John Wayne - A Modern Legend
By Michael Russell
Known as "The Duke", John Wayne
made his first appearance in this world on May 26, 1907. His
parents, Clyde Leonard and Mary Alberta Brown Morrison, named their
first-born child Marion Robert. When his younger brother was born in
1911, his parents decided to name him Robert. Thus, they changed
Marion's middle name to Michael.
The Morrison family moved to the
Mojave Desert in southern California in 1911, after Clyde was
diagnosed with a lung condition. Although the pharmacist-by-trade
fancied himself a rancher, he was a poor manager and the family
ranch failed. They moved to Glendale, California shortly thereafter.
Still, the family was never well-to-do by any stretch of one's
imagination. Marion and Robert grew up poor, but proud.
Marion delivered medicines for
his father and newspapers, to supplement the family's income. He was
frequently accompanied by his dog, Duke. Because they were basically
inseparable, his neighbors in Glendale began referring to them as
"Little Duke" and "Big Duke". Marion liked the name Duke so much
better than his given name that he adopted it as his nickname. It
stayed with him for the rest of his life. He joked throughout his
life that he was named after a dog.
Marion quickly developed a
reputation as a hard worker and he excelled academically, as well as
being a star player on his Glendale High School football team. When
he graduated from high school, he applied to the U.S. Naval Academy.
While he was almost accepted there, his bid ultimately failed.
However the University of Southern California at Los Angeles
recruited him on a football scholarship. His budding career as a
professional athlete was cut short following a swimming accident at
a local beach. He lost his scholarship and had to leave USC because
he lacked the funds to continue his education there.
During his time at college, he
had been working around the local film studios in L.A. Tom Mix, a
famous Western film star at that time, got him a summer job at a
props department in exchange for USC Trojan football tickets. Marion
quickly made friends with the legendary director John Ford and
started doing bit parts in films for him in 1928. In a film called
"Maker of Men", he was one of the featured football players and was
billed as Marion Morrison. He went on to do bit parts in about 70
films, none of which were particularly notable. During those films
he was billed by different screen names including Marion Duke, Duke
Morrison and a couple of others.
He continued to work as a prop
man until his first starring role in a 1930s film called "The Big
Trail". The director of that film gave him his stage name, Anthony
Wayne, named for the famous general, "Mad" Anthony Wayne. However,
the studio did not particularly like the connotations connected with
that name and changed his first name to John. The newly named John
Wayne went from making $35 weekly to an astounding $75 weekly! Quite
an accomplishment for that day and age. And a huge amount of money
to someone who grew up poor.
The first movie in which he had a
starring role was a flop. But, he began establishing his credentials
and reputation as an actor from that point forward. His appearance
in the epic Western "Stagecoach" in 1939 brought him to the
forefront as a true "star". He never forgot his roots in the
industry, though. From 1928 - when John Ford gave him his first bit
part - until 1963, he appeared in over 20 of Mr. Ford's films,
usually for much less that the going rate at the time. These
included such classics as "Stagecoach", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon"
(1949) and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962). The last film
listed there also starred another well - known and established
actor, James "Jimmy" Stewart.
The Duke's career spanned almost
250 films and five decades. He also did a radio serial program, from
1942 to 1943, called "The Three Sheets to the Wind". He became
involved in film industry politics in 1944 when he helped to
organize and charter the Motion Picture Alliance for the
Preservation of American Ideals (MPAPAI). This was a right - wing
political organization and Mr. Wayne eventually became its President
for two terms. He quickly became known as an ultra - conservative.
This was strongly affirmed in 1960 when he produced, directed and
starred in the epic film "The Alamo". And his patriotism was even
more profoundly evident with another epic in which he co - directed
and starred, "The Green Berets" (1968), the only film during that
time which positively portrayed the Vietnamese Conflict.
Quite possibly one of his best
known characters, for which he won the "Best Actor" Oscar (Academy
Award) in 1969, was "Rooster Cogburn" - a crusty, grouchy, one-eyed,
aging lawman - in "True Grit". There are those who say that the
award was given in recognition of his forty years as an actor,
rather than his actual performance in the film. Nontheless, this
role was the embodiment of the real person behind the role and not
to be denied as a fine blending of Mr. Wayne and the character.
John Wayne remained a lifelong
friend to John Ford and they made numerous voyages together in
Ford's yacht along with actor Ward Bond. Apparently, Mr. Wayne and
Mr. Bond were drinking buddies and loved to play practical jokes on
one another. One log entry made by Mr. Ford noted, in polite terms,
that the "First Mate" (Wayne) had used Mr. Bond's whiskey flask to
relieve his bladder. While it was not revealed as to whether or not
Mr. Bond was enlightened to this fact, Mr. Ford obviously
appreciated the gesture enough to make a note to himself to give
John Wayne a raise.
Mr. Wayne's sense of humor was
brought to public attention more blatantly when he agreed to appear
on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In", on national television, dressed in
a pink bunny suit. He could laugh at himself yet come across
confident and secure in his acting roles and as a champion of
worthwhile causes and endeavors. He embodied true patriotism and
belief in America and the sense of values which he felt her citizens
should be proud to embrace and accept as normal. He scoffed that
there were those who called him a "superpatriot" for what he
considered to be the way that all Americans should live and present
themselves to the rest of the world. Just imagine what his thoughts
would have been when 9/11 occurred!
...to be continued. Look for Part
2 - John Wayne - "The Duke".
