FSF-084 The Duke of the West (07/07/07)

Happy Fourth of July! What better way to celebrate the 231st birthday of our beloved nation than by honoring the centurial birthday of The Duke himself, the legendary John Wayne.

About six weeks ago, a KMFA listener brought to my attention the fact that May 26th was going to be John Wayne's 100th birthday. He suggested a show in Wayne's honor would be a great way to acknowledge and celebrate it. I couldn't have agreed more. Unfortunately, I had already had my shows programmed for that month so I decided to reserve it for the week of Independence Day.

Born Marion Morrison on May 26th, 1907, John Wayne appeared in over a hundred and seventy motion pictures. His rugged mug, daft smirk, and trademark mid-western drawl made him an icon of American cinema around the world. Wayne personified the very definition of manhood and symbolized a material toughness that served as a model for generations. Although Wayne appeared in a variety of films no single genre will ever define him more or be defined by him more than the American Western.When you think of the American Western, it's hard to believe that any were made without John Wayne. He was as ubiquitous on the open frontier as were the horses, trains, hats, and six-shooters that often graced the screen.

John Wayne did more than just act in his pictures. Throughout a long and fruitful career Wayne donned the hat of producer as in THE ALAMO (1960), THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY (1954), and THE FIGHTING KENTUCKIAN (1949), as well as directing a handful of pictures including THE GREEN BERETS (1968), and THE ALAMO (1960). Early in his career John Wayne got his start as a prop master and even performed some of his own songs as was the case in THE QUIET MAN (1952), THE MAN FROM UTAH (1934) and HAUNTED GOLD (1932).

Whether you're grilling hot dogs, shooting off firecrackers, playing ball with the neighborhood kids, or cooling off in the pool, the legacy John Wayne left behind through his movies should be a welcome infiltration of your celebration.

Here is the lineup for FSF-084 Duke of the West



It's easy to put together a show of film music from John Wayne westerns. There are so many out there and so many different composers had an opportunity to score a Wayne picture. On the lineup this week is a crop of classics that are sure to be among the first many will think of when recalling Wayne's best work.

Composer Elmer Bernstein has actually scored quite a few John Wayne westerns including THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER (1965), THE SHOOTIST (1976), THE COMANCHEROS (1961), and BIG JAKE (1971). But Bernstein's classic underscoring of Marshall Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn in the classic TRUE GRIT (1969) will remain one of his most cherished classics. A defining moment for both Bernstein and Wayne's lasting legacy, this picture will forever be a shining star for both artists' resumés.

The year after TRUE GRIT came out Jerry Goldsmith was tasked to score RIO LOBO (1970). Five years earlier Goldsmith scored Wayne in IN HARM'S WAY (1965) but RIO LOBO would mark his first and only opportunity to score a John Wayne western.

In 1960, John Wayne embarked on an epic mission as producer, director, and starring as Colonel Davy Crockett, he risked his entire reputation and future bringing THE ALAMO (1960) to the big screen. To score this monumental film Wayne called on legendary composer Dimitri Tiomkin. Although the film didn't quite live up to Wayne's expectations it remains a Tinseltown silver-age classic and one of Tiomkin's masterpiece scores.

One of John Wayne's best performances can be found in MCLINTOCK! (1963), which is supported by a rich score by Frank De Vol. With nods toward Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, MCLINTOCK! is one of Wayne's most personal and political films of his career. The score was never released on CD so a digital recording of the original soundtrack LP was used for the show.

If there ever were an all-time classic American western, one would have to argue THE SEARCHERS (1956) take the crown. With legendary filmmaker John Ford directing and the immortal Max Steiner composing the music, THE SEARCHERS serves as the creative peak for the genre and for John Wayne's career.

The fourth-to-last western John Wayne starred in was Mark Rydell's THE COWBOYS (1972) which was scored by the venerable John Williams. The theme from THE COWBOYS remains one of Williams more recognizable melodies and marks the lone occasion the maestro ventured into scoring a western.

It's hard to imagine the American western without John Wayne. Let's be thankful we don't have to. Happy Independence Day America! Be safe and enjoy your holiday no matter which John Wayne film you decide to watch or listen to. And thanks Darrell for the tip!