The Duke
 photo by Cliff |
Born Marion Robert Morrison, John Wayne was a hero to many young cowboys throughout the 20th century. Known in real life as a big man, he came into this world weighing 13 pounds on May 26, 1907. His nickname "The Duke" was given to him as a child after his dog. The two were inseparable and thus were called Big Duke and Little Duke.
John Wayne attended the University of Southern California (USC) on a football scholarship. His football career and scholarship ended following an injury that took him out of the game. He appeared as a football player in two films while attending college, Brown of Harvard (1926) and Drop Kick (1927). One of his first major films was Stagecoach (1939). This was perhaps also the beginning of his persona that was portrayed in many of his movies.
In 1964, John Wayne suffering from lung cancer had several ribs and a lung removed but his illness didn't stop this larger than life actor from moving forward. He supported close friend Ronald Reagan during his bid for California governor in 1966.
John Wayne had seven children and three marriages under his belt when he died on June 11, 1979. Several of his children followed in their father's footsteps and even appeared alongside Wayne in his movies. Following his death, John Wayne was awarded a congressional gold medal and in 2007, he was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.
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