Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia
John Wayne movies have been a favorite of movie buffs, Western fans and those who like “tough guys” in their films, for many years. Though John Wayne has been gone for almost 30 years, his presence is still such a part of American culture that almost anyone recognized that distinctive swagger, and his distinctive voice and way of speaking. Lesser known today is probably his conservatism and his anti-communist views that became well-known during the 1950s. The American Film Institute named him #13 on a list of the greatest male stars of all time in 1999. As recently as 2007, he was named #3 on a list of American’s favorite film stars. He was the only deceased star to make the list, and he’s the only star who appears every single year.
The first John Wayne movies were actually silent films in the 1920s that few but the most dedicated John Wayne fans have ever seen. While many consider Wayne little more than a Western stars, appearing only in films featuring dust, cowboy hats, boots and guns, he actually appeared in a variety of films including romantic comedies, biographies and police dramas.
Wayne’s name was actually Marion Robert Morrison, soon changed to Marion Michael Morrison, because his parents wanted to name their next child Robert. He changed his screen name to John Wayne in the 1930s. While some believe his nickname as ‘The Duke’ sprang from something in one of the many John Wayne movies, it actually started when he was just a kid in 1911, when a local fireman began calling him “Little Duke” because of the huge Airedale Terrier dog, Duke, that went with him everywhere.
John Wayne movies became a huge box-office draw during his career, as his whole person became larger than life. He was idolized by a huge section of the film-going population, and gave every appearance of his movie toughness in real life. In 1964, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, underwent surgery and beat it, living for another 15 years until he succumbed to stomach cancer in 1979.
Wayne’s first starring role was in the 1930 film “The Big Trail.” It was the first epic Western talkie, but despite that it was a vast commercial failure. He continued making films and learning stunts and riding, and even worked with famous stuntman Yakima Canutt with some stunts they developed together still in popular use in films today. The first of the John Wayne movies to be shot in color was “Shepherd of the Hills” in 1941.
Twenty of the most popular John Wayne movies were films by John Ford, with a few of the most famous being “The Quiet Man,” “Stagecoach,” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” in which he starred with another screen legend, Jimmy Stewart. Collectors look for all of the obvious and most popular films, but his early films, including his only credit as “Duke Morrison”can be found in most movie memorabilia stores and on eBay.
Originally posted 2008-10-24 14:00:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
John Wayne Memorabilia Collection If you are a fan of John Wayne, and looking to start a John Wayne memorabilia collection, keep reading. John Wayne memorabilia collections have always been a popular subject, but ever since his 100th birthday was celebrated on May 26 of 2007, the concept of beginning a John Wayne memorabilia...... -
Pin Up Posters Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia -> Posters Pin up posters might not have the popularity today that they once did, but most people will immediately recognize some of the most popular pin up moments from the heyday of beautiful pin up models. Marilyn Monroe was a pin up queen in her...... -
Bruce Lee Movies Collectibles -> Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia Bruce Lee is a revered name in the martial arts community, and Bruce Lee movies are classics among action and martial arts fans. Lee was more than actor, he actually developed a martial art form called Jeet Kune Do, and popularized the sport in...... -
Looney Tunes Cartoons Memorabilia -> Entertainment-Memorabilia -> Movie-Memorabilia While many of us recognize Looney Tunes cartoons from their run on television, they actually ran in movie theaters for 39 years, from 1930 to 1969. They were Warner Bros.'s first theatrical animated series. The term Looney Tunes also refers to the animated cast of...... -
Grateful Dead Posters Memorabilia -> G -> Grateful Dead Grateful Dead fans, often called Dead Heads, and music memorabilia collectors can pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for items like handbills and Grateful Dead posters. Anyone not familiar with the band or the unique style of images and posters used during the......
Related Websites -
Gulbis First Latvian to Win in ATP Ernests Gulbis defeated Ivo Karlovic on Sunday at the Delray Beach International Championships at Delray Beach, FL, on Sunday, making him the first Latvian to win a title on the ATP tour. Ivo Karlovic from Croatia, ranked at #33, was second seed and lost 6-2, 6-3 on his 31st...... -
Marlon Brando Films Collectibles If you ask many people to name the greatest films of all time, many will name Marlon Brando films. He’s considered the greatest actor of all time by many movie fans and critics alike. Though he lived to be 80 years old and barely resembled his sex-symbol persona for...... -
Frys.com Open (PGA Tour) at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, California This week in golf featured the Frys.com Open on the PGA Tour, held at the CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, California. The tournament purse was an impressive $5 Million, with $900,000 going to the winner of the tournament. There were some big names sprinkled throughout the tournament, including Rickie...... -
Are You Being Frugal or Miserly? This post is part of the interview I did with Garrett of FruBlogger with a little bit changed here and there. To check out his post visit: 42 Money Lessons from 19 Very Frugal Bloggers! What does it mean to be frugal? The common idea associated to frugality is scrimping,...... -
Michael Jordan Posters sports-memorabilia -> Basketball-NBA -> Lithographs-Posters-and-Prints During the 1990s, it wasn't uncommon to see Michael Jordan posters lining the walls of kids rooms. Born in 1963, Jordan played college ball at the University of North Carolina and began his professional career (and played his best years) with National Basketball Association......
- Cards Kiss K Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
- Raitt, Bonnie R Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
- 1980-89 Ads, Flyers Movie Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
- Clarkson, Kelly C Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
- Incredibles Disney Characters, Movies Pins, Buttons Contemporary (1968-Now) Disneyana Collectibles
