Who was John Wayne? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Marion Robert Morrison, Duke

Died At Age: 72

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Esperanza Baur (m. 1946–1954), Josephine Wayne (m. 1933–1945), Pilar Pallete (m. 1954–1979)

father: Clyde Leonard Morrison (1884–1937)

mother: Mary, Mary Alberta Brown

children: Aissa Wayne, Ethan Wayne, Marisa Wayne, Mary Antonia, Mary Antonia Wayne LaCava, Melinda Wayne, Michael Wayne, Patrick Wayne

Born Country: United States

Actors Directors

Height: 6'4" (193 cm), 6'4" Males

political ideology: Republican

Died on: June 11, 1979

place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States

Cause of Death: Stomach Cancer

Ancestry: Irish American, British American

U.S. State: Iowa

epitaphs: Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.

More Facts

education: University Of Southern California

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1

What was John Wayne's most iconic role?

John Wayne's most iconic role was as Rooster Cogburn in the movie "True Grit."
2

Which famous actors starred alongside John Wayne in multiple films?

Actors like Maureen O'Hara, Dean Martin, and Kirk Douglas starred alongside John Wayne in multiple films.
3

What was John Wayne's stance on politics?

John Wayne was known for his conservative political views and was a supporter of the Republican Party.
4

Did John Wayne serve in the military?

Yes, John Wayne did not serve in the military during World War II due to his age and family commitments, but he did support the war effort through his films and public appearances.
5

What impact did John Wayne have on the Western genre in Hollywood?

John Wayne is credited with helping to define the Western genre in Hollywood and became synonymous with the cowboy archetype through his many iconic roles.

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Childhood & Early Life

John Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison on 26 May 1907, in Winterset, Iowa, USA, to Clyde Leonard Morrison and Mary Alberta Brown. His father was a pharmacist, while his grandfather Marion Mitchell Morrison was a veteran of the ‘American Civil War.’ Wayne was of English, Scottish, and Irish origin.

The family moved around during his childhood and finally settled down in Glendale, California. John Wayne studied at the ‘Wilson Middle School,’ located in Glendale, and was involved with the ‘Order of DeMolay,’ a fraternal organization for young men. Later on, he studied at the ‘Glendale High School’ and also played football for his school team.

He wanted to serve the ‘US Navy’ but was rejected by the ‘US Naval Academy.’ He then took up a sporting scholarship to the ‘University of Southern California’ in 1925. However, an injury forced him out of sports altogether and he had to quit the university after his scholarship funds were pulled.

After leaving the ‘University of South California,’ his coach Howard Jones got him the job of an extra with the help of actor Tom Mix. Wayne then acted in a number of films as an extra.

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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.’

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Awards & Achievements

He won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actor’ for his 1969 film ‘True Grit.’

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In 2006, ‘Premier’ magazine ran an opinion poll for the greatest roles ever played in Hollywood and John Wayne’s role of ‘Ethan Edwards’ in ‘The Searchers’ was ranked 87th.

Personal Life & Legacy

John Wayne got married to Josephine Alicia Saenz in the year 1933, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1945. They had four children – Michael, Mary Antonia, Patrick, and Melinda.

He married Esperanza Baur, a Mexican actor, in 1946, but the marriage wasn’t a happy one. Wayne and Baur got divorced in 1954.

Wayne married Pilar Pallete, a Peruvian actress, in 1954, but the couple got separated 19 years after their wedding. They had three children – Aissa, John Ethan, and Marisa.

After his separation from Pilar, he got romantically involved and lived with his former secretary Pat Stacy until his death in 1979.

John Wayne was a supporter of the ‘Republican Party’ and held deep-rooted anti-communist views.

On 11 June 1979, he died of stomach cancer at the ‘UCLA Medical Center.’ His body was buried in the ‘Pacific View Memorial Park Cemetery’ in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach.

Facts About John Wayne

John Wayne's real name was Marion Morrison, but he changed it to John Wayne when he began his acting career.

He was known for his distinctive walk, which was a result of a football injury he sustained in college.

John Wayne was an avid chess player and often played games in between filming scenes on set.

He was a skilled pilot and owned his own yacht, which he used for leisure and fishing trips.

John Wayne was a generous philanthropist and supported various charitable causes throughout his life.

1970	Best Actor - Drama	True Grit (1969)
1953	World Film Favorite - Male	Winner

1978	Favorite Motion Picture Actor	Winner
1977	Favorite Motion Picture Actor	Winner
1976	Favorite Motion Picture Actor	Winner
1975	Favorite Motion Picture Actor	Winner

John Wayne Biography

You wanted to know

What was John Wayne's most iconic role?

Which famous actors starred alongside John Wayne in multiple films?

What was John Wayne's stance on politics?

Did John Wayne serve in the military?

What impact did John Wayne have on the Western genre in Hollywood?