Marion Robert Morrison
1907 - 1979 (lung & stomach cancer)
American born Winterset
Nickname Duke, JW (family nickname) . Height 6' 4½" (1.94 m) . John Wayne (born Marion Morrison) was the son of pharmacist Clyde Morrison and his wife Mary. Clyde developed a lung condition that required him to move his family from Iowa to the warmer climate of southern California, where they tried ranching in the Mojave Desert. Until the ranch failed, Marion and his younger brother Robert E. Morrison swam in an irrigation ditch and rode a horse to school. When the ranch failed, the family moved to Glendale, California, where Marion delivered medicines for his father, sold newspapers and had an Airedale dog named "Duke" (the source of his own nickname). He did well at school both academically and in football. When he narrowly failed admission to Annapolis he went to USC on a football scholarship 1925-7. Tom Mix got him a summer job as a prop man in exchange for football tickets. On the set he became close friends with director John Ford for whom, among others, he began doing bit parts, some billed as John Wayne. His first featured film was Men Without Women (1930). After more than 70 low-budget westerns and adventures, mostly routine, Wayne's career was stuck in a rut until Ford cast him in Stagecoach (1939), the movie that made him a star. He appeared in nearly 250 movies, many of epic proportions. From 1942-43 he was in a radio series, "The Three Sheets to the Wind", and in 1944 he helped found the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals, a right-wing political organization, later becoming its President. His conservative political stance was also reflected in The Alamo (1960), which he produced, directed and starred in. His patriotic stand was enshrined in The Green Berets (1968) which he co-directed and starred in. Over the years Wayne was beset with health problems. In September 1964 he had a cancerous left lung removed; in March 1978 there was heart valve replacement surgery; and in January 1979 his stomach was removed. He received the Best Actor nomination for Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) and finally got the Oscar for his role as one-eyed Rooster Cogburn in True Grit (1969). A Congressional Gold Medal was struck in his honor in 1979. He is perhaps best remembered for his parts in Ford's cavalry trilogy - Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Rio Grande (1950). Spouse Pilar Wayne (1 November 1954 - 11 June 1979) (his death) 3 children, Esperanza Baur (17 January 1946 - 1 November 1954) (divorced), Josephine Alicia Saenz (24 June 1933 - 25 December 1945) (divorced) 4 children.
The Shootist (1976) , Rooster Cogburn (1975) , Brannigan (1975) , McQ (1974) , Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973) , The Train Robbers (1973) , The Cowboys (1972) , Big Jake (1971) , Rio Lobo (1970) , Chisum (1970) , The Undefeated (1969) , True Grit (1969) , Hellfighters (1968) , The Green Berets (1968) , The War Wagon (1967) , El Dorado (1966) , Cast a Giant Shadow (1966) , The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) , In Harm's Way (1965) , The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) , Circus World (1964) , Donovan's Reef (1963) , McLintock! (1963) , How the West Was Won (1962) , "Alcoa Premiere" (1962) , The Longest Day (1962) , Hatari! (1962) , The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) , The Comancheros (1961) , "Wagon Train" (1960) , North to Alaska (1960) , The Alamo (1960) , The Horse Soldiers (1959) , Rio Bravo (1959) , The Barbarian and the Geisha (1958) , I Married a Woman (1958) , Legend of the Lost (1957) , Jet Pilot (1957) , The Wings of Eagles (1957) , The Searchers (1956) , The Conqueror (1956) , "Screen Directors Playhouse" (1955) , Blood Alley (1955) , The Sea Chase (1955) , The High and the Mighty (1954) , Hondo (1953) , Island in the Sky (1953) , Trouble Along the Way (1953) , Big Jim McLain (1952) , The Quiet Man (1952) , Miracle in Motion (1952) , Flying Leathernecks (1951) , Operation Pacific (1951) , Rio Grande (1950) , Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) , She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) , The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) , Wake of the Red Witch (1948) , 3 Godfathers (1948) , Red River (1948) , Fort Apache (1948) , Tycoon (1947) , Angel and the Badman (1947) , Without Reservations (1946) , Dakota (1945) , They Were Expendable (1945) , Back to Bataan (1945) , Flame of Barbary Coast (1945) , Tall in the Saddle (1944) , The Fighting Seabees (1944) , In Old Oklahoma (1943) , A Lady Takes a Chance (1943) , Reunion in France (1942) , Pittsburgh (1942) , Flying Tigers (1942) , In Old California (1942) , The Spoilers (1942) , Reap the Wild Wind (1942) , Lady for a Night (1942) , The Shepherd of the Hills (1941) , Lady from Louisiana (1941) , A Man Betrayed (1941) , Seven Sinners (1940) , The Long Voyage Home (1940) , Three Faces West (1940) , Dark Command (1940) , Allegheny Uprising (1939) , New Frontier (1939) , Wyoming Outlaw (1939) , Three Texas Steers (1939) , The Night Riders (1939) , Stagecoach (1939) , Red River Range (1938) , Santa Fe Stampede (1938) , Overland Stage Raiders (1938) , Pals of the Saddle (1938) , Born to the West (1937) , Adventure's End (1937) , Idol of the Crowds (1937) , I Cover the War (1937) , California Straight Ahead! (1937) , Conflict (1936) , Sea Spoilers (1936) , Winds of the Wasteland (1936) , The Lonely Trail (1936) , King of the Pecos (1936) , The Lawless Nineties (1936) , The Oregon Trail (1936) , Lawless Range (1935) , The New Frontier (1935) , Westward Ho (1935) , Paradise Canyon (1935) , The Dawn Rider (1935) , The Desert Trail (1935) , Rainbow Valley (1935) , Texas Terror (1935) , 'Neath the Arizona Skies (1934) , The Lawless Frontier (1934) , The Trail Beyond (1934) , The Star Packer (1934) , Randy Rides Alone (1934) , The Man from Utah (1934) , Blue Steel (1934) , West of the Divide (1934) , The Lucky Texan (1934), Sagebrush Trail (1933) , College Coach (1933), Riders of Destiny (1933) , The Man from Monterey (1933) , Baby Face (1933) , The Life of Jimmy Dolan (1933) , His Private Secretary (1933) , Somewhere in Sonora (1933) , Central Airport (1933) , The Three Musketeers (1933) , The Telegraph Trail (1933) , Haunted Gold (1932) , The Big Stampede (1932) , That's My Boy (1932) , Ride Him, Cowboy (1932) , The Hurricane Express (1932) , Lady and Gent (1932) , Two-Fisted Law (1932) , Texas Cyclone (1932) , The Shadow of the Eagle (1932) , Running Hollywood (1932) , The Voice of Hollywood No. 13 (1932) , Maker of Men (1931) , Range Feud (1931) , The Deceiver (1931) , Arizona (1931) , Three Girls Lost (1931) , Girls Demand Excitement (1931) , The Big Trail (1930) , Cheer Up and Smile (1930) , Rough Romance (1930) , Born Reckless (1930) , Men Without Women (1930) , The Forward Pass (1929) , Salute (1929) , Words and Music (1929) , The Black Watch (1929) , Speakeasy (1929) , Noah's Ark (1928) , Hangman's House (1928) , Four Sons (1928) , Mother Machree (1928) , The Drop Kick (1927) , Annie Laurie (1927) , The Great K & A Train Robbery (1926) , Bardelys the Magnificent (1926) , Brown of Harvard (1926)