Scott Eyman’s superb new biography, “John Wayne: The Life and Legend” is an exhaustive look at Wayne’s long life and career as Hollywood’s most iconic star.
Eyman points out time and again that Duke—no one called him John, Jack, or his birth name, Marion—was not just Hollywood’s greatest star, but a symbol of America and Americanism.
Born into poverty, Wayne worked hard all his life to achieve some measure of success. His Conservative politics were already formed at an early age, and he never veered from his core beliefs. In contrast to the Neanderthal image portrayed by the liberal press, Wayne was highly intelligent and articulate.