Don Siegel, the director, had big ideas for the movie. He and Wayne would not get along.
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John Wayne Fought A Constant Battle Behind The Scenes Of The Shootist
In his final western, 1976's "The Shootist," the nearly 70-year-old Wayne had visibly aged. He certainly couldn't play characters like "The Ringo Kid" anymore. "The Shootist" took advantage of that, using the shadow of the John Wayne legend to contrast against the sick, elderly human being, who had begun having heart problems and stomach cancer. But there were other issues. Don Siegel, the director, had big ideas for the movie. He and Wayne would not get along.
They were all there to pay their respects to The Duke in the flesh before he rode off into the sunset, and some of them took pay cuts for the experience.
"I remember that [film] decided me to get out of the business all together," he recalled.
Wayne took a big gamble to break away from the genre. It was a move that almost cost The Duke his career.
When it comes to classic movie stars from Hollywood's golden age in the '40s and '50s, few cast a shadow larger than John Wayne.
