John Wayne: podcast appearances and interviews

Marion Robert Morrison, known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed 'Duke', was an American actor recognized as an iconic figure of the old West. Born in Winterset, Iowa, and raised in Southern California, he began his acting career with small roles after working for the Fox Film Corporation. His breakthrough came with the leading role in Raoul Walsh's Western film The Big Trail in 1930, although it was a box-office failure. Throughout the 1930s, Wayne starred in numerous B movies, primarily Westerns, which helped establish his presence in Hollywood. His career skyrocketed with his role in John Ford's Stagecoach in 1939, which catapulted him to mainstream stardom. Over his extensive career spanning from the silent film era through the American New Wave in the 1970s, Wayne appeared in 179 film and television productions. He was among the top box-office draws for three decades and collaborated with many prominent Hollywood stars of his era. Wayne is often remembered for embodying the frontier heritage of the nation through roles in notable Westerns such as Red River, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and True Grit, the latter of which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor. His diverse filmography also includes works like The Quiet Man, Rio Bravo, and The Longest Day. Wayne's final role was in The Shootist in 1976, portraying an aging gunfighter. He made his last public appearance at the Academy Awards in 1979 and passed away shortly thereafter from stomach cancer. In 1980, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.