John Wayne Western Movie Praised For Its Accuracy Is One He Called “The Greatest Experience Of My Life”

John Wayne’s The Cowboys has been praised for its authenticity and also provided its star with one of his best moviemaking experiences. Despite fronting romantic dramas, war epics or cop movies, Wayne will forever be remembered for his Western roles. John Wayne fronted 80 Westerns during his long career, ranging from evergreen greats like The […]

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Big Jake 1971

“Big Jake” is a western film released in 1971, directed by George Sherman and starring John Wayne in the title role. The film is about an aging patriarch, Jake McCandles (John Wayne), who sets out to rescue his kidnapped grandson from a band of ruthless outlaws. In the film, Jake receives a ransom demand from […]

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Duke in His Own Words

ON screen he was the gritty embodiment of rugged independence and American patriotism. Off camera he presented the same tough-talking persona to the world. But behind closed doors John Wayne was a very different person, as his long-lost letters, hand-written notes and private papers reveal in an insightful new book. “The guy you see on […]

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JOHN WAYNE’S LEGACY SHOWS NO SIGNS OF AGE

In May 2012, I interviewed writer-producer A.J. Fenady (1), known for The Rebel, Branded, Hondo and Chisum (1970) et alia, about his friend “Duke.” We met at his offices in Hollywood near Paramount Pictures. Fenady, while developing Chisum (1970), accompanied Duke during and between the filming of Hellfighters (1968),True Grit (1969) and The Undefeated (1969). He was with him the night he won his Oscar and the day he celebrated with […]

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Why John Wayne Endures

Given all the heroes and soldiers he played over his half century in film, this year, it’s only fitting that John Wayne’s birthday should fall on Memorial Day. Around the world he still enjoys steady popularity like no other long-deceased movie star. In 2003, over two decades after his death from cancer in 1979, he was listed […]

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