John Wayne
In 1914, when John Wayne arrived in California from Winterset, Iowa, as a child of seven years old, he could have never envisaged that in his lifetime, he would saddle up to become the greatest recognized figure of the American western - appearing in more than 200 films over 50 years.
He was born on 26th May 1907 and was originally named Marion Robert Morrison. However, when his new brother was born, his parents gave the new baby the name Robert, and changed Marion's name to Marion Mitchell Morrison instead.
He was a hardworking man, and in Southern California managed to find work in film studios, and it was here where he met the director John Ford, the man who would ultimately propel him to super stardom.
By this time, John Ford had been a director for around ten years, and was enjoying some success. The two of them struck up a friendship, Marion changed his name to John Wayne, through his friendship with Ford he made some introductions which led to his first lead role in 1930, in a movie called The Big Trail.
It was no star-crossed journey though! Whilst John Ford's career was on the up, after The Big Trail, John Wayne's movie career was most certainly on the down - until he was cast in Stagecoach.
It was the story of a party of people who traveled from Tonto to Lordsburg by stagecoach, and John Wayne was to play the lead role of Ringo Kid. Being the only means of travel on the American frontier in 1885, as a passenger, no name struck more dread into the hearts of travelers than Geronimo - leader of the warlike apaches, and the film follows a group of strangers riding on a stagecoach through this dangerous Apache territory.
It was a huge hit, and John Wayne became an overnight star, and over the years he was looked upon as an American hero. With his handsome face, 6 foot and 4 inches frame, crinkles around the eyes, he loved the outdoors and adventure, and so it's easy to understand why one New York Times film critic wrote "Wayne is, of course, marvelously indestructible, and has become an almost perfect father figure."
Alas, over the years he was beset with health problems, and there were several instances of surgery to remove cancerous tumors. Although he enrolled in a cancer vaccine study in an attempt to ward off the disease, he passed away on June 11, 1979.
John Wayne only starred in a handful of old time radio shows (I guess he was busy making movies!) However, you can listen to the old time radio adaptation of Stagecoach on RUSC, in which he reprises his role from the movie.
Happy listening my friends,
