The Journal

Duke’s Legacy: Part 3

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In honor of Father’s Day comes the third photo story of John Wayne in a role he played best: Dad.

Patrick with his dad on set of the western film Rio Grande (1950).
Patrick with his dad on set of the western film Rio Grande (1950).

PATRICK WAYNE

A veteran of the screen, Patrick, born in 1939, appeared in 40 films, seven of which were with his father. As Duke’s second son with first wife Josephine Alicia Saenz, some of Patrick’s fondest memories of working as an actor with his dad are of the quality time they shared on set. Also like his father, Patrick (whose godfather, John Ford, was a family friend and directed many of the films starring John Wayne) lived a life of variety and adventure—from Coast Guardsmen, to TV and film. Today, Patrick is the chairman of the John Wayne Cancer Institute, established by the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, an organization created in memory of John Wayne.

Patrick with his dad
Patrick with his dad on the set of Hondo, circa 1953.

“The acting thing, when it started, was just me visiting my dad on set. … If I had a chance to act in a film, I’d be the only kid there and not have to compete with siblings for attention. So I jumped at those opportunities.”

— Patrick Wayne, from The Genuine Article

Patrick joins Duke in game of chess
Patrick joins Duke in a game of chess around the time Rio Bravo was filmed. Here, John Wayne wears his signature neckerchief, vest, and cowboy hat often seen in his western films.
John Wayne and Patrick on his graduation day
John Wayne and Patrick (left) on the day of his graduation from Loyola Marymount University.

“The only real piece of advice he ever gave me about acting was to always be prepared and be ready by the time I got to set, and I always tried to do that.”

— Patrick Wayne, from The Genuine Article

John Wayne and Patrick pick up game of chess
Known for playing a game or two during downtime, John Wayne and Patrick pick up a game of chess on set of McLintock!
Michael, John Wayne and Patrick horsing around
Michael, John Wayne and Patrick (from left to right) horse around at their home in Encino, CA.

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