John Wayne Photos:  These John Wayne photos were taken by Ned Scott during the filming of “Stagecoach” 1939 and “The Long Voyage Home” 1941. These photographs rank as some of the most recognizable and famous images of John Wayne.

John Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, was an American actor, producer and director. He is a timeless American icon, an Academy Award winner and the biggest box office draw in history. Known for his walk, voice, height and demeanor, he was the very image of masculinity.

Born in Winterset, Iowa, started out working at film studios in Los Angeles, California after he lost a football scholarship due to a bodysurfing accident. He started out with bit parts in the Fox Film Corporation. His first break which made him an instant celebrity was the film Stagecoach in 1939. He starred in 142 films, most of them Western.

Some of his most well known films are The Quiet Man, The Searchers, Rio Bravo, True Grit and The Shootist.
John Wayne was the epitome of American ideals and values. He has never played a character that shot a man in the back. If the script required it, he had it changed.

His popularity was such that when Japanese Emperor Hirohito visited the USA in 1975, he specifically asked to be introduced to Wayne, who in the film Sands of Iwo Jima played the emperor’s enemy.

Wayne visited the war zones during World War II. He was such an icon to the United States Armed Forces that many war veterans claimed their motivation in serving the army was inspired by his movies.

Wayne was vocal about being a conservative Republican throughout his life. He supported the House of American Activities Committee and was an anti-communist. To express his support against communism, he made the film Big Jim McLain in 1952. Soviet documents that have been declassified show that Soviet premier Joseph Stalin ordered the assassination of John Wayne because of his anti-communist stand.

Wayne died in 1979 of stomach cancer.

He was named the 13th Greatest Male Screen Legends of All Time by the American Film Institute in June 1999.

More John Wayne photos by Ned Scott will be added to the gallery as they are unearthed, we hope you enjoy those that are here.

From the movie, “Stagecoach”

From the movie, “Long Voyage Home”