JOHN WAYNE
& the
UNIVERSAL
Series
Intoduction
Trem Carr
In the spring of 1936, Trem Carr left Republic
turned down an offer to join MGM and instead
reassembled some of his old Monogram crew
to become a producer at Universal
For more information
please see:-
Trem Carr
Paul Malvern
Carr's production team fellow Monogram producer Paul Malvern
who starred Duke in his Lone Star western Productions
Paul Malvern
For more information
please see:-
Paul Malvern
The plan was, to make a series of non-western action films.
Trem Carr offered Duke the chance to join him
and for him to make a break from Westerns.
Specifically Universal wanted to make films that
fell between the A's & B's,but still within' lower budgets
Arthur Lubin
Arthur Lubin directed 4 of the movies the other two
being directed by Frank Strayer, David Howard
Arthur Lubin
For more information
please see:-
Arthur Lubin
John Wayne was exactly the sort of actor Universal had in mind.
Trem Carr offered Duke a six film contract at $6000 a picture.
Duke agreed, he took off his Colt. 45.,
turned down a new Republic contract and moved to Universal
In 1936 & 1937, Duke was the leading man in
The Sea Spoilers(1936) (Frank Strayer)
Conflict (1936)
California Straight Ahead (1937) (Arthur Lubin)
I Cover the War(1937) (Arthur Lubin)
Idol of the Crowds (1937) (Arthur Lubin)
Adventures End(1937) (Arthur Lubin)
(For individual movie profiles & reviews, please click on above)
However the pictures just never found their audience.
After a few lost money, Universal abandoned interest in the project,
and by the end of the series even the reviewers has raised a white flag!
Director Arthur Lubin recalled that the last picture Adventures End
was simply made because Universal had a boat on the lot, that needed use!
That's the way pictures were made...
Well what sets are up these days, that we can make pictures on
that won't cost money
When Duke's contract with Universal expired,
Duke was back where he had been five years before.
Once again he had failed at a major studio.
He didn't blame anyone but himself, but was once again out of work.
Years later Duke told Zolotow
I lost my stature as a western star- and got nothing in return
Legacy
The Universal series was a downward spiral for Duke
as they failed to capture anyone's imagination, including his own!
He was to make one more movie for Paramount,
1937. Born to the West (Helltown)
before embarking on another poor chapter in his career.
The Three Mesquiteers were to nothing more than movies for kids
and films Duke even referred to as "monstrosities"
John Wayne in The Three Mesquiteers
However a certain Stagecoach was around the corner.....