Actor
John Wayne
Born 26 May 1907 · Winterset, Iowa, USA — died 11 June 1979
John Wayne (1907–1979) was an American actor and occasional director, nicknamed "Duke." He became a star with Stagecoach (1939) and spent decades as a leading box-office draw, mostly in Westerns and war films. His rugged persona made him an enduring symbol of the American frontier on screen.
Key films
Stagecoach (1939)On Cinespective
John Ford's Western made Wayne an instant star after years in B movies.
Red River (1948)
Showed Wayne's dramatic range as a hard, domineering cattleman in Howard Hawks's epic.
The Searchers (1956)On Cinespective
Ford's acclaimed Western gave Wayne his most complex role, as the obsessive Ethan Edwards.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Late Ford classic that reflects on the myth of the Old West.
True Grit (1969)
Played Rooster Cogburn, the performance that won him his only Academy Award.
Key awards
- 1969 Academy Award for Best Actor (True Grit)
- 1970 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, Drama (True Grit)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 270
- 1926The Great K&A Train Robbery · as Extra (uncredited)Actor
- 1926Brown of Harvard · as Yale LIneback PlayerActor
- 1926Bardelys the Magnificent · as Guard (uncredited)Actor
- 1927Mother MachreeActor
- 1927The Drop Kick · as Football Player / Extra in StandsActor
- 1927Annie LaurieActor
- 1927The Draw-Back · as Opposing Football PlayerActor
- 1928Four SonsActor
- 1928Noah's Ark · as Flood Extra (uncredited)Actor
- 1928Hangman's House · as Horse Race Spectator / Condemned Man in FlashbackActor
- 1928A Home Made Man · as Man on StoolActor
- 1929The Black Watch · as Black Watch Soldier (uncredited)Actor
- 1929Salute · as Midshipman BillActor
- 1929Speakeasy · as ExtraActor
- 1929Words and Music · as Pete Donahue (as Duke Morrison)Actor
- 1930The Big Trail · as Breck ColemanActor
- 1930Born Reckless · as Extra (uncredited)Actor
- 1930Men Without Women · as Radioman on Surface (uncredited)Actor
- 1930Rough Romance · as Lumberjack (uncredited)Actor
- 1930Cheer Up and Smile · as RoyActor
- 1931The Range Feud · as Clint TurnerActor
- 1931Arizona · as Lt. Bob DentonActor
- 1931Three Girls Lost · as Gordon WalesActor
- 1931Maker of Men · as Dusty RhodesActor
- 1931The Deceiver · as Reginald Thorpe as a corpseActor
- 1931Girls Demand Excitement · as Peter BrooksActor
- 1932Haunted Gold · as John MasonActor
- 1932The Hurricane Express · as The Air PilotActor
- 1932The Big Stampede · as Deputy Sheriff John SteeleActor
- 1932Ride Him, Cowboy · as John DruryActor
- 1932Two-Fisted Law · as DukeActor
- 1932Texas Cyclone · as Steve PickettActor
- 1932The Shadow of the Eagle · as Craig McCoyActor
- 1932Lady and Gent · as Buzz KinneyActor
- 1932Running Hollywood · as EmceeActor
- 1932The Hollywood HandicapActor
- 1933Baby Face · as Jimmy McCoy Jr.Actor
- 1933Sagebrush Trail · as John BrantActor
- 1933Riders of Destiny · as Singin' Sandy SaundersActor
- 1933His Private Secretary · as Dick WallaceActor
- 1933The Telegraph Trail · as John TrentActor
- 1933The Man from Monterey · as John HolmesActor
- 1933Somewhere in Sonora · as John BishopActor
- 1933College Coach · as Football player (uncredited)Actor
- 1933Central AirportActor
- 1933The Three Musketeers · as Lt. Tom WayneActor
- 1933The Life of Jimmy Dolan · as SmithActor
- 1933Fugitive · as JohnActor
- 1934Blue Steel · as John CarruthersActor
- 1934The Star Packer · as U.S. Marshal John TraversActor
- 1934'Neath the Arizona Skies · as Chris MorrellActor
- 1934Randy Rides Alone · as Randy BowersActor
- 1934The Lawless Frontier · as John TobinActor
- 1934The Lucky Texan · as Jerry MasonActor
- 1934The Man from Utah · as John WestonActor
- 1934West of the Divide · as Ted Hayden aka Gat GannsActor
- 1934The Trail Beyond · as Rod DrewActor
- 1934Rodeo Rocketeers · as John WestonActor
- 1934Klondike Gold · as Rod DrewActor
- 1934Vengence is Mine · as John TobinActor
- 1934The Drifter · as RandyActor
- 1934Claim Jumpers · as Jerry MasonActor
- 1934Bandits of the Badlands · as John CarruthersActor
- 1934Next Of Kin · as Ted Hayden aka Gat GannsActor
- 1934The Shadow Gang · as U.S. Marshal John TraversActor
- 1935Texas Terror · as John HigginsActor
- 1935The Dawn Rider · as John MasonActor
- 1935The Desert Trail · as John Scott / John JonesActor
- 1935Rainbow Valley · as John MartinActor
- 1935Paradise Canyon · as John WyattActor
- 1935Westward Ho · as John WyattActor
- 1935Lawless Range · as John MiddletonActor
- 1935The New Frontier · as John DawsonActor
- 1935Avenging Angel · as John MasonActor
- 1935Guns Along The Trail · as John WyattActor
- 1935On the Run · as John JonesActor
- 1935Cowboy G-Man · as John WyattActor
- 1936Winds of the Wasteland · as John BlairActor
- 1936King of the Pecos · as John ClaybornActor
- 1936The Lonely Trail · as Captain John AshleyActor
- 1936The Lawless Nineties · as John TiptonActor
- 1936Sea Spoilers · as Bob RandallActor
- 1936The Oregon Trail · as Capt John DelmontActor
- 1936Conflict · as Pat GlendonActor
- 1936The Stagecoach Race · as John BlairActor
- 1937Born to the West · as Dare RuddActor
- 1937I Cover the War! · as Bob AdamsActor
- 1937Idol of the Crowds · as Johnny HansonActor
- 1937California Straight Ahead · as Biff SmithActor
- 1937Adventure's End · as Duke SladeActor
- 1937Hell Town · as Dare RuddActor
- 1938Overland Stage Raiders · as Stony BrookeActor
- 1938Santa Fe Stampede · as Stony BrookeActor
- 1938Red River Range · as Stony BrookeActor
- 1938Pals of the Saddle · as Stony BrookeActor
- 1939Stagecoach · as The Ringo KidActor
- 1939Allegheny Uprising · as Jim SmithActor
- 1939New Frontier · as Stony BrookeActor
- 1939Three Texas Steers · as Stony BrookeActor
- 1939The Night Riders · as Stony BrookeActor
- 1939Wyoming Outlaw · as Stony BrookeActor
- 1940The Long Voyage Home · as Ole OlsenActor
- 1940Dark Command · as Bob SetonActor
- 1940Seven Sinners · as DanActor
- 1940Three Faces West · as John PhillipsActor
- 1941The Shepherd of the Hills · as Young Matt MatthewsActor
- 1941Lady from Louisiana · as John ReynoldsActor
- 1941A Man Betrayed · as Lynn HollisterActor
- 1942The Spoilers · as GlennisterActor
- 1942Reap the Wild Wind · as Captain Jack StuartActor
- 1942Flying Tigers · as Jim GordonActor
- 1942In Old California · as Tom CraigActor
- 1942Reunion in France · as Pat TalbotActor
- 1942Pittsburgh · as Charles 'Pittsburgh' MarkhamActor
- 1942Lady for a Night · as Jackson MorganActor
- 1943In Old Oklahoma · as Daniel F SomersActor
- 1943A Lady Takes a Chance · as Duke HudkinsActor
- 1944Tall in the Saddle · as RocklinActor
- 1944The Fighting Seabees · as Lt. Cmdr. Wedge DonovanActor
- 1944Memo for Joe · as SelfActor
- 1945They Were Expendable · as Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' RyanActor
- 1945Back to Bataan · as Colonel Joseph MaddenActor
- 1945Dakota · as John DevlinActor
- 1945Flame of Barbary Coast · as Duke FergusActor
- 1946Without Reservations · as Rusty ThomasActor
- 1946Desert Command · as Tom WayneActor
- 1946Desert Command · as Tom WayneActor
- 1947Angel and the Badman · as Quirt EvansActor
- 1947Tycoon · as Johnny MunroeActor
- 1948Red River · as Thomas DunsonActor
- 1948Fort Apache · as Capt. Kirby YorkActor
- 19483 Godfathers · as Robert Marmaduke Sangster HightowerActor
- 1948Wake of the Red Witch · as Capt. RallsActor
- 1949She Wore a Yellow Ribbon · as Capt. Nathan Cutting BrittlesActor
- 1949The Fighting Kentuckian · as John BreenActor
- 1950Rio Grande · as Lt. Col. Kirby YorkeActor
- 1950Sands of Iwo Jima · as Sgt. John M. StrykerActor
- 1951Flying Leathernecks · as Maj. Daniel Xavier KirbyActor
- 1951Operation Pacific · as Duke E. GiffordActor
- 1951The Screen Director · as Self (staged 'archive' footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1952The Quiet Man · as Sean ThorntonActor
- 1952Big Jim McLain · as Jim McLainActor
- 1953Hondo · as Hondo LaneActor
- 1953Island in the Sky · as Captain DooleyActor
- 1953Trouble Along the Way · as Stephen Aloysius WilliamsActor
- 1953Three Lives · as SelfActor
- 1953You're the Star · as SelfActor
- 1954The High and the Mighty · as Dan RomanActor
- 1955Blood Alley · as Capt. Tom WilderActor
- 1955The Sea Chase · as Captain Karl EhrlichActor
- 1955Rookie of the Year · as Mike CroninActor
- 1956The Searchers · as Ethan EdwardsActor
- 1956The Conqueror · as TemujinActor
- 1957Legend of the Lost · as Joe JanuaryActor
- 1957The Wings of Eagles · as Frank W. 'Spig' WeadActor
- 1957Jet Pilot · as Col. Jim ShannonActor
- 1958The Barbarian and the Geisha · as Townsend HarrisActor
- 1958I Married a Woman · as Actor in a Movie (uncredited)Actor
- 1958The Western: A Lost TV Special · as SelfActor
- 1959Rio Bravo · as Sheriff John T. ChanceActor
- 1959The Horse Soldiers · as Col John MarloweActor
- 1960The Alamo · as Col. Davy CrockettActor
- 1960The AlamoDirector
- 1960North to Alaska · as Sam McCordActor
- 1960The Colter Craven StoryActor
- 1961The Comancheros · as Jake CutterActor
- 1961The Challenge of Ideas · as SelfActor
- 1961The 10 from Texas · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1962The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance · as Tom DoniphonActor
- 1962The Longest Day · as Lt. Col. Benjamin VandervoortActor
- 1962How the West Was Won · as William ShermanActor
- 1962Hatari! · as Sean MercerActor
- 1962Flashing Spikes · as Marine SergeantActor
- 1963McLintock! · as George Washington McLintockActor
- 1963Donovan's Reef · as Michael "Guns" DonovanActor
- 1964Circus World · as Matt MastersActor
- 1964Choice · as HostActor
- 1965The Sons of Katie Elder · as John ElderActor
- 1965The Greatest Story Ever Told · as Centurion at crucifixionActor
- 1965In Harm's Way · as Capt. Rockwell TorreyActor
- 1965The Making of A Movie · as HimselfActor
- 1966El Dorado · as Cole ThorntonActor
- 1966Cast a Giant Shadow · as Gen. Mike RandolphActor
- 1966The Victory Squad · as Self - HostActor
- 1967The War Wagon · as Taw JacksonActor
- 1967A Nation Builds Under Fire · as NarratorActor
- 1968The Green Berets · as Colonel Mike KirbyActor
- 1968The Green BeretsDirector
- 1968Hellfighters · as Chance BuckmanActor
- 1968The Movie Orgy · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1969True Grit · as Reuben J. "Rooster" CogburnActor
- 1969The Undefeated · as Colonel John Henry ThomasActor
- 1970Rio Lobo · as Col. Cord McNallyActor
- 1970Chisum · as John ChisumActor
- 1970Swing Out, Sweet Land · as Self - HostActor
- 1970No Substitute for Victory · as SekfActor
- 1970Raquel! · as SelfActor
- 1970Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo · as SelfActor
- 1971Big Jake · as Jacob McCandlesActor
- 1971Directed by John Ford · as Self (1969)Actor
- 1971The American West of John Ford · as Self - NarratorActor
- 1971The Selling of the Pentagon · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1972The Cowboys · as Wil AndersenActor
- 1972Cancel My Reservation · as Himself (uncredited)Actor
- 1973Cahill: United States Marshal · as J.D. CahillActor
- 1973The Train Robbers · as LaneActor
- 1973The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard Hawks · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1973Wayne Train · as SelfActor
- 1973The Man Behind the Star · as SelfActor
- 1974McQ · as McQActor
- 1974Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1975Rooster Cogburn · as Reuben J. "Rooster" CogburnActor
- 1975Brannigan · as Lt. Jim BranniganActor
- 1975Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1975Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1976The Shootist · as J.B. BooksActor
- 1976CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years · as SelfActor
- 1976Chesty: A Tribute to a Legend · as Himself/NarratorActor
- 1976Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch · as Jerry MasonActor
- 1976It's Showtime · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1976Hooray for Hollywood · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1976Bob Hope's World of Comedy · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1976Bob Hope's Comedy Christmas SpecialActor
- 1977That's Action · as selfActor
- 1977This Little Bullet · as HostActor
- 1977Johnny, weil Du Geburtstag hast · as SelfActor
- 1978Perry Como's Early American Christmas · as SelfActor
- 1982Showbiz Goes to War · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1984Going Hollywood: The '30s · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1988Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1990John Wayne: American Hero Of The MoviesActor
- 1991Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1991Movie Tough Guys · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1991John Wayne - Eine amerikanische Legende · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1992John Wayne's 'The Alamo' · as Davy CrockettActor
- 1993La Classe américaine · as George Abitbol (archive footage)Actor
- 1993The John Wayne Story: The Early YearsActor
- 1993The Making of 'Rio Grande' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1993Young Duke: Making Of A Movie Star · as HimselfActor
- 1993The John Wayne Story - The Later Years · as HimselfActor
- 1997The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1998JOHN WAYNE - AMERICAN LEGEND · as HimselfActor
- 1998The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts · as Self - Roaster (archive footage)Actor
- 1999Television: The First Fifty Years · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2000John Wayne-A Life on Film · as HimselfActor
- 2001The Shootist: The Legend Lives OnActor
- 2001The Duke at Fox · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2002Edith Head: The Paramount Years · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 20091939: Hollywood's Greatest Year · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2010Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2010Nuke 'Em, Duke · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2012Christmas Around the World with Perry Como · as SelfActor
- 2013Dictator: One Crazy Job · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2013John Ford & Monument Valley · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2016John Wayne on Film · as HimselfActor
- 2017The Fabulous Allan Carr · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2019John Ford: The Man Who Invented America · as Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage)Actor
- 2019John Wayne - America at All Costs · as Himself (archive footage)Actor
- 2019Gérard Blain : adultes, je vous hais · as Self (archive)Actor
- 2022Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2022John Ford and ThrowingActor
- 2023John Wayne: Cowboys & Demons · as Self (Archive Footage)Actor
- 2024Remembering Gene Wilder · as Self (archive photo)Actor
- 2024Atomic People · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2024The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2025Breakdown: 1975 · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2025Elway · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2025Naughty America: Guns & Stripes · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2026Spiritual day in MinneapolisActor
- 2026Proust Palimpsesto: Pastiches e Misturas · as Ethan Edwards (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.