Mar

19

ShootistI remember John Wayne played J.B. Books in the movie "The Shootist." Ironically, the Duke played a role of a gunslinger dying of cancer. A boy in the movie had read all of J.B.'s legendary gunfights and commented to him how fast on the draw he musta been in his prime. J.B. answered to the young man that it wasn't a matter of how fast, "It's a matter of being willin'".

The funny thing is I feel that I'm more prepared to face the markets than ever before in my life. I realize those words in the movie also couldn't be more true, it doesn't matter how "quick to the draw" I am, it's a matter of bein' willin'! I wonder how many feel like me that their wills are being tested like never before?

I get the joke.

Steve Leslie adds:

This was the Duke's last movie, as he succumbed to cancer himself shortly thereafter. Ron Howard was the young reporter and the gunfighters who met him in the saloon for the final shootout were Richard Boone, who played Paladin of Have Gun will travel. His trademark was a chesspiece, the Knight, and it appeared on his calling card. Hugh O'Brien played Wyatt Earp in the 60s.This was also one of the rare movies that John Wayne actually died in. There were seven others:

The Cowboys (Killed by Bruce Dern)
The Alamo (Killed by Santa Anna's army)
The Sea Chase (Lost at sea)
Sands Of Iwo Jima (Killed by enemy sniper)
Wake of the Red Witch (Killed by giant squid)
Reap the Wild Wind (Drowned)

Special note: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Jimmy Stewart, who played Rance Stoddard, visited his grave so we can assume that he died in the movie but not sure how.

All in all The Duke had starring roles in 142 movies. I'm a huge fan of the Duke.


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  1. Greg Rehmke on March 20, 2008 12:01 pm

    And John Wayne was a strong supporter of economic freedom. He was a friend of Leonard Read, founder of the Foundation for Economic Education (and there is a nice framed letter from Wayne to Read in support of FEE). Wayne offers some enjoyable discussion of capitalism vs. communism in Jet Pilot.

    Hugh O’Brian founded HOBY, the Hugh O’Brian Youth foundation that holds economic education seminars for high school juniors around the country (or at least has over the last 20-30 years.

    So why is it that heros in movies tend to be personally conservative or libertarian, while those who end up playing villains are usually Hollywood liberals? Even though most studios, writers, directors, and funders are left-liberals. Maybe Hollywood casting agents tend to be market-oriented?

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