The Decades-Long 'Friendship And Love' Between John Wayne And Maureen O'Hara

Jul 20, 2022 by apost team

Time and again, cinema lovers have sat back and watched as on-screen couples moved their silver screen romances into the real world. It's almost as if the sizzling chemistry needed to bring their movies to life seeps into the actual lives of these actors and actresses, blurring the lines between film and reality.

Such was the case for iconic couples such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, and Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, who were confirmed to have taken their romances off the screen. However, there have been movie couples who, despite showing such magnetism together on screen, are not couples in real life, leading inevitably to rumors of hidden affairs and secret love.

This can be particularly so for those who have shared the screen multiple times, as was the case with legendary cinema stars John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. They starred in a total of five movies together from 1948 to 1970, namely, "Rio Grande," "McLintock," "The Wings of Eagles," "The Quiet Man" and "Big Jake."

Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, started his career with minor acting parts and would not find the success he is known for today until the 1940s. He would then make his mark as the hero of celebrated Westerns such as "Red River," "El Dorado," "True Grit" and "Rio Bravo."

Just as much in the spotlight as his film career was his private life. Wayne had been married three times and divorced twice. This led to speculation that Wayne strayed multiple times throughout his unhappy marriages.

One co-star with whom Wayne had a long and lasting relationship is the Irish-American actress O'Hara. O'Hara, who was born Maureen FitzSimons on Aug 17, 1920, flourished in Hollywood from the 1940s to the 1960s, finding plenty of roles playing passionate yet sensible heroines in films, most often in the Western and adventure genres.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, she became interested in the arts at a very young age. She began taking classes at her local theater school and proved that she had great potential. In 1939, she moved to Hollywood and was ready to officially pursue her dreams of becoming a successful actress.

For the next several decades, O'Hara was a screen star, appearing in films such as "How Green Was My Valley," "Miracle on 34th Street," "The Quiet Man," and "The Parent Trap." It seemed there was no stopping this actress, especially when she collaborated with director John Ford and longtime friend Wayne. She retired from acting in the early 1970s but returned 20 years later to appear in "Only the Lonely" in 1991.

In her personal life, O'Hara was married three times. The first two marriages ended in divorce, and the third ended in tragedy. The actress was married to aviation pioneer Charles F. Blair Jr. for 10 years before the latter died at the age of 69.

After starring in five movies with Wayne, their undeniable on-screen chemistry had sparked talk of an off-screen affair. However, O'Hara had never admitted to any such dalliance with Wayne, referring to their ties as only a friendship.

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Speaking with Ireland Calling, O'Hara said of Wayne: "You couldn't meet a more wonderful guy," adding, "Who would prefer anybody to John Wayne? He was a decent, fine, wonderful man. He loved his family, adored his kids and was very loyal to his friends."

In an interview posted to Wayne's official Instagram page, a reporter is heard commenting on their electric rapport on screen, saying to Wayne, "She's been your wife a great many times," before O'Hara interjected with: "His fighting partner!" 

Wayne goes on to say about O'Hara: "There's no way to make her not look beautiful. … (Director John) Ford tried to make her unattractive in a few scenes – and it was impossible!"

O'Hara herself had some touching words to say about her good friend Wayne. "I have never been in trouble or needed help in any time of my life that I didn't pick up the phone and call Duke, and within five minutes I had what I wanted or needed. He never asked for a thank you. He wouldn't think of that. He has a soft heart and if you make a mistake he'll bend those rules he lives by – not for himself but to forgive you. And that is friendship and love."

In a final grand gesture of friendship, who else was by Wayne's bedside to lift his spirits for three days before he died of stomach cancer on June 11, 1979, but his lifelong friend O'Hara? She herself would pass away of natural causes in 2015, but their sweet bond will live on forever – on-screen and off.

What do you think about John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara's endearing friendship? Do you still believe they could have been more than just friends? Let us know and pass this on to all the cinema lovers you know.