John Wayne filmography (1926-1940)

The filmography of John Wayne from 1926 to 1940. John Wayne also acted in many films from 1941-1960 and 1961-1976.

Overview

John Wayne began working in films in 1926 as an extra, propman, and stuntman, mainly for the Fox Film Corporation. He frequently worked with director John Ford and when Raoul Walsh suggested him for the lead in "The Big Trail" (1930), an epic western shot in an early widescreen process called "Grandeur Scope." it was Ford who vouched for him. ["The tall, commanding figure of the prop boy looked right for the part and, when John Ford vouched for Wayne's dedication to work, Walsh arranged a screen test." - Eyles, Allen. "John Wayne." p. 22. New York, NY. A.S. Barnes and Co., 1979.] Wayne's early period as a star would be brief, as Fox dropped him after only three leads.

He moved over to Columbia Pictures, where he ran afoul of studio boss Harry Cohn. As a result, Wayne was dropped from leading man to supporting player to bit player and finally down to being an extra again.

After the Columbia debacle, Wayne solidified his stardom – albeit as a minor star – in a string of low-budget action films (mostly westerns) at Warner Bros. and Universal and the "poverty row" studios Mascot, Monogram, and Republic.

Fortunately, Wayne kept on friendly terms with John Ford and, as a result, gave Wayne a career boost with "Stagecoach" (1939). By 1940 John Wayne was firmly established as a major motion picture star.

tudio name abbreviations

Filmography (1926-1940)

Footnotes

References

* Boswell, John, & Jay David. "The John Wayne Album." New York , NY. Ballantine Books, 1979.
* Eyles, Allan. "John Wayne." New York, NY. A.S. Barnes and Co., 1979.