancelling" Wayne at his alma mater, the University of Southern California, when the film school did away with a display in his honor because he was a "racist" (i, e. an articulate conservative). USC was once proud to claim the greatest movie actor of all time as one of its own, but the university's new woke administration won't have it.

Read more about it here.

17 posted on 06/29/2021 3:46:06 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

I live in Maricopa, AZ. John Wayne had a cattle ranch in Stanfield which is just southwest of us so his influence is prevalent in this town. Our main drag is called John Wayne Blvd. and we have a popular bar/restaurant here that just reopened after a bar makeover by a TV show. Their name was True Grit and now it’s The Roost, presumably an homage to Rooster Cogburn. And our main golf course is called The Duke. Nobody here is arguing about cancelling John Wayne, lol.


18 posted on 06/29/2021 3:47:29 PM PDT by Prince of Space (Irish lives matter!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

Certainly Red River should have been included in his top 3 films.
It’s a great film.


19 posted on 06/29/2021 3:54:39 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ammodotcom

He was also in Star Wars. Sort of.


20 posted on 06/29/2021 4:19:35 PM PDT by FreedomForce
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson