The Shootist's producers thought Wayne was too old at 69 to be believable as the gunfighter. However, producer Dino De Laurentiis insisted on his casting even though the character JB Books was only 50 in the novel the movie was based on.

How old was Ron Howard when he made The Shootist?

On the first day of filming The Shootist, it is reported that local fans swarmed Mountain Street to get a glimpse of the Duke and his co-stars, including Stewart, Lauren Bacall (who played the widow Bond Rogers) and the man who portrayed her son, a then 21-year-old actor-turned mega-director Ron Howard who, having ...

Did John Wayne and Clint Eastwood get along?

Wayne disapproved of Eastwood's revisionist Westerns, leading to off-screen tensions. Contrasting views on American storytelling divided Wayne and Eastwood amid changing times.

How old was Lauren Bacall in The Shootist?

Wayne was 69 at time of filming, and Bacall was 51.

How old was John Wayne when he started in the movies?

FROM STAGEHAND TO A NEW SCREEN PERSONA, MARION “DUKE” MORRISON STARTS DOWN THE ROAD TO STARDOM. “How are ya, Zeke?” These were the first words spoken by John Wayne in The Big Trail, and as opening movie lines go, it gave no indication of the enormity of the career that lay before its 23-year-old star.

The Undefeated | JOHN WAYNE | American Western | Cowboys | Adventure

Did Lauren Bacall and John Wayne get along?

However, Bacall had a real issue with how Wayne couldn't stop spitting on the set, which really got on the actor's last nerve. Wayne personally recommended hiring Bacall for The Shootist after they worked together on 1955's Blood Alley.

Who was John Wayne's best friend?

Who was JOHN WAYNE'S lifelong BUDDY AND BEST MAN, Ward Bond? A look into the great character actor and best friend of JOHN WAYNE, WARD BOND. How the friendship they shared was on a special level!

Was John Wayne dying when he filmed The Shootist?

Wayne was not terminally ill when the film was made in 1976. He had been a heavy cigarette smoker for most of his life, and he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1964. He underwent surgical removal of his left lung and several ribs.

What caused John Wayne's death?

Wayne made his last public appearance at the Academy Awards ceremony on April 9, 1979, and died of stomach cancer two months later. In 1980, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United States.

How old was Lauren Bacall when Bogart died?

Bogart died of esophageal cancer in 1957, when Bacall was just 32.

What was John Wayne's famous line?

1. "Whoa, take 'er easy there, Pilgrim." 2. "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway."

Who were John Wayne's pallbearers?

The pallbearers were Dr. Robert Egan; Jack Gordean, Wayne's agent; Chick Iverson; Louis Johnson, the actor's cattle ranch partner; McGowan and Ernest Saftig. No advance word of the funeral was released. Wayne's family considered several suggestions for his funeral but kept the plans secret until after the service.

Who turned down the role of Dirty Harry?

Summary. Clint Eastwood's role in Dirty Harry is considered one of his most iconic, and the film is a classic in the crime genre. Paul Newman initially turned down the role of Harry Callahan in Dirty Harry but recommended Clint Eastwood for the part.

Why wasn't Maureen O'Hara in The Shootist?

Maureen O'Hara was considered for the role of Bond Rogers, but Don Siegel felt she wasn't suitable for the part. The original screenplay had Gillom Rogers shooting and killing J.B. Books.

How much was John Wayne worth?

SANTA ANA, Calif., June 20 (AP) —John Wayne left an estate worth $6.85 million, but none of it will be going to his third wife, Pilar, from whom the actor separated in 1973, according to a will filed yesterday. John S. Warren, Mr.. Wayne's lawyer, filed the 27‐page document in Orange County Superior Court.

Where was the bar scene in The Shootist filmed?

The list of movies filmed at the Genoa Bar are “The Shootist” with Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard and John Wayne; “Charley Varrick” with Walter Mathau and Joe Don Baker; “Honky Tonk Man” with Clint Eastwood; “Misery” with James Cann, Kathy Bates, Rob Reiner and Richard Farnsworth.

Who did John Wayne leave his fortune to?

“John Wayne's will ensured that all seven of his children and his first wife (his second wife ԁıеԁ in 1961, per Find-a-Grave) received some compensation, either directly, or through trust funds, leaving them all with five and six-figure sums.

What was John Wayne's last words on his deathbed?

Due to his condition, Wayne had to have his left lung removed, as well as four ribs, and while he began his recovery well, he continued smoking and chewing tobacco. As he deteriorated, Wayne was asked by Aissa whether he knew who she was. In his final words, he replied: "Of course, I know who you are. "You're my girl.

What did John Wayne suffer from?

Our History is His Story

John Wayne beat lung cancer in 1964. He died 15 years later after a struggle with cancer of the stomach. During this difficult period, he became passionate about helping others fight this terrible disease.

Was J.B. Books a real gunfighter?

He plays J.B. Books, a character based on the real-life gunman John Wesley Hardin, who earned a law degree in a Texas prison and was later gunned down at the Acme Saloon in El Paso. In The Shootist, released in 1976, Books has come to Carson City, Nev., to see his old friend Doc Hostetler (James Stewart).

Was The Shootist a good movie?

The Shootist is a great swan song to the film career of John Wayne and a great movie on its own merit. The parallels between Wayne's life at the time the film was made and the character(J.B. Brooks) he plays in the movie only add a poignant sadness.

Did John Wayne like Katharine Hepburn?

John Wayne found Katharine Hepburn to be very feminine and called her “a man's woman”. They had a special on screen chemistry that was apparent to everyone. He called her Sister.

Who was John Wayne's favorite actress to work with?

Maureen O'Hara became the Queen of Technicolor and John Wayne's favorite leading lady.

What did Ward Bond leave John Wayne in his will?

In his will, he left John Wayne a shotgun as a permanent reminder of one of Duke's biggest foul-ups. It was the same shotgun that Duke, years earlier, had borrowed on a hunting trip and accidentally used to shoot Bond in, yes, his butt.