In Reply to: RE: Rio Bravo verses El Dorado? posted by Dr Phibes on May 10, 2018 at 09:58:49:
Since you are a wayne fan, a small fact you might enjoy.
A director friend of his, john houston if I remember, told him to point his feet when he walked, to attract more attention to his character. This walk is very noticeable in these rio bravo films, and the actor adopted this walk in real life.
I was on a ship with three books about john wayne in the library, and it was a long trip. I know more than needed about the guy.
As you might know, the usc football team was used as one day extras in a gladiator film, but since wayne was off the team with an injury, he had time to go back the next day, and the next, and in time the big kid with the good looks got noticed, and became the first non singing cowboy star, although he did sing twice on film before that idea was canned.
It was only luck that he made it on the bus, he wasn't going since he wasn't with the team at that time , but his friend , ward bond , saw him walking by as they were boarding the bus, and told him to get on the bus with the team. Wayne told bond he was too ugly to be an actor, so he better go.
THe surfers tell the broken collarbone that lead to his acting gig was from bodysurfing the wedge, a spot famous for lost swim fins and breaking collarbones when it gets big. I would think it was from USC football , but none of the books I read mentioned how the injury happened. Surfers do have strong oral traditions, from hanging with the island guys. The also say J. paul Getty built his mansion where he did so he could surf sunset beach. I wouldn't know , not having any oral traditions in my life except for grade school playgrounds. About the only place left where one can still find oral stories passed between generations.
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Follow Ups
- a fun fact - beach cruiser 15:17:14 05/10/18 (2)
- RE: a fun fact - Dr Phibes 03:29:22 05/12/18 (1)
- Times change for all - beach cruiser 16:32:32 05/27/18 (0)