I was reading a copy of field and stream, and in one of the letters to the editor, a guy was furious with them for calling John Wayne a draft dodger in a previous issue. The guy points out his reasons why he isn't, and the editor comes back with there was no proof he ever tried to join etc..., and how he was trying to fake he had been in etc..
So I it started to bug me and I thought I would ask if anyone else knows?

Urban Legend. John Wayne was in his mid-30's in 1941 and had 4 kids. The War Department felt he was more valuable to the nation as an actor than a soldier, and they were probably right. Look it up on Snopes or Cecil Adams.

The Duke was NOT a draft dodger. He was given a legitimate deferment for having 4 kids. Also, some parts of Hollywood were considered essential to the war effort.

He later truly regretted that he didn't enlist.

Here is a link to the Cecil Adams piece on this issue.

[url]http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_004.html[/url]

Sorry, can't help with the "other" John Wayne rumor.

I read in the biography "John Wayne: American" that one of his biggest regrets of his entire life was not signing up for the war.  It's been a while since I've read it, but I don't recall him asking for or receiving a deferment.  It was more like, "After this picture is done..." then there was another project...  He stayed busy and then one day the war was over.

I'm not really trying to be an apologist for him, but more like trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.  When you figure we were in the war for about 3 years & 9 months, and my last four years have flown by, I wouldn't be so brash as to call the Duke a draft dodger.  Especially when those most likely to attack him are probably Willie Klinton fans.

Test Question: Where did the nickname "Duke" come from?

a. It was the name of the family dog.
b. It was given to him because of the confident way he carried himself.
c. It was a nickname given to him by his college fraternity.
d. It was the result of receiving an honorary title of nobility.

I just heard or saw something recently that also stated John Wayne had a medical condition that prevented him from serving. I don't remember any details though.

a. It was the name of the family dog.

I heard he was pidgeon toed (i.e. feet pointed inward).  That's why he walked/swaggered the way he did.  I suppose if he pushed it, he could have gotten in.  

During WWII, the govt pretty much called the shots as to what a person's place in the war effort was.  If he was more valuable making movies, then that's pretty much where he would be.  The nation has never actually mobilized since then, so it's hard to compare to anything in recent memory.  

Ross

"A" is the correct answer.  When he was a kid his family had an airedale named Duke who would walk with him on his way to school.  The route that he walked to school passed by a firehouse.  The dog would hang out there during the day and then walk home with him in the afternoon.  After a while the firemen started calling him "Little Duke."  He then shortened it to just Duke and adopted it as a nickname.  He hated his given name of Marion Morrison because it sounded girlish.

"John Wayne was a fag. Me and a buddy of mine were installin two way mirrors up in his pad up in Brentwood and he came to the door wearin a dress." From the Movie "Repoman"

I read someplace he had really bad eyes, so even if he had gone into the military they wouldn't have let him serve in the infantry or air corps.  Would have ended up as a desk jockey.

GunLvr

Saw a program on the history channel about him.
I guess he got booed a lot when he visited certain groups of servicemen.

One guy who is a famous author today talked about when John Wayne visited his company- and how the soldiers just stared at him with stern looks, and a couple booed.

From what I gathered, their distaste for him had nothing to do with his service, as much as it did with his movies glorifying war, and portraying war in a way that isn't realistic.

Since you are guessing, care to guess which groups of servicemen?




Who? Or is this more guessing and hearsay?






More supposition?


I have watched a few threads slammin John Wayne. I have just about had my share of your gayrights fantasies tied to him with 'I guess' and 'I gathered'...Post a fuckin link, state some tangible sources.....

You guys keep slammin the dead ass Duke with supposition, I am gonna start my own suppositions about you, personally. State facts supported with documentation or STFU....

[:O]

Would I get like that DF?

[;)]

How many;

'I guess',
'I gathered',
'some guy',
'some article',
'I dont remember where'

Can you put on one of the best actors & [red]*PA[/red][white]TRI[/white][blue]OT*[/blue]???

[i]He's a fag & a draft dodger?[/i] [b]Fill your fuckin hand.[/b]

Come with quotes, links, or facts, or expect me to call you everything you call him and then some....

The book I mentioned above was a pretty good read.  One scene that made an impression was when he saw a group of hippies harrassing a one-armed vet recently returned from Vietnam.  He ripped them a new sphincter.

I read a comment by a critic (sorry Cav, it's been a long time) that John Wayne wasn't that good of an actor.  He mainly played one character and just changed the settings for the different stories.  But he did it [b]SO[/b] well!  

I think there is something to that.  Elsewhere there was a thread debating the merits of DeNiro and Pacino.  These guys are mainly known for the various roles they played.  But John Wayne was, well, John Wayne.  You felt that you saw the real deal in him, whether Sgt Stryker or Rooster Cogburn.  We have a bunch of his movies at the house and my kids love him.