{"id":88849,"date":"2023-12-18T14:53:42","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T14:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebritytidings.com\/?p=88849"},"modified":"2023-12-18T14:53:42","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T14:53:42","slug":"john-wayne-nicest-guy-in-the-world-on-set-where-director-punched-female-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebritytidings.com\/tv-movies\/john-wayne-nicest-guy-in-the-world-on-set-where-director-punched-female-star\/","title":{"rendered":"John Wayne nicest guy in the world on set where director punched female star"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rio Bravo official trailer with John Wayne<\/h3>\n

John Wayne had already remade 1959\u2019s Rio Bravo, a film about a sheriff defending his office from outlaws, in 1966\u2019s El Dorado. Yet Howard Hawks, who directed both of those films, wanted to make it a third time in 1970\u2019s Rio Lobo.<\/p>\n

When the filmmaker first approached Duke about the idea, the Hollywood star replied: \u201cDo I get to play the drunk this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally set to be shot in Durango, Mexico for $5 million, Rio Lobo \u2013 which celebrates its 53rd anniversary this week \u2013 was filmed for an extra $1 million at Old Tucson, Arizona, since 1971\u2019s Lawman was already shooting south of the border.<\/p>\n

Hawks had wanted EL Dorado star Robert Mitchum to reprise his drunken sheriff, but he\u2019d retired. Nevertheless, he would visit the set since his son Christopher had a role that the director had to fight the studio to be included.<\/p>\n

At this point in his career, the 62-year-old Wayne was in poor health having had a cancerous lung removed just a few years earlier. The star, who was 13 years older than Jack Elam\u2019s Old Man character, struggled to get on and off his horse and was still recovering from having torn a ligament in his shoulder when shooting 1969\u2019s The Undefeated.<\/p>\n

Read more… <\/strong> John Wayne’s final film co-star recalls ‘very real, honest and touching’ Duke[THE SHOOTIST] <\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg>View this post on Instagram<\/p>\n

A post shared by John Wayne “The Duke” (@johnwayneofficial)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Wayne\u2019s fight scene with Victor French had to be filmed very carefully, with most of the shots that were used being with his double. Much of the scrap took place off-camera, with only sounds of the scuffling being heard.<\/p>\n

His Rio Lobo co-star Jennifer O\u2019Neill remembered how Duke struggled to carry her up the stairs. In an interview in the video below, she said: \u201cHe became just completely exhausted, he really struggled through it.\u201d Yet despite his suffering, the 21-year-old remembered Wayne being \u201cthe nicest guy in the world\u201d, who went out of his way to help young actors trying to improve their performances. However, she couldn\u2019t say the same for director Hawks.<\/p>\n

The filmmaker would blame Rio Lobo\u2019s critical and commercial failure on anyone but himself, saying \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was any good\u201d. The director, who injured himself and needed four stitches while filming the railway scene, felt that at 62-years-old Wayne was too old to carry the movie \u2013 with critics saying the same in their reviews. He went on to claim that O\u2019Neill was inexperienced and difficult to work with too.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss… <\/strong>
John Wayne was in so much pain he couldn’t sleep on Western with Ann-Margret[ANN-MARGRET] <\/strong>
John Wayne set tragedy saw cast members killed and their bodies never recovered[JOHN WAYNE] <\/strong>
John Wayne\u2019s spanking of co-star ‘so authentic she had bruises for a week'[JOHN WAYNE] <\/strong><\/p>\n