I have posted these items on ebay, and have had them for some time. I am now 65 and wish to pass along. This was 1 of 2 props from the movies. Please ask any questions.
John Wayne Hat/Eyepatch from Rooster Cogburn and True Grit
There are 16 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 11,024 times. The latest Post () was by stairstars.
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Hello dgoco1995.
These are very cool props you have here. I looked at your ebay auction. They are a bit out of my price range, but there are other members here who might take an interest.
I do have one question for you. Were these items worn by Chuck Robertson as the stunt double, or were they worn by Duke himself? Either way, thank you for showing these to us.
Mark
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His stunt double was his father in law Chuck Roberson. Bud Davis was married to Chuck's daughter Charlene, and I am Bud's friend who got the items. Chuck and Duke had the same hat size, 7 3/8, and there were only two hats and eye patches. Duke wore this hat primarily, but also did Roberson
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Always interested in seeing some of Wayne's costumes. I would have thought there were more than two copies as the National Cowboy Museum also has and eye patch. If you look close one can see that the material can be see through.
Big Iron -
These items are ORIGINAL they were passed down from Patrick and Michael through family. I know for a fact that Roberson got the hat and patch from Bayless at UACC, and Chuck gave it to his son-in-law Bud Davis who is one of my best friends. There are reproductions is a slew of museums, this is NO reproduction. The movie props were numbered and I have verified the number from UACC (Robert), so get your facts straight.
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There were more than 2 eye patches made because Duke wore a different one every day of filming.
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Were these the two pieces just at Heritage?
I am not aware the hats or patches were number.
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not true, there were 2 of 2 that ONLY he wore, this Is one of them.
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I see now they are not the HERITAGE pair.
Obviously, folks, like me, have read Luster's account in DUKE, WE HARDLY KNEW THEE, that he provided a new one every day for Wayne (no one else wears one in the films) and that they have the center mesh painted hole to look through as Duke demanded. I have handled a few of these, and they all had the mesh.
I also am aware that Wayne and the two Chucks wore the same garments many times, such as in shooting the cantina scene in THE ALAMO. There are set images that show Wayne taking off the gold wool coat and handing it to Chuck to shoot the fight sequence. At the Estate sale we had several pieces with Roberson's name. Joe Musso told me that when Luster ordered pieces from WCC they bought 6 of each; 4 for Wayne and 2 for the Chucks.
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The last time I talked to Luster he said that there were approximately 60 of the eye patches made. Duke wore one every day of the filming because the make-up they used would mess up the inside of the patch and he would have to wear a new 1 the next day. So there were a lot more than 2 of them and JWE still has a few of them in stock.
One of the eye patches was even in Nashville last year for the traveling exhibit. You'll see the eye patch in the very center of the photo.
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First of all WCC had NOTHING to do with costuming for True Grit and Rooster Cogburn, all costumes came from UCAA which Luster owned. And I would like to know how you talk to Luster, and what is your relationship. These items came from Roberson through his son in law and any attempt to say they are not genuine is bullshit. I too have had Heritage out of Dallas inspect each. If you don't want to believe, I don't give a shit, because I know how the items worked their way down to me. Oh by the way, I have sent a telegram to Bayless to confirm.
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Sorry, I did not mean to inflame.
If, you have a copy of the John Wayne Estate catalog from Oct. 2011, you will see that all the pieces from TG and RC were from Western - as shown by the labels. These pieces all came from Ethan, right out of Duke's closet, that was removed to storage in Newport Beach weeks after his death and remained there for over 30 years. The catalog is also online at HA.COM under "resources' if you do not have one.
I think you might also seek out the date American Costume became UCAA.
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Don't mean to incite but, the National Cowboy Museum also has items from those movies that Duke said was his property that he donated. He was a Board member in the 60s and if Duke said they are they are the real deal that's good enough for me. They also have a ton of other costumes and guns and knives and Kitchina dolls he donated such as a yellow handled SAA Colt and rig. They also have one of about four large loop Winchesters in a 44-40 cal. The rifle in Stage Coach was a 32-20 and is in private hands.
Don't mean to bust anyone's bubble but, there are a lot of people out there who all have one of a kind John Wayne items.
Big Iron -
1st of all I'm not saying the items you have are not originals what I'm saying is it there are more than 2 of the eye patches. 2nd how I know Luster Bayless is none of your business. 3rd, one of the eye patches that was sold by Heritage Auctions went for $40000. There is another eyepatch in the photo that I posted above. Both of those coming out of the vaults of John Wayne Enterprises. Plus I know there is another eye patch in the photo I am attaching below in the museum at Winterset.
What you could have is a special set that was made and given out as gifts for the making of the movies. From the pictures you have on eBay I do not see a hole cut out for the mesh that Duke used to look thru the eyepatch. The mesh was easily visible in the 2 eye patches I have seen and held in my hands over the years.
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I have been enjoying the information you gents have been sharing with us, but can we please keep it civil? This has always been a friendly board and we want it to stay that way.
I, for one, would be tickled to own anything attached to Duke or either of the Cogburn films. I've just never been in the position to have it so.
Mark
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Don't like it when someone is calling me a liar,these items were given to me by George "Bud" Davis, the son in law of Chuck Roberson. I have a letter from Bud, and these items are AUTHENTIC, and I don't really care what anyone thinks. Items are real and I know everyone has there opinion, and the letter was authenticated by Luster Bales.
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I know it can be frustrating when this happens,and you are entitled to believe whatever you care to about your items, but when you place them on the market, then we, your potential buyers, have a right to question and share our misgivings.
The big issue, to me, is your claim that American costumed Wayne for TRUE GRIT when every piece Wayne wore that survives, and came directly from him, was made by Western Costume Company and Luster was in his employ. American did not even exist then.
From their website:
History
United*American Costume Corp. was established in 1977 by legendary Costumer and Costume Designer, Luster Bayless. After working for almost 20 years in the industry, Luster wanted to form a company independent from the studios that would provide quality wardrobe for affordable prices and never lose sight of the notion that we as costumers are “filmmakers”.The first project United*American Costume furnished the wardrobe for
was “The Sacketts”.They also had a few name changes that date your labels.
Luster did end up with Wayne wardrobe. One example from the Estate sale was a piece from THE SHOOTIST that he did not want risk losing in a rental, so he labeled it with this:
For what these cherished pieces usually sell for, you should not blame us for being careful and diligent.
rick