Here's Why We Think John Wayne Is The Best Western Actor Of All Time - Do You Agree?

Oct 25, 2018

When you list classic Cowboy action films, which stars come to mind? Most Americans probably think of one name in particular: John Wayne. Audiences came to recognize him instantly through his 142 motion picture appearances.

Although he never attended a formal actor training program and he learned his profession entirely on the job, John Wayne came to symbolize a cowboy superstar to an entire generation of moviegoers!

Born in the small town of Winterset, Iowa in 1907 with the given name of Marion Robert Morrison, he moved with his parents to California a few years later. As a teenager, he joined the Glendale High School football team. His athletic prowess earned him a scholarship to the USC.

Then, unexpectedly, he suffered a broken collarbone.

The mishap cost him his football scholarship. John Wayne dropped out of college to become a prop assistant and extra.

This change of fortune would launch him on a successful career in Hollywood. He impressed cowboy star Tom Mix, who helped him secure small roles in silent Westerns.

Shortly after the arrival of the Great Depression, Marion Morrison adopted the stage name "John Wayne" for his appearance in his first starring role, a Western saga called The Big Trail (1930).

The film (one of the first motion pictures to provide sound) failed to perform well at the box office during troubled economic times. Yet tall, ruggedly handsome John Wayne received numerous small parts throughout the 1930s.

In 1939, director John Ford cast John Wayne as Ringo Kid in the iconic Western Stagecoach. He appeared alongside veteran actor John Carradine and actress Claire Trevor.

The movie won both favorable reviews and box office success. It elevated John Wayne to the status of a Hollywood star.

In 1947, John Wayne played an injured ruffian in the Old West who regained his health due to the kindness of a Quaker family. The Western presented a pivotal conflict between good and evil. Popular actress Gail Russell co-starred as the meek Penelope Worth.

John Wayne appeared in numerous Westerns following WWII. In 1956, he starred in another film directed by John Ford. The Searchers concerned efforts to rescue a cowboy's kidnapped niece from raiding Comanches.

The plot highlighted racial prejudice against Native Americans. (The film also starred Jeffrey Hunter, an actor who would later appear in the Star Trek TV series pilot.)

In Rio Bravo, John Wayne played a Sheriff with a daunting mission. He sought to prevent the release of an important prisoner. Dean Martin co-starred.

John Wayne would appear in numerous Cowboy blockbusters until the 1970s. He became one of the most widely recognized stars. His cowboy films continue to draw audiences.

What do you think? Is John Wayne a synonym for "cowboy?" Let us know in the comments and show this article to another western movie buff you know!