Mississippi Roads; John Wayne-Actor

John Wayne standing tall is made possible by this and other public television stations nationwide which depend upon your support additional funding has been provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Is made up of you know. Many more of them. Right. It's what's at the root of the matter. And so it is. Like a giant run out of. The way west was cleared by man. By God. No man will ever enter the West. The same again. Neither was the land. And neither are we. It's your land and it's mine. It's the only land we'll ever have. It's good enough for me.

John Wayne made many of his finest movies right here in Monument Valley from stagecoach to the searchers. You played so many of our legendary heroes that you became kind of a legend himself. He and his movies like this place have become part of our national heritage. I think it's because John Wayne the man stood up for what he believed in. And John Wayne the actor played those roles that showed a man struggling to do what he thought was right. That was do go right up front with everybody. No apologies for anything and I remember once he said to me Hank your old son always tell it like it is because then tomorrow you will be wondering what you were lying about yesterday. One night I was in. A coast of gravel with him and he decided not to go slumming. So we got a taxi and we went all up and down that coast just walkin and it's like people recognize you my way I think is it one of the most

fun I've ever had. He was a very dedicated loyal American and as a tourist political philosophy I would say he was quite conservative probably as much a conservative as I am now I grew up on John Wayne movies and to be honest with you that's the epitome of America he is Mr. America to me. I will of course I'm free ball God was super cool. And James Cagney. Tough. Tough little monkey. I knew Alan Ladd. It was a tough guy to make a punch on the icon. You had your own car gable of course. What a very strong personality. And then you had John Wayne who was I guess everybody combine. John Wayne. Hell out of a lot of them. Oh yeah.

We. Do. I met Duke in 1952 when we made a movie together and it was he who suggested

me for Matt Dillon on the television series Gunsmoke a real friend. He was honest strong independent and proud exactly the kind of man he portrayed in his final film The Shootist where he plays a dying gunfighter has become both the end of an era in movie making and in a way the story of his life. Like the character who faced many a showdown mar with raw courage and with foresight in the true spirit of the American hero. We didn't know it then but John Wayne was telling us the rules he had lived by on screen you know for the last will be wrong and I won't be installed it will be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people. I require the same from limb. How could you get by and always come out on top. I merely told you friend there's nobody up there shooting back at you. It isn't always being faster or even accurate

counts. It's being willing. I found out early that most men regardless of cause or need aren't willing. They blink an eye or draw breath before they pull the trigger. I will. Well he was making The Shootist. He ducked a Dick Cavett about his love of the movie business. Well you know you get to the end of a picture. So I'm going to take a year off. Yeah and then there's two weeks go by. They start to look for the goods. So you get in the way. Oh and see if I want to work hard. I don't like John Wayne had a long and enormously successful career. He made over 200 movies in 50 years and produced and directed some of them. His films are still making money and they've grossed over 700 million dollars. Duke always worked hard to support his large family and he wanted them beside him. He demanded loyalty and respect from his friends and from strangers too. He would

stand up and fight for his country right or wrong. And he reserved the right to tell whoever would listen if he didn't like the way the country was being run. It was a good old Midwestern code of behavior his father had. Marion Michael Morrison the striping. Baby was born in Winterset son of the pharmacist and strong willed. The family moved from Homestead on a small ranch near the Mojave Desert. The hard life threw them back to civilization. Glendale California. The good looking new boy in town was nicknamed doo became one of the stars of the high school football team. He went to scholarship to the University of Southern California and began working summers at movie studios doing everything from sweeping up the moving props for the director. One of them was a great. Football player and I'm playing it you see he said

you get it done. And he just reminded me and my mother my Korean and it really hurt. So not being interested in a motion picture career at that time I said let's try it again. Well it's hard for one fell on the line to take out anybody when they can. So I thought it started to go around hitting my chest and shutting down on the part that goes over the fence last and he looked up with a little surprise. And it was a deadly silence and right then it was a deciding point in my career it was the right kind of start for their friendship. Ford was a bully on the set and nobody in the bar. He gave a bit part in the silent film hang man's house.

Duke left us see him one thousand twenty nine and chose a career in the movies. He played a midshipman in salute and a college student in words and music. 1930 director Raul waltz was considering him for the lead in the big trail an epic Western. He gave Marion Morrison the new Neon John Lee and thought he was helping the young man by sending him to an acting coach that was. One of the dialogue directors that he mentioned out. And he said You go to him twice a week. There's a line in the. Picture where this fella can't go on with. The train and you've been with us for six months going across the desert. In the distance. Of the. Great White Mountain. It's a poster with sentiments. Well Zack when you get there tell the Great White Mountain hello for me. But this guy is using the cape in every line and saying tell the great white hello for me.

So after a loss found out on casting. Finally the part. That made my money for me. My. Big trail was a box office flop all thoughts of stardom of that Duke began a simple struggle to stay in the movie business. He played more college boys and more cowboy saving girls from runaway horses. Because he could do his own stunts he was perfect for adventure serials like a 12 part hurricane Express. He took whatever parts he could get waiting hoping for his big break. Sometimes sharing the screen with starlets on the way up like BB or Stanley but it was the Western often produced one a week that. Wayne tried everything. Including singing. You. Are not. The right. Thing and certainly.

Not a government. Some of them here. But even an aspiring actor knows when to say cut. I got that right. For nearly 10 years John Wayne made at least six pictures a year most of the westerns learning his craft the hard way and I think 37 he was 30 years old. His hopes for stardom were fading and he was sick of cheap cowboy movies and fast buck producers. One weekend his hard drinking card playing buddy John Ford got on his yacht and let him read a screenplay. It would turn out to be a winning hand for both of them played out right here in Monument Valley. They were staying at a training course that I visited very often I ran a trading post myself farther to the west. That place and I went up there several days just to watch them.

And it is today. You never had it. We're just going to do that. OK. Do it and do it. You know Ford picked on Wayne all the time. I'm sure he did on stagecoach because Wayne told me that he kind of picked on him and that Wayne thought it was his way of getting the rest of the cast to be on Wayne's side and kind of help him because this was the first time he'd done such an important role. Well that scene came up and he just finally all the crew actors the cast was completely on my side. And from then on helping me you know was my first time and really in the big time working with

so many people. You're on the ground really glad because you can't leave the passenger mix like this. I got to go Lord. Why don't you go to my ranch and wait. Right. Now to. Take. Reagan one of the most wanted your people there for me. Just send. Me three against one of the lot where something's a man just can't run away. The Ringo kid was a perfect role for John with capitalizing on his natural combination of toughness and innocence. Stagecoach became a classic restoring the West Wing to Hollywood's A list. John Wayne at last become a sty. But all was not well at home. His relationship with his wife was in serious trouble. He married Josephine scions in 1933. After a long courtship and against her family's wishes they had four children during those really tough years. But her need

for a quiet home life and his work hard play hard lifestyle wouldn't mix. Duke and Josie separated he kept in close touch with his children a loyal father. Meanwhile beautiful women came into his life. Always one of the time. They were really very few. Considering he was one of the most attractive new stars in Hollywood. Marlena Dietrich was one of them. I made three films together. You know. In the next few years he tried to expand his range of role playing in everything from a Eugene O'Neill drama to swashbuckling adventures. He kept on making westerns of course and went to happy about it. Even when he worked with his screen Idol Carrie Carrie. When they were making shepherd of the hills. They were sitting on the set and my dad was sitting off by himself and Duke came over to my mom and they started

talking and started grousing about the fact that he wanted to play more variety on the screen that that that he felt that he was falling into a niche that was just he was the same in every picture and that was bothering him. My mom said Now wait a minute. She said you're a big good looking guy. You're more or less in the mold of Harry and she pointed over to my father who was sitting quite a ways away. And she said would you want to see him change on the screen. And duped like hell no. You know no you know I'm not in any way and he said he said well that's the way you are. It was important advice and he knew it. He approached the Westin with new enthusiasm and for the first time produced his own film. It was Angel in the Batman and he romance Gail Russell and said and off. I go away you go with.

The movie wasn't a great success with it didn't discourage do. He would produce again someday and return the Monument Valley with John Ford to make Fort Apache fighting it out with the Indians and Henry Fonda. I don't see the matter one layer down their story on the rocks. You see them captain. I don't have to I know how. If I were coaches that's where I'd take a position and that dust cloud beyond the patchy track probably squaws and children right in my state. Can you make me suspect your Croce's or study on their own exam of the great are born a part of the least. Gentlemen march your troops were charging economy for mountain fours. That's suicide Colonel I tell you.

Captain York you're relieved of command of your troops. There is no room in this regiment for a coward. Who plays a cavalry officer nearing retirement and she wore a yellow ribbon yellow ribbon in Monument Valley. And I'll never forget it because John Ford made us drive from Albuquerque wanted to get sort of the atmosphere and so forth and it was a terrible trip. We stated Golding's trading post and it was it was a very comfortable location. Except for got us out in the elements and you know on horseback and waited for the rain waited for the storm. He has a great team fans don't want to thing it's sentimental and want to run. He is not afraid of lost gonna see. There's a matter of fact one of the things really got me early in my career. Do you begin to get a lot of scenes during your life that are

going to seem corny to. Me So play and play and like elephants Eastland plight. And he says you'll get by with it. But if you start trying to play it with your time you she can get in here would you lose size yourself and you know the scene will be like a Small Talk it's not going to matter what you're given. It some silver say. When I began to city sentiment on the back of it. Thank you too.

Can't you see troop strength. This we forget. OK. Thank you Corporal. Thank you thank all of Captain bridles was want to do the best roles and one of his favorites. But the role the change John Wayne screen presence forever is Tom Danson in Red River directed by Howard Hawks. Duke's performance is now recognized as one of the greatest any Western thing. Kerry was right. To kill me because I'm going to kill you. I don't know when but ok. Every time you turn around expect to see. One time turn around and. Kill you.

Mm. I was impressed by Red River when it came out. It's quintessential American and of course shot of the whole 60s. The conflict between John Wayne and Montgomery Clift is the two Americas right there and capsule lated Clift the narcotic modern individualistic slightly depressed a self-absorbed narcissist and obsessed old order reacting against this force and that tension between those two actors. Is one of the most brilliant things. And I'll make you.

My get up. I am. Why.

John Wayne goes to war in the movies and fights is all over. John Wayne fought many battles out here in the West but they were just minor skirmishes compared to the

World War Two battles he would recreate on the screen in the 40s and early 50s if ever a man was born to be a real life soldier was do get so you strong and that's real leader. You tried to enlist but he was 34 years old had four children and an old injury. He was politely turned down the matter how many strings he tried to pull but he had an assignment in Hollywood to keep morale up and patriotism. John Wayne was the right man for the job even though only 10 percent of his movies have war themes. He became our symbol of combat bravery and heroism. His first war movie Flying Tigers was the story of American volunteers fighting the Japanese for China before Pearl Harbor. It introduces John Wayne as a strict disciplinary teaching survival in wartime.

You're going to find your orders. Don't. Ever. He got even tougher in the Philippines with Anthony Quinn in back to school ball I mean schoolboy exposing some of these men like you did this morning. I know it's tough when a woman you love goes over the enemy but you can't let one of your business. That's right. So these men is my business. Get it up and you'll have the whole company wiped out as a dirty war where we've got

to fight it the right way. I don't mean to act like a soldier and come out of a man. You've got the responsibility of their lives in your hands in the fighting Seabees. He was killed in action. This is one of only eight John Wayne. John Ford was given leave from the Navy to make they were expendable. 1944. And at the back.

In the movie he was the original. I got my understanding. And that's what I'm going to do. And I'm going to tell you what to do every day and every minute of every day. And I'm like I'm going to. Heart. And I can't stand. It When You Have To Stand Up. After making over 100 movies John Wayne as Sergeant Stryker was nominated for an

Oscar but didn't win. He did win something much more important. He was named number one in all the Hollywood polls in 1950 for the next 25 years he stayed right up there in that top handful of superstars. More uniforms in George Jessel I've been in more battles in the bullion wars than Germany but. For 1976 Jack Nicholson. And John. Huston. They were America's favorite couple. Her fiery personality and his quiet strong

presence made the sparks fly in Rio Grande their first movie together. He's a cavalry officer and she's a Southern aristocrat and he has left her and their son to pursue his career. Present all this respect which is something that is maybe in short supply. You don't feel that much from people like Redford and Newman you do not feel any kind of deep respect for women in them and you really do with blame. He listens to women he's not so self-obsessed again it's this whole thing of submitting to something else. He's not the be all in the end on the modern way. He's not the individual who is completely self-contained there are other people in his world. In the quiet man directed by John Ford he plays an American boxer who is killed him in the ring. He retreats to Ireland and never to fight again. His wedding with Mary Kate ruined by her brother's refusal to pay the dowry they tussle all the way through is this struggle for dominance.

She wants to keep this dowry and he wants to get rid of because his view is that a woman should submit a wife should submit and give up her dowry he found it comes to understand that this is not just money. It is a sign of her independence a sign of her self-respect. And he understands that so I think under the surface you always feel this tremendous respect for women. That you will meet three hundred fifty. But but. I'll bet you never that breaks all bargains. Oh yeah and take your sister back. It's your custom not mine. No fortune right. We call it quits. You do this to your own wife. After after it was done. One.

Day she had the money take it counted your spawn and I look. If ever I see that phrase push That's right. Well. How much should. I be going on home now and have the supper ready for. All four of dukes children were on the set of The Quiet Man and so was his second wife since 1946. It had been this volatile relationship as any of his on the screen shot of the original Mexican Spitfire.

But you know I remember once you described how she'd locked herself in a room when she was drunk and Duke went over and kicked the door down to get in the room. And he was worried about that he said what with the public as a dupe. The public expects Duke Wayne to kick the door down as long as you don't go against your image your fi and the public loved him even more after that. While his marriage was falling apart he and Marines in the wings of eagles the true story of a military man and the wife he has sacrificed to his career. It's one of do at least no one but finest performances. I'm sure some lawyer. Kids are somewhere and I'm somewhere. Where really no. I gather it isn't the family it's. It's nothing. It's.

Too late. By the time Chad and Duke were divorced he had already met the Peruvian born actress Pilet. We had a phone call from looks attorney and the attorney told Duke Well Duke I have your divorce papers in my hand. So do hang up the phone came into my room I wish I was there with the exterior secretary of many many years Mary St. John. So he came up to me and kissed me and he said How would you like to get married today. And I said today. He says yes he says I'm a divorced man. So I said well I don't have an address or anything says that don't worry about a thing just go with Mary get yourself a dress and come back and we'll be married by sunset the years that followed World War Two were the beginning of John Wayne's political life in Washington the House Committee on Un-American Activities began

hearings on alleged Communist Party infiltration of the movies and Hollywood was divided in two camps. It was mudslinging on both sides and blacklisting by the Hollywood studios. Duke was in the thick of it. You succeeded Clark Gable and Robert Taylor as president of the Motion Picture alliance and served for three terms. A few years later he and I made a picture together about the Cold War and American political beliefs are pretty irrelevant 16:00 microphones from the laboratory to a common third courier. I don't work here. That's what you're thinking. We can give the followers of the country only fright or I should like to throw up my hands. Just me and him on the porch. We're not a problem or left. Well I think some of the movies he made you know on his own like Big Jim McLean or the Green Beret. Those are films that I think he you know he

believed what those movies were saying politically I think. I don't know if he believed it so much or whether he believed in the government that believed because basically he was very simplistic you know America right or wrong it was a little bit like that every season I may do one thing in life is to make. He wanted to. Make all the heroes like is that's where I come in the Alamo heroes. So as a consequence you have a lot of negative reaction about it. But he was the kind of guy that when he believes in something nobody was going to stop him for over 10 years Duke had been obsessed with the idea of filming the story of the Alamo against all advice decided to be the producer director and star and invested every cent he

had in it. John Wayne's version of The Alamo was shot down by Bill Texas which is about one hundred twenty five miles west a little bit south of San Antonio Texas. And the Alamo building that they had a picture of the Alamo was copied after the real Alamo up in San Antonio but they couldn't shoot up there because there was so many high buildings around it. Bill got in an awful lot of people he went down the head of the cast and threw his man gathered in all the people around for 50 miles I guess and shot a great deal of the background before we got down there. Well he remained very stable on how he did it with all the pressure on him to get scenes that he approved of that he liked and he thought that people and enjoy doing. But he was very stable. And I don't know how he held up under everything because there was a lot of things going on that which you had no

control. But he kept the company working and everybody doing their job that they had come down from the Duke directed the spectacular battle scenes of The Alamo using everything he had learned from his son and friends. He was chain smoking sleeping for hours and then he lost 30 pounds during the filming. But still gave us during performances Davy Crocket. The Alamo was released as a three hour 19 minute historical epic more spectacle than story. It was one of the five nominees for best picture of the year a tribute to a man who had obviously been paying close attention to all the aspects of the movie

business in a three page foldout an ad in Life magazine. You couldn't resist mixing his politics and his movie making. He suggested that people compare the 1960 presidential candidates to the real heroes of the Alamo. Four years later. He was right up front in the campaign of an old friend a Republican. I'm real glad to be able to talk to you about that day about coming election. I'm sure we all agree. On our candidate. We would talk with each other about what he thought I could do better and what I was doing wrong. He was a great follower of the actions of people in politics that were elected to positions. Very critical of him. He would be a and prove things they did that were right according to his way of thinking. But he lived for his

profession. After Goldwater was defeated a group of Republicans came up to do the asking Mr. Wayne I think that you would be a wonderful candidate for the Republican Party. And look at them and smile and he's the first. I cannot afford to cut in salary and second who would vote. And if you can get into. I think that what Duke felt was what I felt at the time and that is the great immorality of the Vietnam War was for our government to be asking young men to give up their lives in that war. When the government had no intention of winning it

because they were afraid of what might follow that might be worse if we tried to win that particular war. And as I say I think that was the great immorality I think the same. Duke was against the war in Vietnam. But once America was in it you want to do when you made the first major film about the war and then nine hundred sixty eight it was just like all the other John Wayne war movies. Our boys were the heroes the enemy was evil. War was hell. I never got any flak from doing John Wayne even during the Vietnam period. He was still popular I mean there were a lot of. A lot of young people a lot of students who didn't agree with him perhaps didn't like him but on the whole I think John Wayne was always popular. And if you liked him on the screen you accepted him anti-war people didn't like the rest of him. Green Beret was one of the highest grossing films ever.

You let me do Kate at war but love the

American GI guy. He entertained them inspired them and they touched his life. Captain Steve Hansen 25 year old Marine and send his wife and little boy a picture the day before he was shot down in Laos. He was bare chested wearing his helmet and on the back he had written me is John Wayne. Duke wore Hansen's p o w bracelet and kept in touch with Carolyn Todd sending the boy presence in letters such as this one. Dear God I wish you a wonderful life. Just don't expect too much out of it and you'll have some wonderful years. That's my sermon from the mount this year. You have mail. Green Berets was John Wayne's tribute to the fighting men who would come back and a man like Steve Hanson didn't. In part 3 John Wayne wins an Oscar and battled cancer with True Grit.

In the West Riding alone standing tall. That's how we remember do best. He always seemed larger than life. The ultimate hero. But if you look at his films he's usually the underdog or a loner trying to resolve something in his past. Yes he wins almost always at a high cost to himself. That's the kind of character he played when he worked with director John Ford here in Monument Valley in 1955. He plays Ethan Edwards in the searchers as one of John Wayne's most haunting and memorable films. I think it was a strongest performance that he gave in his whole life.

He stayed into that character even when he was off the screen. He didn't get around as much in that picture as he did on other shows. He didn't laugh as much. He was really into that into that character of Ethan Edwards. And you know he was this hard bitten bitter man really a racist you know terrible racist about him towards the Indians back in the cold to keep it from him. Today. Yes. The search is the one where he goes to

the rage and the violence within and his brother of his brother's wife has been killed his family has been wiped out except the girl who. Is about to turn into an Indian she has been assimilated by the Indians. And then he can't and he embraces her and it's a wonderful scene of redemption. Ford made a movie about a character like Ethan in the searches doesn't mean that Ford agreed

with the character. And in order to make a film he had to show a certain kind of person way on the other hand. His politics were quite out front and he continued to be out front about it. Forty one point was quoted as saying you know I love that damn Republican you have never done the tough questions even though he knew his answers would be unpopular and probably misinterpreted the subject of Indian rights was always a reporter's favorite terrible thing that we did was to put them on reservations. Takes a man's human dignity away from his desire to bettering himself away from me. That's what they want to do with that cradle to grave socialism they'll have our whole country like that if we ban all our taxes for these minorities that you're provoking He repeated those views in a famous Playboy interview.

So when Duke appeared on a Bob Hope show and worked it into a skit that you. Can't just write. A check. For a circle take your TV with fox shot. By shot. Now to be that guy it's my fault I should never have taken her to see the battle of the Alamo. Make sure you remember. Western movies began to change in the late 50s it became town Westerns instead of stories about long cattle drives and Indian fights. Directors like Howard Hawks knew that the audience would relate best to stories in a setting they recognized and for most people that was a town no matter how small. Every new kinds of women for Duke to deal with there's a handbill.

Yamba there and that you know. You know I. Had a girl with. Girls about twenty two five foot five inches tall. Thank you Aaron. Where is that man is our. Friend in the checker. You could be that girl. Howard Hawks liked picking a new woman. He told me that the reason he liked it was because the other ones were too difficult. And. I can see what he would mean because now if I were to get that same job I would be more difficult because I'd have more bad habits that he couldn't get rid of. Howard wanted a certain. Rhythm or non rhythm. I

was so new and green and. Unskilled So between the hawks and I had quite a hard time getting our scenes. Let me try it one two people do it. Well Chuck you don't know what the new breed of Western woman was more aggressive and often left him speechless. After Rio Bravo Duke made eight major movies and did cameo appearances in The Longest Day and how the West Was Won. He was exhausted and working hard to pay his Alamo debts he had a terrible cough and couldn't shake it. But he and Paul are headed for Spain to make circus world.

We are like oh my god there was an accident when he was making circus world. Harley one of the thins cook caught on fire. Nobody told him. Come on you know it's time to get get out of here. And he just kind of stuck a run on through the smoke at really bad at the last minute he skate but by that time you know cause serious lemme just freeze lungs and he really literally could not could not get easier. I was not at the set at the time but when he came home I could see that this guy was a sick man. The medical exam he had after the fire may have saved his life. He was diagnosed as having lung cancer and was operated on immediately studio publicists lied about his condition being a friend I want to see him. And at the door by a nurse and she says well Mr. Wayne is not receiving any visitor would duke heard my voice. And

as only duke could say he said let the SLBM. So I go in there I'm no sure and Duke said Well Jim I like the big C and I said the big C. First I'd heard about I'd fallen for the leg injury story and he says Yeah so that took a tumor on my lung because of baseball he says but I've liked it. As I said. We should have a story on that because it is a great thing for cancer sufferers to know that John Wayne is like cancer. He says well he says how Wallace the producer got a picture coming out and they want me to not say anything about it because it might hurt business. You just sit on the story and I'll let you know when you can use it. Well as amazing thing when I broke my story. Within one week I got 50000 letters from people

suffering from cancer. And saying how aspired they were. Did you do a lot of crying at that point in your life or are you was no longer afraid more than once in my life but I felt a little close to that man of stairs at that time and sure give me a hand and if that worked out his blame for things in like you did that you would I agree with the smoking I know a lot of your friends and you went back I went back to I don't know what you most gave me. Can't you ever know that it didn't either. You know well I mean the same thing I mean you know lots of people been killed stepping off a curb by them stop stepping off a curb. Twenty years after that operation the findings of attorneys filing lawsuits for Utah residents hinted at what might have caused Duke's cancer John Wayne had shot a film the kind of career in St. George Utah in 1954 less than a year before the area had been exposed to radioactive fallout from a bomb the nickname Dirty

Harry along with 10 other atomic shots. The government had assured director Dick Powell that it was safe. Day after day the two hundred and twenty actors and extras battled in the sand. They were in Utah about 100 miles from Nevada proving ground. And first I think it was. The power. Pedro Armand. Agnes Morehead. And then all of a sudden it all came together. She you know there's radiation all these people dying and I just checked into it and found out 70 people on that movie died of cancer and God knows how many extras because they hired thousands of Indians the Mongols and never been a record kept of them but there have been

70 people in the cast and crew. That picture died from cancer. Duke went back to work just three months after losing a loan. He made six movies in four years and then at age 61 got the role he was born to play Rooster Cogburn in the film True Grit with a screenplay by Margaret Roberts. My politics and John Wayne's politics couldn't be more different. He was very conservative. Terrific patriot. And I was a blacklisted grad and I was blacklisted for 10 years. And I was back in pictures and working. And when he heard that I was on the script of True Grit and his friends heard and they tried to talk him into going to Wallace and getting me off the script. But he waited till he read the script and he liked the script and he said To hell with you. To his friends and he refused to say anything at all about me working

on that he was really remarkable. Rooster Cogburn was a drunk and Wayne played him as a drunk and a dirty old guy. That guy. Was. Very funny. The book sort of just in the sort of drifted off and that he and

Mattie Ross and Mr. Cogburn were so important that they they should have been the absolute focus for the ending and they were going the book. So I made that and rooster comes to visit her and she invites him to be buried you know. I might just take you up if you'll excuse me if I don't. Yeah. Oh really. Yes my

Jong un now thanks. By the amount of that catch on thirty five years earlier. US the. Ladies and gentlemen I'm no stranger to this podium. I've come up here and picked up these beautiful golden men before but always for friends.

One night I picked up two one for Admiral John Ford one for our beloved Gary Cooper. I was very clever and witty that night the envy of even Bob Hope. But tonight I don't feel very clever very witty. I feel very grateful. No thanks to many many people after True Grit he went relentlessly on to make a dozen more films working with some of the great ladies of Hollywood and Broadway. Some of us you know were raised in the mass and so I know there's been a lot of discussion by a great teacher saying that ADO was a method actor. Taking only five him self and always playing the same thing. I think due is an American phenomena.

We do have some he is really American. And. This is the way the American man. Feels he should be to the movie going public. John Wayne is the symbol of masculinity but Severin you are the symbol of the independent liberated. Yeah true true but it's kind of the most I worked with 45 years. To make him sweet. Yeah she's pretty. She makes you feel good all day. And does a lot and I take it for for both of you. Yes it does. Yes it does it's nice to have a man as a man who can people are separated in 1973. There are three children that held them together but the demands of his

career and location shooting away from home finally ended. They were never divorced but Duke was not a man to live out his life alone. Well he did care about public opinion some of the things that were said he didn't care that the world knew about our relationship. But the things that. Pardon me the National Enquirer are the store are some of those things that they printed. That we said. We had never even spoken to them. And then on one occasion. I think it was the I don't I don't know one of the papers I won't mention the name. I had written something and asked me he said you write him and tell him I want to retire action are I'm going to sue them. And. I call the guy and he said fine we'll retract it if you'll get us an interview with John Wayne. And you're probably not going to get this man but Duke said You tell him I said go to hell

and they'll never get an interview with me. Course it was very exciting to be around to do that not just for his personality and the type person he was but it was also very exciting to go places with him. He used to tell me that he loved taking me places. He said Pat I've already seen this time and time again he said but I love seeing it through your eyes he said it makes me feel young again. When he got the script for The Shootist he was he was excited about it and it never crossed his mind at the time that this was going to be his last picture. And that he would later. Be dying of cancer which was what happened with. The person in the shootist. But I just have a cancer. Yes.

I remember the things that he didn't like about the script and they did a lot of rewrites on it. Ron Howard who played the young boy at the end of the picture was still supposed to end up being a bad boy. And. That was rewritten so that the influence that he had on this kid. Turned his life around to make it you know come out to be one of the good guys. We had gone on the boat at the cabin he told me this is our last trip. So we went

out there I think there was just he and his secretary and my wife and the regular crew. So we stayed four days but he wasn't. And. Of course he went out on a whaler that was always a little boat and we went out on one of them and he's trying to tell me how they've gotten all the cancer and he was so happy about it which of course was that. Then we went back home and we stayed with him last night or two playing cards and just setting up this thing and on that morning we got ready to go home his Pontiac people always gave him a car every year. So he pulled around to the front door and I had a feeling this might be our last visit so we gave one another that big Mexican Ambrosio And he said wait a minute. And he went back and came out with this big Panama. And I still have it on my head like a cowboy always farewell. Duke died on June 11 1979 and mourned around the world by three generations of movie fans and friends. You know Duke

knew everything about making movies and he'd be as excited about a new project as a kid. And if you were working with him you better be as bright eyed and bushy tailed as he was. Duke was generous and genuinely kind to everyone. Family friends coworkers even the fans who wrote to him for money with the durndest stories you ever heard. Is that kind of a guy. Duke was the most patriotic man I ever knew. He could tear into the government like a Bengal tiger. But you didn't bad mouth America while he was around. Shortly before his death Congress voted to award him a special medal and the inscription read simply. John Wayne American. Duke never expected or wanted to be a legend. But when it happened he lived up to it. You can bet there never be another one like.

The Old West. The wild west. Is long gone. But that doesn't matter. What does matter is that nothing ever dies on it. But I'm going to send some neighbor's kid out to be killed. I would be willing at least to risk. My life to save a few of those boys. So. I think we should all want it about four years ago about a quarter of the loss of man. And had the respect of the world. That I pussyfoot around. Now are trying to get out of it without being a disgrace. I shoot off my mouth as I've done here a couple of times. But everybody has a right in this country thank God.

John Wayne standing tall was made possible by this and other public television stations nationwide which depend upon your support. Additional funding has been provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.