Existing comment:
John Wayne, 1907-1979:
One of the archetypal heroic figures of twentieth-century film, John Wayne conveyed a decisive, solitary, reverent screen persona that reflected traditional American values. Wayne's collaboration with director John Ford led to such classics as Stagecoach, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and The Quiet Man. During World War II, Wayne starred in several morale-boosting movies, including Flying Tigers and Back to Bataan. He finally won an Oscar for his portrayal of Rooster Cogburn in True Grit (1969). About his long-lived popularity he said, "I play John Wayne in every part regardless of the character, and I've been doing okay, haven't I?"
Harry Jackson, 1969, Time cover, August 8, 1969, gift of Time magazine |