John Wayne Bravo" (1959) with Dean Martin, and "The Longest Day" (1962). In his final screen performance, he starred as an aging gunfighter battling cancer in "The Shootist" (1976). He appeared with many important Hollywood stars of his era, and his last public appearance was at the Academy Awards ceremony on April 9, 1979. Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907 at 224 South Second Street in Winterset, Iowa. The local paper, "Winterset Madisonian", reported on page 4 of the edition of May 30, 1907 that Wayne weighed 13 lbs. (around 6 kg.) at birth. His middle name was
The Last Command (1955 film) son as a vehicle for the studio's biggest star, John Wayne. In 1950 it was announced Wayne would produce, direct and star in the film.. The project was going to be filmed after Wayne did "The Quiet Man" for Republic; Paul Fix and James Edward Grant had reworked the script. "I've always wanted to direct ever since I came into pictures," said Wayne, who had just begun producing with "The Bullfighter and the Lady". He planned to make the film in Tuacana, Mexico. Robert Clarke was announced for a key role. However Republic Pictures head Herbert Yates and Wayne clashed.