LEGACY OF KINDNESS
Whether they were his friends, family, fans or coworkers, everyone who crossed paths with John Wayne considered him to be among the kindest people they’d ever encountered.
“When he hugged me, it’s like the world was hugging me.”
—ANN-MARGRET, DUKE’S CO-STAR IN THE TRAIN ROBBERS (1973)
“Even if he disagreed with you, he’d want to hear your argument. And he might say ‘I don’t agree with you,’ but he would always let you say your piece.”
—EDWARD FAULKNER, JOHN WAYNE’S FREQUENT CO-STAR
“I never saw Duke display hatred toward those who scorned him. Oh, he could use some pretty salty language, but he would not tolerate pettiness and hate.”
—PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN, DUKE’S FRIEND
“I still hear from people of all ages who tell me how much they look up to him, and many of them have a story about how he touched their lives in some way. I’ve been told, ‘My grandmother was down the hall from your father in the hospital and he came down and brought her a cookie.’ Every opportunity he had, he made somebody feel special. He really had that personal touch, and it’s transcended generations and gone well beyond the movie screen. It wasn’t an act—he really was a genuine, great guy.”
—MARISA WAYNE, DUKE’S DAUGHTER
“He was just one of the nicest men I ever met in my life. If he told you the hog weighed five pounds, you wrapped it up.”
—GLEN CAMPBELL, JOHN WAYNE’S CO-STAR IN TRUE GRIT (1969)
“My English was not great, the crew would sometimes make fun of me. But John Wayne always would stick up for me.”
—SOPHIA LOREN, JOHN WAYNE’S CO-STAR IN LEGEND OF THE LOST (1957)
“He became one of us. He was just like everyone else. He showed us he was really a down-to-earth guy.”
—KEITH HONAKER, A U.S. ARMY ADJUTANT DUKE MET WHILE VISITING NEW BRITAIN DURING WORLD WAR II
“Just before the Pegasus Parade began, he was walking on a sidewalk along the route when he saw a school bus and boarded it to shake hands with the stunned students.”
—THOMAS STEPHENS, A FAN WHO WITNESSED JOHN WAYNE’S KINDNESS DURING THE LEGEND’S VISIT TO LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY IN 1976
“He was more focused on helping those in the hospital around him who were suffering, trying to give them hope and encouragement.”
—PATRICK WAYNE, ON HIS FATHER’S FINAL DAYS
“Duke could see I didn’t know what I was doing. But he was terribly, terribly nice to me anyway...He helped me get through it, and on the strength of Red River Range, I did a lot more pictures for Republic.”
—LORNA GRAY, JOHN WAYNE’S CO-STAR IN RED RIVER RANGE, 1938
“He is cursed with one failing, his loyalty to his friends. And it has cost him many sad moments and many happy moments. But he will never cease to be loyal, ever.”
—MAUREEN O’HARA, DUKE’S FRIEND AND FREQUENT CO-STAR
Explore the softer side of the Western legend, The Official Collector's Edition, John Wayne Volume 46 is packed with rare photos, anecdotes and first-hand-accounts from those who knew the real Duke behind the scenes.