{"id":142266,"date":"2023-12-10T09:18:05","date_gmt":"2023-12-10T09:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magdelaine.net\/?p=142266"},"modified":"2023-12-10T09:18:05","modified_gmt":"2023-12-10T09:18:05","slug":"john-wayne-was-so-ill-on-the-shootist-the-film-was-almost-entirely-cancelled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magdelaine.net\/tv-and-movies\/john-wayne-was-so-ill-on-the-shootist-the-film-was-almost-entirely-cancelled\/","title":{"rendered":"John Wayne was so ill on The Shootist the film was almost entirely cancelled"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Shootist: Trailer for 1976 Western film<\/h3>\n

Back in 1964, John Wayne had a cancerous lung and a few ribs removed, leaving him stricken with health problems for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n

Duke would struggle tenaciously through physical scenes in his movies, secretly relying on an oxygen mask that he was desperate to hide from the public, so as not to taint his strong cinematic image.<\/p>\n

Pushing on to make a string of movies over the next decade, including his Oscar win for True Grit, the Western legend’s final film, The Shootist, hit cinemas in 1976, just three years before he died.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s commonly believed that Wayne was living with the stomach cancer that killed him in 1979, when playing a cowboy living with the disease in The Shootist. However, this was not the case, as Duke had been cancer-free since 1969.<\/p>\n

According to Scott Ryman\u2019s John Wayne: The Life and Legend, the star did have cancer again in 1975, but had gone into remission before filming began on his last movie. Nevertheless, the actor\u2019s other health issues were plaguing him, which almost lost him the role.<\/p>\n

Read more… <\/strong> John Wayne’s The Shootist co-star shuts down set rumour from last film[THE SHOOTIST] <\/strong><\/p>\n

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Wayne had been ill for much of 1974, having had a severe bout of viral pneumonia after filming True Grit sequel Rooster Cogburn, with Katharine Hepburn. It caused Duke to cough so violently that he damaged a heart valve causing more problems when he did eventually film The Shootist, which is on ITV4 today.<\/p>\n

At first, his poor health and stamina on Rooster Cogburn meant he wasn\u2019t initially considered for what would be his final film. The likes of Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood, George C Scott, Paul Newman and Gene Hackman were offered the role but passed on it.<\/p>\n

The Shootist\u2019s producers thought Wayne was too old at 69 to be believable as the gunfighter. However, producer Dino De Laurentiis insisted on his casting even though the character JB Books was only 50 in the novel the movie was based on. Filming with co-stars Lauren Bacall, James Stewart and Ron Howard took place at Carson City. With a 4600ft altitude, Duke\u2019s single lung capacity was compromised all the while struggling with mobility.<\/p>\n

In the end, The Shootist\u2019s production was shut down as Wayne was hospitalised for two weeks with influenza. The star had also been suffering from an enlarged prostate while filming, which wouldn\u2019t be operated on until late 1976. At one point, it was actually uncertain if the movie would be completed since Duke was so ill his doctors were on the verge of forbidding him from finishing his work on the production.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss… <\/strong>
Rock Hudson gained John Wayne\u2019s respect with cheeky set prank at Duke’s expense[ROCK HUDSON] <\/strong>
John Wayne set tragedy saw cast members killed and their bodies never recovered[JOHN WAYNE] <\/strong>
John Wayne\u2019s spanking of co-star ‘so authentic she had bruises for a week'[JOHN WAYNE] <\/strong><\/p>\n

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