Wayne, John/Expert Profile

Expertise

I have seen ALMOST every film with an appearance by The Duke, made since 1940, and a few dozen of those before then. If it's a film with him, I've most likely seen it, have an opinion on it, and can try to answer questions about it. I have no usable expertise for films not starring John Wayne.

Experience in the area

I saw my first film in which Wayne stars almost fifty years ago. Since then, I have seen over 120 films where he makes an appearance.

Education/Credentials

Master of Arts, University of Texas

What do you like about this subject?

I love movies, and John Wayne has a screen presence matched by few people. When he is on-screen, you just naturally look to him to see what will happen.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

With hardly any experience on-screen, John Wayne starred in the big budget western _The Big Trail_, a 1930 film using wide-screen format decades before it became standard. The film and, in particular, Wayne's performance were so disappointing to both audiences and critics, that he was relegated to low-budget films and cameo appearances for years.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

John Wayne actively refused to join the military during World War Two, a time when the world most needed people willing to sacrifice for the sake of freedom. Other Hollywood stars (some older than him) not only did so, but volunteered for combat service. Despite this refusal, the U.S. Marines stated that Wayne best exemplified the term "American."