The Duke's Leading Ladies Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Conqueror

"The Conqueror" (1956) is considered by many to be John Wayne's worst film. His leading lady Susan Haywood was unable to save the film. The film is about the real Mongol warrior Genghis Khan and his love for the daughter of an enemy. The movie was filmed in Utah and many of the people involved are thought to have died from cancer from the left-over radiation in the area from earlier atomic bomb tests. Both actors are thought to have died from being in this toxic film.

Answer: Rio Bravo

"Rio Bravo" (1959) featured Angie Dickinson as the leading lady. She plays a card shark who moves from town to town. John Wayne is the aging sheriff trying to save his drunken deputy from drinking himself to death, while attempting to stop hooligans who are attempting to help one of their gang members escape from the jail before a U.S. Marshall arrives, who is coming to take him to the area magistrate to be tried for for murder. Dickinson plays one of the Duke's outright sexiest leading ladies throughout the film.

Answer: The Quiet Man

Possibly the actress most associated with John Wayne was the beautiful Maureen O'Hara. This film is about the life of a retired boxer returning to his home town. The Duke was very vocal that O'Hara was his favorite actress to work with and was known to call her 'his kind of gal'. They were great friends both on and off screen.

Answer: Stagecoach

One of the Duke's early leading ladies was the versatile actress Clair Trevor. She starred with him in "Allegheny Uprising", (1939) "Dark Command" (1940) and, most importantly, "Stagecoach" (1939). In this film, about a group of strangers traveling across dangerous Apache territory, Trevor plays a likeable prostitute, while Wayne is portrayed as the honorable gunman who has been arrested.

They survive their dangerous journey and the movie ends happily.

Answer: True Grit

The story is of a teenage girl (Darby) who hires and old gunslinger (Wayne) to help her hunt down and kill the man who murdered her father. John Wayne was not fond of the 21 year old Kim Darby nor her acting skills. Those close to him said he was surprised when he won his first and only Academy Award for the film.

He thought Darby played a terrible part and had been hoping for Mia Farrow who turned down the role.

Answer: Hatari!

"Hatari!" was the only time that Elsa Martinelli co-starred with John Wayne. The film was the tale of a group of men in Eastern Africa who trap exotic animals to be sold to the zoo's of the world. The film explores the danger and excitement involved in this line of work.

This unusual film was filmed in Africa and had marvelous panoramic shots and wildlife scenes. Martinelli added an exotic sparkle to the film. The two actors were said to have gotten along very well and both enjoyed making this film.

They never acted together again.

Answer: The Spoilers

Marlene Dietrich was one of John Wayne's most important, early leading ladies. He starred in three movies with her, "Seven Sinners" (1940), Pittsburgh" (1942) and "The Spoilers" (1942). This film was set around the Alaskan gold rush and has some beautiful background shots.

It tells the story of how gold brings out greed and dishonesty among men. Wayne portrays an innocent man who is accused of murder in a town run by crooked lawmen and politicians. It was during these movies that he developed the shyly awkward persona around women that was seen in many of his later films.

She was one of his few leading ladies that he was known for having an affair with off screen.

Answer: The Shootist

Lauren Bacall starred with John Wayne in "Blood Alley" (1955) and in his last movie, "The Shootist" (1976). This was his final movie, and it featured flashbacks into some of his old films. This was the story of an old gunfighter who was dying of cancer.

He was searching for a way to die with dignity and without the prolonged suffering he was told to expect. Lauren Bacall portrays a widow who runs the local rooming house. Many found it to be the story of the collective John Wayne character. With a star-studded cast, it was evident that John Wayne was not well, even though Lauren Bacall was still lovely.

They had been friends for many years and were happy to star together in the Duke's final movie.

Answer: Donovan's Reef

John was not ashamed of his age nor his looks. There were only a couple movies in which the Duke paired up with a much younger woman. "Donovan's Reef" (1963,) was one of these films. Set in French Polynesia, this film is more of a comedy than most of the Duke's films.

It dealt with topics important to many Polynesians, including loss of their way of life and loss of honor. John Wayne portrays a retired Navy man living the island life. His female co-star was fashion model Elizabeth Allen, who was half his age.

She portrayed a greedy business woman who is changed by what she learns from the native people. This was not a typical John Wayne film and his pairing with a woman half his age did not make for one of his better films. The Duke admitted after the film was released that they had cast the wrong man by choosing him.

Answer: Rooster Cogburn

In "Rooster Cogburn" (1975), John Wayne reprises the role he had in "True Grit", that of Sherriff Reuben Cogburn, known by most as Rooster. Even though both actors had long careers in Hollywood, it was not until later in life, when they made "Rooster Cogburn", that they became close friends.

In this film the Sherriff has been suspended from his job and decides to help an old maid who is searching for the man who killed her father. Hepburn had openly expressed the desire to work with John Wayne in one of his westerns.

Hepburn was known in real life as a spirited, irrepressible woman and these characteristics came through in this film character. It is a shame that they had not been cast together when they were younger.