John Wayne

Who was John Wayne?

John Wayne was an American actor and director who went on to become one of the greatest stars in Hollywood. Wayne, whose career lasted several decades, did not set out to be an actor, but it was a set of circumstances that saw him starting off as an extra in movies. Subsequently, he went on to become one of the biggest stars who specialized in typical Westerns. Initially, John Wayne struggled a lot as he had to play minor roles, but it all changed when he appeared in the film ‘Stagecoach.’ Over the years, he appeared in classic films, such as John Ford’s ‘Cavalry Trilogy’ and the 1956 film ‘The Searchers.’ His portrayal of ‘Ethan Edwards’ in ‘The Searchers’ is regarded by movie connoisseurs as his greatest performance. John Wayne also wore the director’s hat and acted in a number of films during the ‘Second World War’ that were specially made to entertain the troops engaged in the war. John Wayne left behind a body of work that will forever be treasured by film lovers of all ages.

Career

It was in 1930 that John Wayne started playing major roles. It all started when Raoul Walsh cast him in the big budget film ‘The Big Trial.’ Subsequently, he assumed his stage name that became famous all over the world. The film failed commercially and Wayne was once again forced to take up minor roles.

After a period of struggle, in which he appeared in minor roles in films and television shows, John Wayne got his first big break in the film ‘Stagecoach’ which released in 1939. Following the critical appreciation and commercial success of ‘Stagecoach,’ John Wayne finally started hogging the limelight. The following year, he appeared in ‘The Long Voyage Home’ that further cemented his place as an A-lister.

When the ‘Second World War’ broke out, John Wayne wanted to serve in the war. When he was not selected, he spent his time touring several places in order to entertain American soldiers. Some of the films from that period include ‘Flying Tigers,’ ‘Back to Bataan,’ and ‘Flame of the Barbary Coast.’ Many of those films were specifically meant to portray the valor of soldiers.

It was in 1948 that John Wayne teamed up with John Ford for the first of his ‘Cavalry Trilogy,’ ‘Fort Apache.’ It was followed by ‘She Wore a Yellow Ribbon’ the following year and ‘Rio Grande’ the next year which marked the completion of the trilogy. He then started working with Howard Hawk who directed the film ‘Red River’ which is regarded as a classic of the Western genre.

The actor-director duo of John Wayne and John Ford continued for many films since most of their films were successes. In 1956, John Wayne acted in ‘The Searchers,’ which is considered by many as his best performance.

In 1960, John Wayne acted and directed the movie ‘The Alamo.’ After a few years, he appeared in war films, such as ‘The Longest Day’ and ‘In Harm’s Way,’ both of which turned out to be box office hits.

In 1969, John Wayne starred in the film ‘True Grit,’ and his performance as a US Marshall was widely appreciated, leading to his only ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actor.’ Seven years later, John Wayne appeared in the last film of his illustrious career ‘The Shootist’ where he played ‘John Bernard Books.’