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John Wayne

Biography

John Wayne was an American actor who became a popular icon through Westerns and war films made during Hollywood's Golden Age. Born in Winterset, Iowa, and raised in Southern California, he worked for Fox Film Corporation in small parts before taking the lead in The Big Trail (1930), which failed at the box office. Stagecoach (1939) turned him into a mainstream star. For three decades he was a top box-office draw. His Westerns included Red River (1948), The Searchers (1956), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). He also starred in The Quiet Man (1952) and Rio Bravo (1959). True Grit (1969) brought him the Academy Award for Best Actor. He directed and produced The Alamo (1960) and co-directed The Green Berets (1968). His final screen role was in The Shootist (1976). In 1980 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom after his death; in 1999 the American Film Institute ranked him 13th among Hollywood's greatest male screen legends.

72years old at death

  • Born Winterset
  • Died Westwood
  • Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
  • Marion Robert Morrison (birth name)Also credited as The Duke and Duke

Movie Career

Films
97
Career span
97 years1928 to 2025

Genres

Photos

  • John Wayne, photo 1 of 3
  • John Wayne, photo 2 of 3
  • John Wayne, photo 3 of 3

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  1. First role

    Raoul Walsh, a director, spotted Wayne shifting studio furniture while he worked as a prop boy, and gave him his first starring part in The Big Trail (1930).

  2. About the name

    Walsh proposed "Anthony Wayne" as a screen name, but Fox Studios chief Winfield Sheehan turned it down because it sounded "too Italian". Walsh then put forward "John Wayne", Sheehan agreed, and Wayne was not there.

  3. A role that slipped away

    Wayne turned down Columbia Pictures, so Gregory Peck took the lead role of Jimmy Ringo in The Gunfighter (1950). Columbia's chief, Harry Cohn, had treated Wayne badly years before, when Wayne was a young contract player.

  4. A role that slipped away

    In 1966, after asking Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for script changes, Wayne left The Dirty Dozen (1967), in which he was to play Major Reisman, so that he could make The Green Berets. Lee Marvin took his place.

  5. Behind the camera

    Wayne directed and produced The Alamo (1960), his directorial debut, in which he also portrayed Davy Crockett, and he was nominated for an Oscar as producer in the Best Picture category.

John Wayne movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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  1. The Searchers1956 Adventure, Drama, Westernas Ethan Edwards

    IMDb rating 7.8104K votes

  2. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance1962 Drama, Westernas Tom Doniphon

    IMDb rating 8.190K votes

  3. True Grit1969as Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn

    IMDb rating 7.455K votes

  4. Rio Bravo1959as Sheriff John T. Chance

    IMDb rating 7.974K votes

  5. The Longest Day1962as Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort

    IMDb rating 7.764K votes

  6. The Quiet Man1952as Sean Thornton

    IMDb rating 7.746K votes

  7. Stagecoach1939as Ringo Kid

    IMDb rating 7.860K votes

  8. Red River1948as Thomas Dunson

    IMDb rating 7.738K votes

Most often with

John Ford directed fifteen of these films, Henry Hathaway seven and Robert N. Bradbury seven. Paul Fix appears in 22 of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Films together

Box office

What John Wayne's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$301 million

34 of the 96 films have a worldwide figure.

Of the 96 films: 34 worldwide figure; 10 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas; 51 figure not found.

  • 34Worldwide figure
  • 10US gross only
  • 1Never in cinemas
  • 51Figure not found

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 59% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    The Longest Day1962as Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort
    $50M16.6% of the total
  2. 2
    True Grit1969as Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn
    $38M12.5% of the total
  3. 3
    The Sons of Katie Elder1965as John Elder
    $23M7.6% of the total
  4. 4
    Rooster Cogburn1975as Rooster Cogburn
    $18M5.8% of the total
  5. 5
    McLintock!1963as George Washington McLintock
    $15M4.8% of the total
  6. 6
    The Shootist1976as J.B. Books
    $13M4.5% of the total
  7. 7
    The Green Berets1968as Col. Mike Kirby
    $11M3.7% of the total
  8. 8
    Red River1948as Thomas Dunson
    $9.0M3.0% of the total
In Harm's Way (1965), $9.0 millionThe Conqueror (1956), $9.0 millionThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), $8.0 millionThe Alamo (1960), $7.9 millionSands of Iwo Jima (1949), $7.8 millionBig Jake (1971), $7.5 millionThe Cowboys (1972), $7.5 millionDonovan's Reef (1963), $6.6 millionChisum (1970), $6.0 millionEl Dorado (1966), $6.0 millionThe Sea Chase (1955), $6.0 millionThe War Wagon (1967), $6.0 millionRio Bravo (1959), $5.8 millionShe Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), $5.4 millionThe Quiet Man (1952), $3.8 millionThe Comancheros (1961), $3.5 million

$125 millionfrom the other 26 films with a worldwide figure, 41% of the total

Awards

Nine awards and honors from 1966 to 2007, three of them major.

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John Wayne's awards and nominations, grouped by award
YearAwardFilmResult
Academy Awards
1970Best ActorTrue GritWon
Golden Globes
1969Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaTrue GritWon
1966Cecil B. DeMille AwardWon
Other honors
2007California Hall of Fame (posthumous)Won
1980Presidential Medal of Freedom (posthumous)Won
1970Golden Plate AwardWon
1970Owen Wister AwardWon
Congressional Gold MedalWon
Star on Hollywood Walk of FameHonored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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