He embodies almost everything modern Hollywood considers politically incorrect - the tough-talking, red-blooded man's man, pro-war patriot, All-American hero and, in his own words, "Right-wing conservative extremist".
But John Wayne, whether on horseback or the battlefield, remains one of the towering icons of 20th century cinema and one the entertainment industry is again fervently embracing as it celebrates the 100th anniversary of his birth today.
A slew of events is being held to mark the centennial of the Duke, as Wayne was known.
His onscreen persona epitomised American frontier values such as hard work and honesty. Born Marion Robert Morrison in 1907, Wayne began his career with bit parts in silent movies. He went on to appear in more than 170 films over 50 years.
Even now, almost 28 years after he died of stomach cancer, he ranks among the public's favourite actors. Last year, he was placed third in the Harris Poll, behind Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks, while in 1999, some 23 years after his last film, The Shootist, he topped a Reuters/Zogby poll as America's favourite male star.
Garry Wills, the author of John Wayne's America, describes him as "the most popular movie star ever, but also the most polarising". But despite the ambiguity towards him the centennial is being marked with celebrations. Hollywood studios are rolling out a horde of DVD releases. In total, 48 of Wayne's films are being re-released on DVD, including True Grit, which won him an Oscar in 1970. A restored 3D version of Hondo debuted at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Gretchen Wayne, who runs Batjac Production, the film company formed in 1954 by her father-in-law, this week hosted an evening presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, where a restored version of The High and the Mighty (1954) was shown.
Cable channel Turner Classic Movies is airing a festival of his movies while Wayne's birthplace, the town of Winterset, Iowa, which he left when he was four, is hosting a centennial celebration.
However, some observers were aware of how much Hollywood has changed since Wayne's heyday.
"It's hard to guess how the Duke would be received today, or even if he could find work in contemporary Hollywood," writes Larry Thornberry in the American Spectator. "It's a legitimate question whether Hollywood would be big enough for both George Clooney and John Wayne."
By Catherine Elsworth in Los Angeles
