John Wayne was hailed as one of the greatest actors for well over three decades, as he became the biggest name in the Spaghetti Western genre, acting in films such as El Dorado, and The Longest Day. Despite that, the actor also had his fair share of controversies.
John Wayne Was A Highly Controversial Actor
Few actors in the annals of Hollywood can rival the legendary status of John Wayne, who more or less transcended the world of Hollywood to become a cultural icon. His contributions to the business simply cannot be understated in any way.
Beneath all the glitz and glamour, John Wayne’s legacy is cast in a more complex light when one sees it from a modern-day point of view. It is a well-known fact he had issues with many actors due to his dominating personality.
This was especially evident in a very racist interview with the actor and Playboy, which was brought to the surface in 2019. During the 1971 interview[via Farout Magazine] John Wayne had a very disturbing view of various races in America.
”With a lot of blacks, there’s quite a bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully. But we can’t all of a sudden get down on our knees and turn everything over to the leadership of the blacks. I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility.”
The above comments come as little surprise because they were made a couple of years after the civil rights movement ended. The movement effectively brought an end to racial segregation and secured equal access for African American to a range of public facilities.
John Wayne Had A Lot Of Conflict With Clark Gable
The interview added another layer to the behind-the-scenes controversies that marked Wayne’s career, including his issues with many actors in Hollywood. One such account is narrated by Wayne’s daughter, Aissa, in her book John Wayne: My Father.
Describing the heated feud between Wayne and iconic actor Clark Gable while they were filming Mogambo in 1953, directed by John Ford. The daughter talked about John Wayne’s principles of loyalty to allies and disdain toward enemies, among other things.
“In my father’s way of thinking, disloyalty to allies, support in any fashion for their enemies, was expressly forbidden. If Clark Gable took on John Ford, my father’s code demanded that John Wayne stand by his old pal.
He’s extremely handsome in person, one guy that doesn’t need Hollywood to make him look good. But Gable’s an idiot. Do you know why Gable’s an actor? It’s the only thing he’s smart enough to do”.
Despite his controversial and outright problematic views, John Wayne is still viewed as one of the greatest actors to have stepped foot in Hollywood. No matter what, his legacy will never be tarnished and fans have accepted that fact.
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