Behind the Scenes: John Wayne On The Set Of TRUE GRIT

The great John Wayne won an Academy Award for his turn as Rooster Cogburn in 1969’s True Grit (it was the actor’s only Oscar win in his lengthy career).

Based on the novel of the same name by Charles Portis, the western was directed by Henry Hathaway (Niagra, The Sons Of Katie Elder). True Grit sees Wayne play a boozy U.S Marshall helping Kim Darby’s Mattie Ross track down the killers of her father. Country singer Glenn Campbell, Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper co-star in film. 

Wayne reprised the role of the eye patch wearing Cogburn in 1975’s Rooster Cogburn, which co-starred Katherine Hepburn, Anthony Zerbe and Richard Jordan. Jeff Bridges would play the role of Cogburn (and score an Academy Award nomination) in the Coen Brothers 2010 adaptation of Portis novel. 

Released in 1969, True Grit grossed over $31 million at the US box office and more than $35.5 million globally. The film was the highest grossing film in John Wayne’s career in which he had the lead role – only How The West Was Won and The Longest Day grossed more in unadjusted figures.