Trivia of John Wayne

Trivia of John Wayne

*Did not serve during World War II. Knee injuries he received in college kept him from running the distances required by military standards.

*The fact that all three of his wives were Latin-American surprised Hollywood; this was the only "non-American" aspect of his life. "I have never been conscious of going for any particular type," Wayne said in response to a challenge from the press, "it's just a happenstance".

*Holds the record for the actor with the most leading parts - 142. In all but 11 films he played the leading part.

*Of his many film roles, his personal favorite was that of Ethan Edwards from The Searchers (1956). Wayne even went so far as to name his son Ethan after that character.

*He considered Maureen O'Hara one of his best friends; over the years he was more open to her than anyone. When asked about her he always replied, "The greatest guy I ever knew." They were friends for 39 years, from 1940 until his death in 1979. Today she is considered by many to be his best leading lady; they starred in five films together. She referred to a wing in her home as the "John Wayne Wing".

*Just on his sheer popularity and his prominent political activism, the Republican party in 1968 supposedly asked him to run for President of the US, even though he had no previous political experience. He turned them down because he did not believe America would take a movie star running for the President seriously. He did, however, support Ronald Reagan's campaigns for governor of California in 1966 and 1970, as well as his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976.

*On 6/11/79 the flame of the Olympic Torch at the Coliseum in Los Angeles was lit for honoring him, in memory. It remained lit until the funeral four days later.