After an injury forced him out of a USC scholarship, Marion Morrison, nicknamed the Duke, got a job as a prop boy on the Fox soundstages, where he would eventually meet director John Ford. Ford was already well-established as a filmmaker. By the end of the silent era, he already made over 60 films, with about a dozen westerns starring Harry Carey (not that one) as the good-hearted outlaw Cheyenne Harry. With the huge success of his epic historical drama The Iron Horse, Ford became one of the biggest directors in town.
Ford saw something in Morrison and let him appear on screen as an extra in Mother Machree, one of Ford’s first sound films. Their partnership would continue for two years with Morrison appearing as an extra in six more films. Morrison’s big break would soon come when John Ford recommended Morrison to Raoul Walsh who was about to begin production on one of Fox’s biggest movies at the time - The Big Trail. Morrison got the lead, but Walsh and the studio thought the name needed to be changed, and they came up with the name John Wayne.
Unfortunately for Wayne, Walsh, and the studio, the movie was a flop and lost a lot of money. From there, John Wayne was not starring in major film productions but instead in C-list Westerns, otherwise known as Poverty-Row Westerns, though he would be the lead in a few of these. With how powerful John Ford was, many questioned why he hadn’t helped out his friend with a role in one of his films. Ford would say he was looking for a script that would best suit the Duke. And that script emerged nine years later with the film Stagecoach.
Once Ford got his hands on the script he knew that Wayne would be perfect to play the Ringo Kid. Ford had difficulty getting the project off the ground. Because Wayne wasn’t an A-List movie star and Westerns were seen as B-movies then, studios were turning it down left and right. However, once they hired Claire Trevor, who was a much bigger star, as the leading lady, they got the green light from independent producer Walter Wanger. Stagecoach was a massive success, and Wayne's performance marked his breakthrough into stardom. This film solidified Ford's belief in Wayne's potential and set the stage for their future projects.
The 1940s and 1950s saw the pair working together on a series of films that would come to define the Western genre. Movies like Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and Rio Grande showcased Ford's mastery of the Western landscape and Wayne's evolving screen presence, not to mention the non-Westerns like Donovan’s Reef and The Quiet Man. Their collaboration reached new heights with The Searchers in 1956, a film widely regarded as one of the greatest Westerns of all time. Wayne's portrayal of the tormented Ethan Edwards was a career-defining role, and Ford's direction brought out a complexity in Wayne's performance that had rarely been seen before.
Despite their professional success, the relationship between Ford and Wayne was marked by complexity and tension. Ford was notoriously tough on Wayne, often pushing him to his limits both physically and emotionally. He used harsh criticism and even humiliation as tools to drive Wayne to deliver better performances. Wayne, understanding the director's intentions, bore these challenges with resilience, respecting Ford's vision and dedication to his craft.
Their rapport was equally intricate. Ford was a father figure to Wayne, offering both guidance and tough love. Wayne, for his part, admired Ford deeply, referring to him as "Pappy." This dynamic, though fraught with friction, was also characterized by a deep, underlying affection and mutual respect. Wayne's loyalty to Ford remained steadfast throughout their careers, and Ford's belief in Wayne's abilities never wavered.
As both men aged, their professional output slowed, but their impact on the industry continued to resonate. They collaborated on several more projects in the 1960s, including The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, where Wayne starred alongside James Stewart. This film, blending myth and reality, underscored the enduring themes of their earlier work while reflecting on the passing of the Old West.
John Ford's health declined in the late 1960s, and he directed his final film, 7 Women, in 1966. Wayne, meanwhile, continued acting until his death in 1979, with his final film being The Shootist. Despite the physical separation of their later years, the bond between them remained strong until Ford's death in 1973.
John Wayne and John Ford's relationship is a tale of artistic collaboration, personal growth, and mutual respect. Their partnership produced some of the most iconic films in Hollywood history and exemplified the powerful dynamic between a director and his star. Through their joint efforts, they redefined the Western genre and left a legacy that continues to influence filmmakers and audiences today.