Wonder would Duke have taken Mc Arthur role played by Gregory Peck?
Posts from DukePilgrim in thread „Roles Turned down by John Wayne“
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I think John Wayne would have been great in the role played by Gene Hackman in Uncommon Valor. The story similar to First Blood II but better of US Vets going back to the Vietnam to rescue American POWs
Mike -
I think from what I read Duke would have been willing to do the movie but that other film commitments prevented him. I would say he would have been better than Lee Marvin particularly if he had played it tough.
Another role I could have seen him doing is the Brian Keith part in The Mc Kenzie Break.
Mike -
Hi rossco3268
Yes I think the role played by Lee Marvin was offered to John Wayne. He was not happy with the script as it was and because of other commitments did not do role.
I think it would have been one of his more interesting films if it had been made to work.
Here is a link to a thread discussing other roles John Wayne did not do some are speculative while others were possibilities:-
http://www.dukewayne.com/thread3382.html
Mike -
I think realistically around mid sixties with good genes and generally taking care of yourself is the longest any star can stay in the leading actor role.
After that it would be cameos or character roles.
I think if Duke had his health & his finances had been in order he would have moved into direction like Eastwood with only the odd cameo performance.
The way it played out for JW he went out on a high with The Shootist which is extremely rare for those in the acting community to achieve.
Mike -
Quite right William. If Duke's health had held out Beau John would have got made. I think Dirty Dozen and Patton with script changes would have been the most likely to have possibly been made with John Wayne included. He did show a interest in comedies so who knows what he would have done.
I noticed watching Is Paris Burning that Kirk Douglas appeared playing an American General it was only in a later scene that I realised he was playing Patton!!!
Mike -
I found this site that list roles turned down by John Wayne. Most we know but there are a few new ones
MikeSteven Spielberg says he had Wayne read the script in hopes he would play Gen. Stilwell. Wayne turned down the part saying it was in bad taste to make fun of WWII.
Actor who got the part: Robert StackJohn Wayne was offered the part of Willie Stark by director Robert Rossen, but he turned it down.
Actor who got the part: Broderick CrawfordJohn Wayne had a script commissioned for him called Beau John, where he would co-star with Ron Howard, but the film was not made because of Wayne's ill health.
Actor who got the part: NoneTurned down a role in the movie after reading the script saying "I can't be in this picture, it's too dirty...but I'll be the first in line to see it."
Actor who got the part: Slim PickensJohn Wayne turned it down, reportedly because he thought the movie depicted the military in a bad light.
Actor who got the part: Lee MarvinJohn Wayne turned down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: Clint EastwoodDid not respond to an offer to play Maj. T.J. "King" Kong in the anti-war masterpiece.
Actor who got the part: Slim PickensAccording to Gene Wilder's autobiography, John Wayne was offered the part of Tommy Lillard. Wayne was willing to take the role but was not able to get the $$ he needed.
Actor who got the part: Harrison FordJohn Wayne turned down the lead male role in mid 70's when the project was called Johnson County War. When this attempt at the project fell through, Michael Cimino made the Deer Hunter instead.
Actor who got the part: Kris KristoffersonWriter Larry McMurtry had originally invisioned Lonesome Dove as a movie starring John Wayne, James Stewart, and Henry Fonda.
Actor who got the part: Tommy Lee JonesWanted to play General Patton but the producer turned him down.
Actor who got the part: George C. ScottJohn Wayne tried for years to get backing to play in this Noel Coward comedy as a change of pace.
Budget overruns and production delays kept Wayne from taking the role of Carl Barber, the millionaire father of Keith Carradine's songwriter/horndog character.
Actor who got the part: Denver Pyle
