Born: May 26, 1907
Died: June 11, 1979
One of the phenomenal overnight rises to fame which is the dream of thousands of movie struck youth occurs in making the Fox picture, “The Big Trail,” in the case of John Wayne, the leading man.
Cincinnati Enquirer, November 16, 1930
Let’s mosey on back a few years, to the campus of the University of Southern California. Marion Morrison (Wayne’s given name) is one of the stars of the freshman football team and already has the nickname that will stick for the rest of his long, successful career …
Marion “Duke” Morrison with his six feet, eight inches and 198 pounds was a stone wall at guard, will also not be in the game [against La Verne College] … [he] broke his arm just before the Stanford frosh melee and has retired from the lineup until next season.
The Pomona Progress Bulletin, November 6, 1925
Wayne was not 6-feet, 8-inches tall. He was about 6-feet, 4-inches. As for the Duke nickname, it dated back a few years and to Palmdale, California, where the Morrison family lived. Wayne had an Airedale Terrier named Duke. Young Marion was friends with a local fireman who dubbed the dog “Big Duke” and the boy “Little Duke.”
During the summers of his college years, Wayne worked as a prop man at Fox Studios. He was also recruited, along with several other college football players, to play football players in football-related movies.
While playing in front of the camera in the Rose Bowl in the “West Pointer,” being filmed by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company, Morrison was kicked in the back as 22 men blended into a human pile. Morrison tried to get up by fainted and he was brought to the emergency hospital, where he was given first aid and sent to a Los Angeles hospital for an X-ray to learn if serious damage had been done.
The Pasadena Post, October 1, 1927
Injuries eventually ended Wayne’s football career at USC. He dropped out of school and continued to work at Fox.
I hadn’t any ambition to act,” [he] said. “Just hoped some day to discover the right path to becoming a director.
Daily News, Los Angeles, October 7, 1930
Wayne was discovered by famed director Raoul Walsh and selected to star in The Big Trail, a 1930 western adventure about a group of settlers in wagons heading west on the Oregon Trail. Wayne played Breck Coleman. Walsh described how he discovered Wayne in a newspaper story he penned (most likely with the help of some Fox publicity people) …
One day I was walking across the Fox Hollywood lot when I saw a property man helping with a set. Something had set the boy – he was in his early twenties – laughing, and his expression was so warm and wholesome that I stopped and watched. I noticed his fine physique, carless strength, grace of movements, and clear voice.
Shortly afterward a casting director approached the youngster on the set.
“Say Duke,” he said, casually, “how’d you like to slip on a pair of buckskin pants and make a test – just for fun?”
Duke Morrison, who was to become John Wayne, made the test. When I saw it I said: “That’s the man. Sign him up.”
“But,” somebody expostulated, “this boy’s not an actor. He doesn’t know a thing about acting.”
“Sign him up,” I repeated. “Who told you I wanted an actor?”
Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, October 18, 1930
Walsh helped pick out the John Wayne name for his new star. And took a huge gamble by casting the unknown as the star of his sweeping, epic adventure …
I was aware that I practically staked the success of the picture and an investment of $2,000,000 on Wayne’s ability, but my faith in him was rewarded. The boy more than made good.
Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, October 18, 1930
The Big Trail premiered in October 1930.
His future is certain now. Fox studio plans to keep him under contract. “I’m the happiest man in Hollywood,” [Wayne] told the audience at the premier.
Napa Journal, November 9, 1930
From Unknown To Famous 