John Wayne’s Last Stand: The Oscar He Longed For
John Wayne’s swansong in The Shootist was his most personal role, but despite critical praise, the Academy overlooked him for another Oscar. Discover why this legendary actor never received the recognition he craved.
John Wayne’s career was nothing short of legendary, yet one of the oddest things about his time in the spotlight was the Academy’s decision not to honour him with a lifetime achievement Oscar. While plenty of his contemporaries—think Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Orson Welles, Alec Guinness, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, and Paul Newman—were recognised with honorary awards, Wayne was left off the list. Still, he did manage to snag a competitive Best Actor Oscar for his turn in True Grit, a win that some in the industry saw as more of a nod to his enduring presence than the performance itself. Wayne, though, was chuffed to finally have the trophy that put him in the same league as the greats.
He’d already been up for the big prize twice before—once for his role in Sands of Iwo Jima and again as the producer of The Alamo—but he was never really considered one of the top actors of his generation. Most of the time, he just played himself, but what he lacked in versatility, he made up for with sheer star power and a knack for drawing crowds to the box office.
Farewell Performance in The Shootist
As Wayne’s career and health were winding down, he was determined to finish on a high note. The Shootist, his final film, was a case of life mirroring art. He took on the role of JB Books, an ageing gunslinger facing his own mortality after a cancer diagnosis—a storyline that hit close to home. It was a fitting end to a storied career, and many reckon it was his best work since True Grit. That said, his recent films—Cahill US Marshal, McQ, Brannigan, and Rooster Cogburn—hadn’t exactly set the world on fire, so the bar wasn’t sky-high.
Despite strong reviews from critics, Wayne didn’t get a look-in when it came to awards season. Lauren Bacall scored a Bafta nomination for Best Leading Actress, and Ron Howard made the Golden Globes shortlist for Best Supporting Actor, but Wayne’s name was missing from the conversation. The Academy just didn’t bite.
Behind the Scenes: Hopes and Disappointments
Pat Stacy, who was close to Wayne, shared in her memoir just how much the film meant to him.
“The Shootist meant something to Duke, and he was determined to see that it was kept alive, even if he had to do it single-handedly,”
she wrote.
“Besides, there was talk in the air that the picture might land Duke a third Oscar nomination. Although we never talked about it, I knew he wanted it for the picture and wanted it for himself. He simply wasn’t sure how many more quality starring roles he could find for a man his age.”
As it turned out, there weren’t any more roles. Wayne passed away before he could get back in front of the camera. He’d planned to work with Ron Howard again, but it wasn’t to be. His last appearance at the Oscars saw him handing out the Best Picture award to The Deer Hunter, rather than sitting among the nominees for one final shot at glory.