American actor, director, and producer John Wayne (1907–1979) began working on films as an extra, prop man and stuntman, mainly for the Fox Film Corporation. He frequently worked in minor roles with director John Ford and when Raoul Walsh suggested him for the lead in The Big Trail (1930), an epic Western shot in an early widescreen process called Fox Grandeur, Ford vouched for him.[a] Wayne's early period as a star would be brief, as Fox dropped him after only three leads. He then appeared in a string of low-budget action films (mostly Westerns) before garnering more recognition with the 1939 film Stagecoach.
Wayne starred in his final film, The Shootist in 1976, ending his acting career of 50 years, 169 feature length films,[2] and various other television appearances or voice-overs.
Executive producer; TV series (17 episodes); uncredited
Box office popularity
Results from Quigley's Motion Picture Heraldannual poll of film exhibitors would determine the year's "Top Ten Stars". John Wayne appeared on the list every time between 1949 and 1973 with one exception – 1958 – indicating that he was one of cinema's most durable stars.[257]
Place
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1
Bob Hope
John Wayne
John Wayne
Martin & Lewis
Gary Cooper
2
Bing Crosby
Bob Hope
Martin & Lewis
Gary Cooper
Martin & Lewis
3
Abbott & Costello
Bing Crosby
Betty Grable
John Wayne
John Wayne
4
John Wayne
Betty Grable
Abbott & Costello
Bing Crosby
Alan Ladd
5
Gary Cooper
James Stewart
Bing Crosby
Bob Hope
Gary Cooper
6
Cary Grant
Abbott & Costello
Bob Hope
James Stewart
Marlon Brando
7
Betty Grable
Clifton Webb
Randolph Scott
Doris Day
Martin & Lewis
8
Esther Williams
Esther Williams
Gary Cooper
Gregory Peck
Humphrey Bogart
9
Humphrey Bogart
Spencer Tracy
Doris Day
Susan Hayward
June Allyson
10
Clark Gable
Randolph Scott
Spencer Tracy
Randolph Scott
Clark Gable
Place
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1
John Wayne
James Stewart
William Holden
Rock Hudson
Glenn Ford
2
Martin & Lewis
Grace Kelly
John Wayne
John Wayne
Elizabeth Taylor
3
Gary Cooper
John Wayne
James Stewart
Pat Boone
Jerry Lewis
4
James Stewart
William Holden
Burt Lancaster
Elvis Presley
Marlon Brando
5
Glenn Ford
Bing Crosby
Marilyn Monroe
Frank Sinatra
Rock Hudson
6
Martin & Lewis
Marilyn Monroe
Alan Ladd
Gary Cooper
William Holden
7
Gary Cooper
James Stewart
William Holden
William Holden
Brigitte Bardot
8
Marilyn Monroe
Bob Hope
Bing Crosby
James Stewart
Yul Brynner
9
Kim Novak
Susan Hayward
Jane Wyman
Jerry Lewis
James Stewart
10
Frank Sinatra
Randolph Scott
Marlon Brando
Yul Brynner
Frank Sinatra
Place
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1
Rock Hudson
Doris Day
Elizabeth Taylor
Doris Day
Doris Day
2
Cary Grant
Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson
John Wayne
3
James Stewart
Cary Grant
Doris Day
Cary Grant
Rock Hudson
4
Doris Day
Elizabeth Taylor
John Wayne
John Wayne
Jack Lemmon
5
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
Cary Grant
Elvis Presley
Cary Grant
6
Glenn Ford
Tony Curtis
Sandra Dee
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
7
Frank Sinatra
Sandra Dee
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Elvis Presley
8
John Wayne
Frank Sinatra
William Holden
Frank Sinatra
Sandra Dee
9
Jerry Lewis
Jack Lemmon
Tony Curtis
Sandra Dee
Paul Newman
10
Susan Hayward
John Wayne
Elvis Presley
Burt Lancaster
Jerry Lewis
Place
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1
Doris Day
Sean Connery
Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Sidney Poitier
2
Jack Lemmon
John Wayne
Sean Connery
Lee Marvin
Paul Newman
3
Rock Hudson
Doris Day
Elizabeth Taylor
Paul Newman
Julie Andrews
4
John Wayne
Julie Andrews
Jack Lemmon
Dean Martin
John Wayne
5
Cary Grant
Jack Lemmon
Richard Burton
Sean Connery
Clint Eastwood
6
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Cary Grant
Elizabeth Taylor
Dean Martin
7
Shirley MacLaine
Cary Grant
John Wayne
Sidney Poitier
Dustin Hoffman
8
Ann-Margret
James Stewart
Doris Day
John Wayne
Jack Lemmon
9
Paul Newman
Elizabeth Taylor
Paul Newman
Richard Burton
Lee Marvin
10
Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Elvis Presley
Steve McQueen
Elizabeth Taylor
Place
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1
Paul Newman
Paul Newman
John Wayne
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
2
John Wayne
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
George C. Scott
Ryan O'Neal
3
Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Paul Newman
Gene Hackman
Steve McQueen
4
Dustin Hoffman
John Wayne
Steve McQueen
John Wayne
Burt Reynolds
5
Clint Eastwood
Elliott Gould
George C. Scott
Barbra Streisand
Robert Redford
6
Sidney Poitier
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Marlon Brando
Barbra Streisand
7
Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin
Walter Matthau
Paul Newman
Paul Newman
8
Jack Lemmon
Jack Lemmon
Ali MacGraw
Steve McQueen
Charles Bronson
9
Katharine Hepburn
Barbra Streisand
Sean Connery
Dustin Hoffman
John Wayne
10
Barbra Streisand
Walter Matthau
Lee Marvin
Goldie Hawn
Marlon Brando
Notes
^"The tall, commanding figure of the prop boy looked right for the part and, when John Ford vouched for Wayne's dedication to work, [Raoul] Walsh arranged a screen test."[1]
^Sources disagree whether Wayne actually appeared on film in this picture, as well. He was also a prop man for this film, although he was uncredited.
^Wayne unbilled but noticeable as a spectator in a horse racing scene
^ abWayne was also the prop man for this film, although he was uncredited.
^ abWayne was also the property assistant for this film, although he was uncredited.
^Wayne was also the costumer for this movie although he was not credited for it.
Sources
Boswell, John; David, Jay (1979). The John Wayne Album. New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN978-0345280886.
Eyles, Allan (1979). John Wayne. New York: A.S. Barnes & Co. ISBN978-0498025907.
Fagen, Herb (2003). The Encyclopedia of Westerns. New York: Facts On File. ISBN978-0816044566.
Landesman, Fred (2004). The John Wayne Filmography. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN978-0786432523.