John Wayne Character Traits

The “Duke” When I think of an American cowboy in my mind I see a picture of John Wayne mounted high on his horse in a desert setting riding out into the sunset. His name is synonymous with the western film genre. John Wayne’s characters are known world-wide as American symbols that embody the true characteristics of how Americans ought to be. His characters were always so tough, courageous, and upstanding. For this and other reasons I consider the actor, John Wayne, to have had a tremendously positive impact on our and other societies around the world. To fully appreciate Wayne’s impact, it is important to closely examine where he came from and to consider the factors of his upbringing that influenced his development. John Wayne was born Marion Michael Morrison in Winterset, Iowa on May 26, 1907. At the age of six, his father Clyde Morrison became ill and decided to move the family to southern California. The family lived for a short stint of time on a eighty acre farm, there
He then caught a tremendous break when his former director, John Ford, convinced the United Artists to cast Wayne as the Ringo Kid in the Oscar-winning, classic “Stagecoach.” The film was so influential that it alone brought westerns to new heights. Westerns, largely considered Saturday morning children entertainment began receiving criticism from intellectual adult audiences, and John Wayne became bound for stardom. John very quickly made a name for himself in cinematography, showing his versatility as an actor in a variety of roles such as, a tragic captain in “Reap the Wild,” a rodeo rider in the comedy “A Lady Takes a Chance,” and a young seaman in the 1940 film “The Long Voyage Home” based on the sea plays of playwright Eugene O’Neill. He also co-stared in three films with Hollywood star, Marlene Dietrich, which increased his popularity and