John Wayne Highlands, fierce fighters against communism, bestowed on Wayne a brass bracelet that he wore in the film and all subsequent films. Wayne finally won a Best Actor Oscar for "True Grit" (1969), two decades after his only other nomination. Wayne took on the role of the eponymous detective in the crime drama "McQ" (1974). His last film was "The Shootist" (1976), whose main character, J. B. Books, was dying of cancer—which Wayne himself succumbed to three years later. "The Shootist" (1976) contains numerous plot similarities to "The Gunfighter" of nearly thirty years before, a role which Wayne had wanted but
Ethan Wayne John Wayne memorabilia on History Channel's "Pawn Stars" in the episode "Dog Day Afternoon" which aired January 14, 2014. He now manages John Wayne Enterprises and serves as the director of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and created its Team DUKE fundraising program. Ethan Wayne John Ethan Wayne (born February 22, 1962) is an American actor. The son of actor John Wayne and his third wife, Pilar Pallete, he grew up in Newport Beach, California, where he shared his father's love of the ocean and outdoors. His name was chosen in direct relation to John Wayne's character in "The Searchers"