John Wayne filmography


American actor, director, and producer John Wayne began working on films as an extra, prop man and stuntman, mainly for the Fox Film Corporation. He frequently worked in minor roles with director John Ford and when Raoul Walsh suggested him for the lead in The Big Trail, an epic Western shot in an early widescreen process called Fox Grandeur, Ford vouched for him. Wayne's early period as a star would be brief. Fox dropped him after only three leads. He then appeared in a string of low-budget action films before garnering more recognition with the 1939 film Stagecoach.
During the 1940s and early 1950s, Wayne starred in Dark Command, Reap the Wild Wind, Wake of the Red Witch, Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Rio Grande, and Red River. Some of his more notable war movies include Flying Tigers, The Fighting Seabees, They Were Expendable, and Sands of Iwo Jima, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
The 1950s saw Wayne starring in an Ireland-set romantic comedy, The Quiet Man, and two westerns, The Searchers and Rio Bravo. Wayne also continued his producing activities during this period, and formed his own production company, Batjac. During the 1960s and 1970s, Wayne starred in more Westerns, such as The Comancheros, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, El Dorado and True Grit, in which his role as Rooster Cogburn earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor. He would reprise that role in the 1975 film Rooster Cogburn. He also appeared in several war films, including The Longest Day and In Harm's Way.
Wayne starred in his final film, The Shootist in 1976, ending his acting career of 50 years, 169 feature length films, and various other television appearances or voice-overs.

Filmography

As himself

YearTitleNotesRefs.
1932'Short film
1932Running HollywoodTwo-reel short
1932'Two-reel short
1940Screen SnapshotsShort film
1941Meet the Stars: Past and PresentPromotional short
1944Memo for JoeShort film
1949Screen Snapshots: Hollywood RodeoShort documentary
1950Screen Snapshots: Hollywood's Famous FeetShort documentary; uncredited
1951Screen Snapshots: Reno's Silver Spur AwardsShort documentary
1951'Promotional short
1951Screen Snapshots: Hollywood AwardsShort documentary
1953'TV series
1954This is Your LifeTV series
1955Screen Snapshots: The Great Al JolsonShort documentary
1955GunsmokeTV series
1955Sheilah Graham in HollywoodTV series
1955'TV series
1955I Love LucyTV series
1955Producers' ShowcaseTV series
1955CasablancaTV series
1956Climax!TV series
1956Screen Directors PlayhouseTV series
1958I Married a WomanUncredited cameo
1958'Presenter
1958Screen Snapshots: Salute to HollywoodShort documentary
1958Wide Wide WorldTV series documentary
1959World's Heavyweight Championship Fight:
Floyd Patterson Heavyweight Champion of the World
Vs.
Ingemar Johansson Heavyweight Champion of Europe		Short documentary; uncredited
1959'Presenter
1960'Documentary
1960'Presenter
1960'TV series
1960'TV series
1960What's My Line?TV series
1960, 1964CinépanoramaTV series
1960'TV series
1961'Propaganda short
1962Here's HollywoodTV series
1963'TV series
1965'Short documentary
1966'TV series
1966The Lucy ShowTV series
1966–1969'TV series
1967'Short documentary
1967'Short documentary
1967'TV series
1967'TV series
1968'Short documentary
1968–1973Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InTV series
1968, 1969'TV series
1969–1971'TV series
1970No Substitute for VictoryShort
1970John Wayne and ChisumShort documentary
1970Plimpton! Shoot out at Rio LoboTV documentary
1970'TV series
1970Swing Out, Sweet LandTV movie
1970Raquel!TV special
1970'TV special
1970'Presenter
1970Harry Jacks: A Man and His ArtShort documentary
1971Sehnsucht nach dem Wilden WestenTV movie
1971'TV series
1971Directed by John FordDocumentary
1971Everything You Always Wanted to Know
About Jack Benny But Were Afraid to Ask		TV special
1971–1976'TV series
1971'Documentary
1971, 1975V.I.P. SchaukelTV series
1972'Short documentary
1972Cancel My Reservation
1972'Presenter
1972'Short documentary
1973'Short documentary
1973RCA's Opening NightTV movie
1973Cavalcade of ChampionsShort documentary
1974McQ: John Wayne in Action
1974John Wayne and Glenn Campbell and the Musical WestTV special
1974'TV series
1974MaudeTV series
1974ParkinsonTV series
1974AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to James Cagney
1975Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on TelevisionTV special
1975Bob Hope on CampusTV special
1975'Short documentary
1975Backstage in HollywoodTV series
1975'Presenter
1976Backlot USATV movie
1976'TV series
1976'TV special
1976An All Star Tribute to John WayneTV movie
1976CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 YearsDocumentary
1976Chesty: A Tribute to a LegendDocumentary
1976America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His MusicTV movie
1977'TV special
1977Home for the SeabeesDocumentary
1977An All-Star Tribute to Elizabeth TaylorTV special
1977Super Night at the Super BowlTV special
1977Jimmy Carter's Inaugural Address GalaTV special
1978AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Henry FondaTV special
1978ABC's Silver Anniversary CelebrationTV special
1978Happy Birthday, BobTV special
1978General Electric's All Star AnniversaryTV documentary
1978Early American ChristmasTV special
1979'Presenter
1979'TV special
1982I Love LibertyTV special

As producer only

YearTitleNotesRefs.
1950'Short; uncredited
1951'
1951Santa and the Fairy Snow QueenShort; uncredited
1953Plunder of the SunUncredited
1954Ring of FearUncredited
1956Track of the CatUncredited
1956Goodbye, My LadyUncredited
1956Seven Men From NowUncredited
1956Gun the Man DownUncredited
1956Man in the VaultUncredited
1958China DollUncredited
1959Escort WestUncredited; also uncredited producer
1960Produced & Directed
1967Hondo and the ApachesTV film; uncredited
1967HondoExecutive producer; TV series ; uncredited

Box office popularity

Results from Quigley's Motion Picture Herald annual poll of film exhibitors would determine the year's "Top Ten Stars". John Wayne appeared on the list every time between 1949 and 1973 with one exception – 1958 – indicating that he was one of cinema's most durable stars.
Place19491950195119521953
1Bob HopeJohn WayneJohn WayneMartin & LewisGary Cooper
2Bing CrosbyBob HopeMartin & LewisGary CooperMartin & Lewis
3Abbott & CostelloBing CrosbyBetty GrableJohn WayneJohn Wayne
4John WayneBetty GrableAbbott & CostelloBing CrosbyAlan Ladd
5Gary CooperJames StewartBing CrosbyBob HopeGary Cooper
6Cary GrantAbbott & CostelloBob HopeJames StewartMarlon Brando
7Betty GrableClifton WebbRandolph ScottDoris DayMartin & Lewis
8Esther WilliamsEsther WilliamsGary CooperGregory PeckHumphrey Bogart
9Humphrey BogartSpencer TracyDoris DaySusan HaywardJune Allyson
10Clark GableRandolph ScottSpencer TracyRandolph ScottClark Gable

Place19591960196119621963
1Rock HudsonDoris DayElizabeth TaylorDoris DayDoris Day
2Cary GrantRock HudsonRock HudsonRock HudsonJohn Wayne
3James StewartCary GrantDoris DayCary GrantRock Hudson
4Doris DayElizabeth TaylorJohn WayneJohn WayneJack Lemmon
5Debbie ReynoldsDebbie ReynoldsCary GrantElvis PresleyCary Grant
6Glenn FordTony CurtisSandra DeeElizabeth TaylorElizabeth Taylor
7Frank SinatraSandra DeeJerry LewisJerry LewisElvis Presley
8John WayneFrank SinatraWilliam HoldenFrank SinatraSandra Dee
9Jerry LewisJack LemmonTony CurtisSandra DeePaul Newman
10Susan HaywardJohn WayneElvis PresleyBurt LancasterJerry Lewis

Place19691970197119721973
1Paul NewmanPaul NewmanJohn WayneClint EastwoodClint Eastwood
2John WayneClint EastwoodClint EastwoodGeorge C. ScottRyan O'Neal
3Steve McQueenSteve McQueenPaul NewmanGene HackmanSteve McQueen
4Dustin HoffmanJohn WayneSteve McQueenJohn WayneBurt Reynolds
5Clint EastwoodElliott GouldGeorge C. ScottBarbra StreisandRobert Redford
6Sidney PoitierDustin HoffmanDustin HoffmanMarlon BrandoBarbra Streisand
7Lee MarvinLee MarvinWalter MatthauPaul NewmanPaul Newman
8Jack LemmonJack LemmonAli MacGrawSteve McQueenCharles Bronson
9Katharine HepburnBarbra StreisandSean ConneryDustin HoffmanJohn Wayne
10Barbra StreisandWalter MatthauLee MarvinGoldie HawnMarlon Brando