Western Movies
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Singing Cowboys
Gene Autry
Rex Allen
Roy Rogers
Sons of the Pioneers
Tex Ritter
Kirpatrick Thomas
John Wayne began working in films in 1926
as an extra, prop, and stunt man.

He had achieved stardom in motion pictures
by 1941 and, by the end of the decade, was
one of the cinema's top ten box office
attractions. During the latter half of the 1940s
Wayne starred in what many film fans and
critics regard as being among his finest
work, notably the "cavalry trilogy" (Fort
Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and Rio
Grande).


The 1950s would see Wayne continue as a
major star although the artistic quality of his
work varied greatly. For instance, he followed
one of his finest films, The Quiet Man, with
one of his weakest, Big Jim McLain. By
contrast, after making one of the worst films
that he (or anyone else for that matter) made,
The Conqueror, he made one of the greatest
films that he (or anyone else for that matter)
made, The Searchers. Wayne also
continued his producing activities during this
period as well, notably with the formation of
his own production company, Batjac.


In 1960, Wayne appeared in his most
personal production, The Alamo, which he
produced and directed as well as starred in.

In the 1960s and 1970s John Wayne ranked
as an American icon and one of the top box
office attractions in the cinema. Wayne's
output of films consisted largely of westerns.

He would be praised by critics for his
performance in True Grit, which would earn
him an Academy Award for Best Actor.

John Wayne made his last film, The Shootist
in 1976, bringing an end to a remarkable
career that spanned more than 50 years and
over 180 motion pictures.