Product Details

• Actors: Jack Perkins, Peter Graves, Harry Smith, Dave Hoffman, Bill Mumy
• Writers: Agnes Nixon
• Format: Black & White, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: A&E Home Video
• VHS Release Date: October 13, 1998
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0767009711
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,963 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This installment in A&E's Biography series follows the life of John Wayne from his troubled childhood to his peak as America's biggest box-office draw to his later years as a controversial conservative icon. Examined closely, Wayne's life is a startling series of contradictions. He was a member of his high school's Shakespeare club who began his career by acting in scores of B-grade Westerns, and though he avoided military service, he was considered an American hero. Filled with well-chosen archival stills, as well as seldom-seen early clips, this video also features interviews with fellow actors Charlton Heston and Ron Howard, as well as writer and scholar Garry Wills (author of a brilliant intellectual study of Wayne's work and life, John Wayne's America). Taking a generally chronological approach, this video presents an insightful look at the progression of Wayne's acting career (the discussion includes clips from such milestone films as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Quiet Man). But the production also seeks to explain the contradictions and upheavals of Wayne's private life. John Wayne, as a man, an actor, and a symbol, gets a thoughtful and balanced examination in this video. --Robert J. McNamara

Product Description

He transcended conventional stardom to earn a place as a true American icon. His 250 films shaped a vision of American manhood. Twenty years after his death, John Wayne remains one of the most influential actors in history. The rugged, straight- shooting characters he portrayed have become a symbol of the American spirit. Born Marion Michael Morrison in Iowa, he was introduced to Hollywood as an undergraduate at USC, where he worked as a set laborer on the Fox lot. Soon he was on camera, appearing in numerous films before landing his breakthrough role in the 1939 John Ford classic, Stagecoach. JOHN WAYNE chronicles the life and career of this Hollywood giant through generous clips and intimate interviews with friends, family and colleagues, including Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Charlton Heston. Discover how he was more than 200 movies into his career before he finally won an Oscar and see excerpts from his poignant final role in The Shootist when, after more than a decade battling the disease, he portrayed an old gunfighter dying from cancer. From the studio lot to leading man, celluloid hero to American legend, this is the moving story of ""The Duke."""

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening!, January 22, 2000

By 

Hank Long (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biography - John Wayne: American Legend [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I saw this when it aired on A&E, and though I have always been a huge fan of John Wayne, there were a great many things that I did not know. I found out about parts of his life and career, some I was disappointed with, but mostly it opened my eyes. I appreciate John Wayne more now than ever, as a man, an actor, and a human. I highly recommend this video.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Biography!, December 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Biography - John Wayne: American Legend [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have watched numerous A&E Biographies, and this has to be one of the best ever. Anyone who is a fan of John Wayne or old Westerns should definitely own this tape; you will not be disappointed!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good, but not great, look at the Duke's life, June 8, 2003

By 

bixodoido (Utah, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biography - John Wayne: American Legend [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I believe there have been few Americans in the last 50 years who do not recognize John Wayne, and even fewer who have never seen him. The Duke has become a great American legend. But despite all his fame, most people know relatively little about his life. Wayne became so famous that the name "John Wayne" became associated more with a mythical figure than with a real man. This biography attempts to go behind the manly, tough-as-nails American hero and tries to discover the real John Wayne.

For only being 100 minutes long, the documentary is surprisingly good. It is not easy to chronicle the career of a man who made over 150 films in less than two hours. Despite this, however, I felt that this film overlooked some important elements in Wayne's career, including many of his best-loved films like the Cowboys and El Dorado. Also, the film gives the Duke's film total at 169, while I have seen several other (good) sources which seem to agree on the neighborhood of 153. This is a minor detail, of course, but worth mentioning.

Despite its shortcomings, this was an enjoyable documentary, certainly worth the time it took to watch it. Any fan of the Duke will enjoy this film, even if for no other reason than a visual chronology of (most of) the highlights of John Wayne's extremely illustrious career.