John Wayne

John Wayne was an iconic American actor who embodied the rugged Western hero. Born in 1907 (d. 1979), he rose to fame in Hollywood Westerns and war films as a hugely bankable star. His commanding screen presence and laconic delivery made him a standard-bearer of American masculinity. Wayne starred in over 175 films, winning an Academy Award for True Grit. Though often a tough cowboy on screen, he brought depth to complex characters over his 50-year career. A symbol of Hollywood's Golden Age.