From Texas Standard.
In case you missed it, Texas House Concurrent Resolution 130 is now law.
“WHEREAS, John Wayne is the prototypical American hero, symbolizing such traits as self-reliance, grace under pressure, resolve, and patriotism be it resolved that the State of Texas hereby resolves May 26th as John Wayne Day.”
John Wayne’s son, Ethan Wayne, is an actor himself – he joins the Texas Standard to talk about his father’s career.
On his directorial debut film, The Alamo:
“The Alamo was a project that was near and dear to him – it took him about 10 years to get finished. He had deep roots in Texas, and he had kind of a Texas mindset.”
On how he became an icon:
“He became that character that you see onscreen, himself. And that’s hard work. He was a worker. Whatever business he would have been in, I think he would have risen to the top. In the beginning he wasn’t comfortable in front of the camera but he looked around and saw who he did like…and he put all these pieces together and essentially made ‘John Wayne.’ We didn’t have stables…we lived on the beach.”
On what John Wayne might think of HCR 130:
“I’m sure he would be touched and honored. But again, he didn’t strive for those recognitions. He was a man who was grateful to America for being a place where a kid who had nothing could work hard and make something of himself.”
