Wayne in the 80s

There ARE those that say the western declined BECAUSE of Duke's death, although we'll never truly know.

About a year before his death, he ran into Ron Howard, and told him of a script he's had commissioned for the two of them called: Beau John. Set in the early to mid 1930's, it was supposedly about an aging family patriarch and the his reactions to the effects of the changing world on his children and grandchildren.

I think he would have continued to guest star on TV from time to time, and make a limited number of pictures (not sure of the type), but again...mere speculation!

I don't act...I react. John Wayne

That's an interesting theory, although I think it's safe to say the western genre did a fair share of declining on its own, which probably motivated Wayne to star in those cop films he did in the seventies. His death probably accelerated the decline of the genre, but if he had lived, he probably would've had to switch genres anyway. Eastwood himself mostly left westerns behind in the 80s.

I understand Wayne was rather excited about making Beau John. From what I gather, it wasn't going to be set in the big city, so it's likely Wayne would've continued making films about, or prominently dealing with, the man's relationship with the land. Maybe he would've taken roles in some of the decade's period dramas. Eastwood had Honkytonk Man; maybe Wayne would've gone for something similar.

About a year before his death, he ran into Ron Howard, and told him of a script he's had commissioned for the two of them called: Beau John. Set in the early to mid 1930's, it was supposedly about an aging family patriarch and the his reactions to the effects of the changing world on his children and grandchildren


is it me or does that sound a bit like 'A River Runs thru it'?




Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?

I think he would have played the title role in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The Duke was just that good of an actor.