Western Railroad Discussion > Toto Tuesday: FRED as John Wayne

In an effort to compose some light-hearted spin for my latest posted pair of sunset-dominated images, I went on line ( https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RidingIntoTheSunset ) and found this gem of a quote right off the bat:

“It's the end of the movie and The Drifter has to be moving on. There are other people in trouble, other wrongs to right, other paths to follow. He saddles up his horse and rides west into the setting sun. The townspeople look on as his figure, silhouetted against the orange disk, disappears into the horizon. The music swells and ‘The End’ appears.”

Marion Mitchell Morrison, also known as the the beloved late-great actor John Wayne appeared or starred in over 300 movies & television episodes. I wanted to commandeer a classic line from a John Wayne western that would fit the idea of the heroic cowboy riding off into the sunset. But I should have known that an attempt to find such a line from one of the numerous westerns John Wayne played in would be nearly impossible. So you, the viewer will just have to use a little imagination* and transform image #2 into a horse-mounted cowboy hero riding off into the sunset. (This link should help: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4980975 ).

1. UP 2706 leads a stacker into another Kansas sunset east of Grantville, KS on February 21, 2020.

2. *And there goes John Wayne on his favorite mount, dutifully trailing the 2706 into the sunset…

Thanks for pretending!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

---

---

Shane, Shane!  Come back!

"Bye Shane.

Stunning work Lance.#2 is a beauty.
Regards,dK

"i'll see ya Maudie".

WOW that second shot is AMAZING! I’d love to have that hanging on my wall.

Good stuff thanks for posting for us to enjoy!

Posted from iPhone

That’s some good photographic work there, Pilgrim.

Great photos. Liked Jimmy Stewart better given his actual service to his country as a B24 pilot. He completed 20 missions into Germany during 1944 while Mr Wayne was "playing" soldiers at home. 
Mr Stewart volunteered into the AAF in March 1941 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in 1942. Among the awards Stewart received was the Distinguished Flying Cross. 
Wayne was an experienced and good actor, especially under the direction of Howard Hawks and John Ford. 
Stewart, also a veteran actor was IMHO, was a more versitile performer and did a wider range of films then Wayne, the latter who was mostly typecast in war and western films. 

Other contemporary actors who signed up: Robert Montgomery, Ronald Regan, Tyrone Power, Gene Autry, Clark Gable, Henry Fonda...and others. 

ATSF3751 Wrote: > ... Other contemporary actors who signed up ...

Major League Baseball also got into this with several great stars spending time in the service during WWII. Off the top of my head, 2 notables were Bob Feller & Ted Williams...

Lance/199 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/20 10:22 by santafe199.

Well, at least one version I heard was Wayne had a bad knee and was physically disqualified from service.  Also, there was some thought that he did more good
making his films in the 40's than serving in the armed forces.  Clark Gable volunteered and became a gunner in a bomber but never saw service.  The military thought
he was too valuable to risk flying missions over Germany and all he ever did was training films.  And don't forget Jimmy Steward did do some service time in the
Korean War,  oops, "Police Action."  

Nice shots, Lance, thanks for posting.  As for a John Wayne line:  "Windage and elevation, Mrs. Langdon, windage and elevation."  (I know the movie this came from, do you?)

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA 

According to a biography I read, Wayne was 4F because of an old football injury. He loved his country. Not being able to serve like his fellow actors bothered him for most of his life.
Top military brass later told him his on screen performances did far more good during WWII than if he had been able to enlist.
Check out "The Train Robbers." Railroad themed and a good movie from later in his career.

ntharalson Wrote: > … too valuable to risk flying missions ...
cascade463 Wrote: > … old football injury ... Not being able to serve ... bothered him for most of his life ...
Thanks guys! This all rings a very loud bell. I kinda-sorta remember reading about it years ago. Or maybe heard fellow actors/TV personalities talking about his situation.

> ... his on screen performances did far more good during WWII ...
Also ringing a loud bell. And this fact is not at all surprising

Thanks for the replies, gang! I just spent an interesting 15" diversion surfing through online material about actors who swerved. How in the world could we ever lose any war when we had the likes of John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Lee Marvin, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Glenn Ford, Jason Robards, Robert Mitchum & of course Audie Murphy serving and/or playing major military roles. And geez louise... I found out Mel Brooks swerved in Viet Nam. Even that goofball professor from Gilligan's Island -Russell Johnson- flew 44 missions over the Pacific in WWII...

Lance/199

PS: Nick I haven't a clue about the movie you're talking sbout...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/20 11:24 by santafe199.

One of my favorites, Neville Brand.

#2 is now my screen saver.  Thanks, Lance!!!

mwarfel Wrote: > ... #2 is now my screen saver ...

Wull shucks, pardner... we shore aims ta pleeze!

;^)

I heard a John Wayne story from the son of a ww2 aviator who flew in the pacific war. Seems the actor was on a uso tour and started going on patrols fully suited and armed and saw action. Once the stories got high enough several of the area commanders were called in and told that this was to stop today. Added to that was the threat that if the actor got injured various officers were getting a one way trip to ft. Leavenworth and the military prison there.

Posted from iPhone

Well while jimmy Stewart retired as a general from the USAF he did in fact perform a great service to the country. I seem to remember John Wayne having some medical issue that prevented him serving in the military. But non the less he was a true American and supported the country in a time of war through several wars in fact and did much to aid the spirits of the country.

Jimmy Stewart actually flew a few bombing missions in Europe  but not the normal 30.  He flew 20 missions.https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/jimmy-stewart-bomber-pilot-ww2?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/20 20:41 by tomstp.

santafe199 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ntharalson Wrote: > … too valuable to risk
> flying missions ...
> cascade463 Wrote: > … old football injury ...
> Not being able to serve ... bothered him for most
> of his life ...
> Thanks guys! This all rings a very loud bell. I
> kinda-sorta remember reading about it years ago.
> Or maybe heard fellow actors/TV
> personalities talking about his situation.
>
> > ... his on screen performances did far more
> good during WWII ...
> Also ringing a loud bell. And this fact is not at
> all surprising
>
> Thanks for the replies, gang! I just spent an
> interesting 15" diversion surfing through online
> material about actors who swerved. How in the
> world could we ever lose any war when we had the
> likes of John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda,
> Lee Marvin, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Glenn
> Ford, Jason Robards, Robert Mitchum & of course
> Audie Murphy serving and/or playing major military
> roles. And geez louise... I found out Mel Brooks
> swerved in Viet Nam. Even that goofball professor
> from Gilligan's Island -Russell Johnson- flew 44
> missions over the Pacific in WWII...
>
> Lance/199
>
> PS: Nick I haven't a clue about the movie you're
> talking sbout...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/20 21:07 by EMD2024.