Despite passing away decades ago, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who exemplifies what it means to be a real man more than John Wayne did during his lifetime.
I'm not just talking about the macho roles he played on screen, though. His actions behind the scenes were just as admirable, if not more so!
He would be the first person to tell you just how different he was from that cowboy persona we all recognize in films, explaining in 1957: "I never was and never will be a film personality like John Wayne. I know him well. I’m one of his closest students. I have to be. I make a living out of him."
That, plus the fact that he towered over folks at a whopping 6'4, definitely didn't hurt his image either.
We know most men can't do much to improve their height, but there are plenty of other ways you can check to see if your man measures up to the Duke's example.
Let us know in the comments if we missed any of the actor's amazing qualities, and be sure to SHARE with your loved ones!
Thumbnail Source: Wikimedia Commons
1. He Should Always Help Others With His Best Advice
When meeting a young Michael Caine, John shared these words of wisdom:
"Talk low, talk slow and don't say too much — and never wear suede shoes, because one day a guy in the next stall recognized me and turned towards me and said, 'John Wayne, you're my favorite actor!' And puked all over my suede shoes. So don't wear them when you're famous, kid."
2. He Should Have A Great Sense Of Humor
John and his good friend Ward Bond loved playing practical jokes on each other.
Ward made a good-natured bet against John that they could stand on opposite sides of a newspaper and John wouldn't be able to hit him. Ward thought he was being clever by putting the paper down in a doorway and closing it to stand on either side of the door. In a hilarious (and clever) twist, the Duke still won the bet by punching through the door!
3. He Should Be Open To Others' Perspectives
The famously conservative actor was close friends with President Ronald Reagan and even starred in a film for the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee. Still, he was fond of discussing politics with fellow actor Paul Newman, who would send him more liberal essays for the pair to debate.
4. He Should Admit When He Does Something Wrong
John would regularly challenge his co-stars to chess tournaments and often use his large hands for sneaky maneuvers.
When actor Robert Mitchum finally called him out during a game, the Duke simply replied, "I was wondering when you were going to say something. Set 'em up, we'll play again."
5. He Should Be Humble Even In Triumph
After winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Rooster Cogburn in True Grit, the veteran actor jokingly chalked it up to "beginner's luck." He even spent the evening drinking with his competition, Richard Burton, telling the Welsh actor, "You should have this, not me."
6. He Should Never Let Anything Slow Him Down
After getting injured while bodysurfing when he was in college, he lost his football scholarship and was forced to leave the university. However, he didn't give up — in fact, it's exactly what started his career when he took a job as a prop hand at Fox Studios and found himself cast as an extra in a few films.
7. He Should Take The Lead As Often As Possible
With an impressive career of 175 films, John was cast as the main character in 142 of the flicks, making him the truest definition of what it means to be a leading man in the film industry.
8. He Should Make Time To Read
Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle were among the Duke's favorite authors, but it was Charles Dickens whom the actor would reference every time he made a business deal, sealing the pact by saying, "Barkis is willing!" — a reference to David Copperfield.
9. He Should Have The Utmost Respect For The Military
We often think of the Duke in a traditional military uniform, but he actually never served in any branch — he was too young to enter service during World War I and dealing with health issues that kept him from enlisting during World War II.
However, he did everything he could to support soldiers throughout his career by touring in USO shows and promoting their cause with his films.
10. He Should Embrace His Looks At Every Age
Though the studio preferred John to make all his public appearances with his baldness hidden behind a wig or toupee, the actor didn't mind his thinning hair one bit and would even crack jokes about it.
When a student at Harvard asked him where he got his "phony toupee," the Duke was quick to respond, "It’s not phony. It’s real hair. Of course, it’s not mine, but it’s real."
How does your man measure up to the Duke? Did we miss any of your favorite qualities he embodied?
Let us know below, and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
