John Wayne filmography greatly. His successes during this decade included the Ireland-set romantic comedy "The Quiet Man" and two classic westerns, "The Searchers" and "Rio Bravo". Wayne also continued his producing activities during this period as well, notably with the formation of his own production company, Batjac. In 1960, Wayne appeared in his most personal production, portraying Davy Crockett in "The Alamo", which he also produced and directed. During the 1960s and 1970s, John Wayne ranked as an American icon and one of the top box office attractions in the cinema. Wayne's output of films consisted largely of Westerns but he also ventured
John Ford which is now widely regarded as not only one of his best films, but also by many as one of the greatest westerns, and one of the best performances of John Wayne's career. Shot on location in Monument Valley, it tells of the embittered Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards who spends years tracking down his niece, kidnapped by Comanches as a young girl. The supporting cast included Jeffrey Hunter, Ward Bond, Vera Miles and rising star Natalie Wood. It was Hunter's first film for Ford. It was very successful upon its first release and became one of the top 20