| Known as "The Duke", John Wayne made his first | | | | 1939 brought him to the forefront as a true "star". |
| appearance in this world on May 26, 1907. His | | | | He never forgot his roots in the industry, though. |
| parents, Clyde Leonard and Mary Alberta Brown | | | | From 1928 - when John Ford gave him his first bit |
| Morrison, named their first-born child Marion Robert. | | | | part - until 1963, he appeared in over 20 of Mr. Ford's |
| When his younger brother was born in 1911, his | | | | films, usually for much less that the going rate at the |
| parents decided to name him Robert. Thus, they | | | | time. These included such classics as "Stagecoach", |
| changed Marion's middle name to Michael.The Morrison | | | | "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949) and "The Man |
| family moved to the Mojave Desert in southern | | | | Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962). The last film listed |
| California in 1911, after Clyde was diagnosed with a | | | | there also starred another well - known and |
| lung condition. Although the pharmacist-by-trade | | | | established actor, James "Jimmy" Stewart.The Duke's |
| fancied himself a rancher, he was a poor manager | | | | career spanned almost 250 films and five decades. He |
| and the family ranch failed. They moved to Glendale, | | | | also did a radio serial program, from 1942 to 1943, |
| California shortly thereafter. Still, the family was | | | | called "The Three Sheets to the Wind". He became |
| never well-to-do by any stretch of one's imagination. | | | | involved in film industry politics in 1944 when he |
| Marion and Robert grew up poor, but proud.Marion | | | | helped to organize and charter the Motion Picture |
| delivered medicines for his father and newspapers, to | | | | Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals |
| supplement the family's income. He was frequently | | | | (MPAPAI). This was a right - wing political organization |
| accompanied by his dog, Duke. Because they were | | | | and Mr. Wayne eventually became its President for |
| basically inseparable, his neighbors in Glendale began | | | | two terms. He quickly became known as an ultra - |
| referring to them as "Little Duke" and "Big Duke". | | | | conservative. This was strongly affirmed in 1960 |
| Marion liked the name Duke so much better than his | | | | when he produced, directed and starred in the epic |
| given name that he adopted it as his nickname. It | | | | film "The Alamo". And his patriotism was even more |
| stayed with him for the rest of his life. He joked | | | | profoundly evident with another epic in which he co - |
| throughout his life that he was named after a | | | | directed and starred, "The Green Berets" (1968), the |
| dog.Marion quickly developed a reputation as a hard | | | | only film during that time which positively portrayed |
| worker and he excelled academically, as well as being | | | | the Vietnamese Conflict.Quite possibly one of his |
| a star player on his Glendale High School football | | | | best known characters, for which he won the "Best |
| team. When he graduated from high school, he | | | | Actor" Oscar (Academy Award) in 1969, was |
| applied to the U.S. Naval Academy. While he was | | | | "Rooster Cogburn" - a crusty, grouchy, one-eyed, |
| almost accepted there, his bid ultimately failed. | | | | aging lawman - in "True Grit". There are those who |
| However the University of Southern California at Los | | | | say that the award was given in recognition of his |
| Angeles recruited him on a football scholarship. His | | | | forty years as an actor, rather than his actual |
| budding career as a professional athlete was cut | | | | performance in the film. Nontheless, this role was the |
| short following a swimming accident at a local beach. | | | | embodiment of the real person behind the role and |
| He lost his scholarship and had to leave USC because | | | | not to be denied as a fine blending of Mr. Wayne and |
| he lacked the funds to continue his education | | | | the character.John Wayne remained a lifelong friend |
| there.During his time at college, he had been working | | | | to John Ford and they made numerous voyages |
| around the local film studios in L.A. Tom Mix, a | | | | together in Ford's yacht along with actor Ward Bond. |
| famous Western film star at that time, got him a | | | | Apparently, Mr. Wayne and Mr. Bond were drinking |
| summer job at a props department in exchange for | | | | buddies and loved to play practical jokes on one |
| USC Trojan football tickets. Marion quickly made | | | | another. One log entry made by Mr. Ford noted, in |
| friends with the legendary director John Ford and | | | | polite terms, that the "First Mate" (Wayne) had used |
| started doing bit parts in films for him in 1928. In a | | | | Mr. Bond's whiskey flask to relieve his bladder. While it |
| film called "Maker of Men", he was one of the | | | | was not revealed as to whether or not Mr. Bond was |
| featured football players and was billed as Marion | | | | enlightened to this fact, Mr. Ford obviously |
| Morrison. He went on to do bit parts in about 70 | | | | appreciated the gesture enough to make a note to |
| films, none of which were particularly notable. During | | | | himself to give John Wayne a raise.Mr. Wayne's |
| those films he was billed by different screen names | | | | sense of humor was brought to public attention more |
| including Marion Duke, Duke Morrison and a couple of | | | | blatantly when he agreed to appear on "Rowan and |
| others.He continued to work as a prop man until his | | | | Martin's Laugh-In", on national television, dressed in a |
| first starring role in a 1930s film called "The Big Trail". | | | | pink bunny suit. He could laugh at himself yet come |
| The director of that film gave him his stage name, | | | | across confident and secure in his acting roles and as |
| Anthony Wayne, named for the famous general, | | | | a champion of worthwhile causes and endeavors. He |
| "Mad" Anthony Wayne. However, the studio did not | | | | embodied true patriotism and belief in America and |
| particularly like the connotations connected with that | | | | the sense of values which he felt her citizens should |
| name and changed his first name to John. The newly | | | | be proud to embrace and accept as normal. He |
| named John Wayne went from making $35 weekly | | | | scoffed that there were those who called him a |
| to an astounding $75 weekly! Quite an | | | | "superpatriot" for what he considered to be the way |
| accomplishment for that day and age. And a huge | | | | that all Americans should live and present themselves |
| amount of money to someone who grew up | | | | to the rest of the world. Just imagine what his |
| poor.The first movie in which he had a starring role | | | | thoughts would have been when 9/11 occurred!...to |
| was a flop. But, he began establishing his credentials | | | | be continued. Look for Part 2 - John Wayne - "The |
| and reputation as an actor from that point forward. | | | | Duke". |
| His appearance in the epic Western "Stagecoach" in | | | | |