John wayne biography military service
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Why John Wayne Was Labeled a ‘Draft Dodger’ During World War II
When actor John Wayne visited American soldiers in Vietnam in the summer of , he was warmly welcomed. As he spoke to groups and individuals, he was presented gifts and letters from American and South Vietnamese troops alike. This was not the case during his USO tours in and ’
According to author Garry Wills’ book, “John Wayne’s America: the Politics of Celebrity,” the actor received a chorus of boos when he walked onto the USO stages in Australia and the Pacific Islands. Those audiences were filled with combat veterans. Wayne, in his mids, was not one of them.
Around the time the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December , Wayne was not the big-name actor we remember him being today. He was fresh off the box-office success of the film, “Stagecoach.”
Being drafted or enlisting was going to have a serious impact on his rising star. Depending on how long the war lasted, Wayne reportedly worried he might be too old
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John Wayne
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Appearing in more than films during a career that spanned a half-century, John Wayne became the personification of the Western hero and an American icon. Nearly thirty years after his death, he still consistently ranks among the most popular movie stars of all time.
Wayne was born Marion Morrison on May 26, , in Winterset, Iowa. When he was six years old, his family moved to Glendale, California, where he acquired his nickname, Duke, based on the name of his Airedale terrier.
While attending the University of Southern California on a football scholarship, Wayne got a summer job with Fox Film Corporation. There, he drew the attention of director John Ford, and soon he was playing bit roles. His first starring role was in The Big Trail in Stories indicate it was the film’s director, Raoul Walsh, who urged Duke to change his name from Marion Morr
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John Wayne biography hits target dead center
Who's that on the cover of Scott Eyman's splendid biography of Hollywood's most enduring movie star? Surely that wavy-haired young fellow in the suit and tie isn't John Wayne. Where's the Stetson, the Winchester rifle, the six-shooter, the boots and spurs?
It would be easy to sell “John Wayne: The Life and Legend” with a picture of the Ringo Kid from “Stagecoach” (), the movie that made Wayne a star. How about the tough Marine sergeant from “Sands of Iwo Jima” ()? Or a picture of the one-eyed marshal Rooster Cogburn from “True Grit” (), the role for which Wayne won an Oscar?
Eyman presents John Wayne as what he really was — a generally good-natured actor and filmmaker who created and maintained a persona that Americans took to heart. It didn't happen overnight or by accident. Wayne worked hard to learn his craft, developed a keen understanding of the movie business and became wildly successful at selling his product.
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