John Wayne | WatchedThis

John Wayne

John Wayne

Acting

Biography

Marion Mitchell Morrison (born Marion Robert Morrison) (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed Duke, was an American actor and filmmaker. An Academy Award-winner for True Grit (1969), Wayne was among the top box office draws for three decades. Born in Winterset, Iowa, Wayne grew up in Southern California. He was president of Glendale High class of 1925. He found work at local film studios when he lost his football scholarship to the University of Southern California as a result of a bodysurfing accident. Initially working for the Fox Film Corporation, he appeared mostly in small bit parts. His first leading role came in Raoul Walsh's The Big Trail (1930), which led to leading roles in numerous B movies throughout the 1930s, many of them in the Western genre. Wayne's career took off in 1939, with John Ford's Stagecoach making him an instant star. He went on to star in 142 pictures. Biographer Ronald Davis said, "John Wayne personified for millions the nation's frontier heritage. Eighty-three of his movies were Westerns, and in them, he played cowboys, cavalrymen, and unconquerable loners extracted from the Republic's central creation myth." Wayne's other well-known Western roles include a cattleman driving his herd north on the Chisholm Trail in Red River (1948), a Civil War veteran whose young niece is abducted by a tribe of Comanches in The Searchers (1956), and a troubled rancher competing with a lawyer for a woman's hand in marriage in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). He is also remembered for his roles in The Quiet Man (1952), Rio Bravo (1959), and The Longest Day (1962). In his final screen performance, he starred as an aging gunfighter battling cancer in The Shootist (1976). He appeared with many important Hollywood stars of his era, and his last public appearance was at the Academy Awards ceremony on April 9, 1979.

Filmography Movies

Acting

Poster for Rio Bravo
MOVIE

Rio Bravo

7.8(1.3K)
Rio Bravo
Sheriff John T. Chance
Poster for Stagecoach
MOVIE

Stagecoach

7.6(1.2K)
Stagecoach
The Ringo Kid
Poster for Movie Tough Guys
MOVIE

Movie Tough Guys

10.0(0.0K)
Movie Tough Guys
Self (archive footage)
Poster for Red River
MOVIE

Red River

7.3(0.6K)
Red River
Thomas Dunson
Poster for The Quiet Man
MOVIE

The Quiet Man

7.3(0.6K)
The Quiet Man
Sean Thornton
Poster for The Searchers
MOVIE

The Searchers

7.7(1.6K)
The Searchers
Ethan Edwards
Poster for The Greatest Story Ever Told
MOVIE

The Greatest Story Ever Told

6.4(0.2K)
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Centurion at crucifixion
Poster for The Movie Orgy
MOVIE

The Movie Orgy

6.6(0.0K)
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
Poster for The Alamo
MOVIE

The Alamo

7.1(0.4K)
The Alamo
Col. Davy Crockett
Poster for The Comancheros
MOVIE

The Comancheros

6.7(0.2K)
The Comancheros
Jake Cutter

Production

Poster for The Alamo
MOVIE

The Alamo

7.1(0.4K)
The Alamo
Director
Poster for The Alamo
MOVIE

The Alamo

7.1(0.4K)
The Alamo
Producer
Poster for Big Jake
MOVIE

Big Jake

6.9(0.2K)
Big Jake
Executive Producer
Poster for The Green Berets
MOVIE

The Green Berets

5.7(0.2K)
The Green Berets
Director
Poster for Angel and the Badman
MOVIE

Angel and the Badman

6.4(0.1K)
Angel and the Badman
Producer
Poster for Hondo
MOVIE

Hondo

6.6(0.2K)
Hondo
Producer
Poster for 7 Men from Now
MOVIE

7 Men from Now

6.8(0.1K)
7 Men from Now
Producer
Poster for Island in the Sky
MOVIE

Island in the Sky

6.3(0.1K)
Island in the Sky
Producer
Poster for The High and the Mighty
MOVIE

The High and the Mighty

5.9(0.1K)
The High and the Mighty
Producer
Poster for Bullfighter and the Lady
MOVIE

Bullfighter and the Lady

6.3(0.0K)
Bullfighter and the Lady
Producer

Gallery

John Wayne portrait
John Wayne portrait
John Wayne portrait
John Wayne portrait
John Wayne portrait
John Wayne portrait
John Wayne portrait
John Wayne portrait
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