Posted on 05/01/2016 3:41:25 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
Texas lawmakers named May 26 as "John Wayne Day" in the state.
According to PRNewswire, "Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation declaring the iconic star an honorary Texan."
Wayne rose to fame as one of the most popular movie starts during the 20th century.
PRNewswire reports he's respected not only a talented movie star, but also "as a loving father, a fisherman, a horseman, a hunter, an adventurer and an unabashed patriot of the United States of America."
"The Duke's independent spirit embodies what it means to be a Texan and personifies the storied history of the Lone Star State," said Gov. Abbott. "I am proud to join all Texans in honoring his legacy and celebrating May 26th as 'John Wayne Day'."
"Texas was always an important place to our father," said Ethan Wayne, the son of the movie icon. "He starred, directed and produced one of his most distinguishing films, The Alamo, and told stories of how he felt it could have been his second home. The culture of the state and the strong pride of this American community reflects the spirit of John Wayne himself."
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Texas - The state that voted for Cruz. Yeah, that’s a real John Wayne memorial.
But it doesnt much matter that Wayne was born in Iowa and went to USC, or that he never lived in Texas and filmed only 2 of his approximately 140 movies here. Hes now an honorary Texan.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/john-wayne-texan/
With regards to westerns, John Wayne comes in first, Randolph Scott 2nd.
“Whoa, take ‘er easy there, Pilgrim”......
"RANDOLPH SCOTT!"
I’ve seen the house used in Donovan’s Reef. Nice house in a beautiful locale.
Who’s 3rd? Audie Murphy? Rod Cameron? Rory Calhoun?
Actually, I think some of the old-time silent-era guys should rank pretty highly, as many of them had jobs as actual working cowboys in their youth, and/or became famed rodeo performers before entering films... Hoot Gibson, Jack Hoxie, Tom Mix, and such.
Now, if you just add McClintock, we have the trifecta.
The John Wayne film I’d most like to see is “Girls Demand Excitement” (1931), which Wayne co-stars with Virginia Cherrill, who played the blind girl in Chaplin’s “City Lights” that same year. Also features Marguerite Churchill, who’d appeared with Wayne the preceding year in “The Big Trail.”
A big star in his time, Johnny Mack Brown is rarely heard of now.
Like Wayne, he was a football star but a much better player. He was named MVP of the 1925 Rose Bowl in which Alabama beat heavily favored Washington. I believe Alabama won their first national title that year.
I used to see a lot of those Johnny Mack Brown films from Supreme Pictures (distributed by Republic, c. 1935-37) on television. Never saw his later, long-running westerns for Universal and then Monogram, until more recent decades. I think Brown was probably my mother’s favorite. I had an uncle whose favorite was Bob Steele. My grandfather was partial to William S. Hart.
“...We’ll send them all we’ve got,
John Wayne and Randolph Scott;
Remember those exciting fighting scenes?....”
Yes, McClintock too.
I went in the gift shop at the marina years ago and got a coffee cup with his picture on one side, and the other side says.
John Wayne Marina
Sequim, WA
It’s my favorite coffee cup. I think I’ll start off on his birthday by watching one of my all time favorites “The Searchers”, then “Red River”, then “The Quite Man”. Maybe end the evening with his last movie and also one of his best “The Shootist”.
“I won’t be wronged. I won’t be insulted. I won’t be laid a-hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” ~ John Bernard Books
They probably still sell that cup. I’ll look for it. I collect cups when traveling....it’s a sickness. ;>)
I liked the quote.
That had to be a very special event. You have my envy.
While it’s not the same, you can get a Falstaff beer mug on eBay for about $22.
J Wayne was an expert interior decorator, and a first rate clothing man. He could tell what size a person wore just by looking at them.
I haven’t gotten drunk on Duke’s birthday in a long time. Might have to schedule a bender this year.
“When is Texas going to make May 5th Ted Cruz Day?”
Nah, S/B April 1st!
Audie Murphy westerns are good. So are James Stewart, Richard Boone. We watched a Rory Calhoun the other night, it was good. There’s so many that could come in third.
Then there is a category all by itself I guess could be called serials: Roy Rogers, Hop-a-long Cassidy, Gene Autry, The Lone Ranger, The Cisco Kid among others.
Then the long running TV westerns. Gunsmoke (my favorite), Bonanza (great show if you can stomach Little Joe), Big Valley (I used to just drool over the young Linda Evans), etc.
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