View Full Version : How Many?


Hondo Duke Lane
July 10th, 2003, 08:37 PM
How many movies did Duke make that was about a true character? I know of 5 movies, but there must be others. Please list them.

Cheers, Hondo B)

dukefan1
July 11th, 2003, 06:43 AM
Ok, let's see...
Spig Wead in Wings of Eagles
Ghangis Kahn in The Comqueror
Chisum in Chisum
Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoot in The Longest Day
General Sherman in How The West Was Won
Townsend Harris in The Barbarian And The Geisha
Davey Crockett in The Alamo....and
General Randolph in Cast A Giant Shadow

That's all I can come up with. Did I miss any? dukefan1

BrianB
July 11th, 2003, 06:56 AM
I believe "The Hell Fighters" so add one more.

Brian
Tulalip Wa

itdo
July 11th, 2003, 07:59 AM
The character of Rusty was lifted from a real-life character from the book, "They Were Expandable" (that same real-life character sued MGM, JW and Donna Reed for their unfaithful portraits - obviously, the real Rusty and the nurse had something against that steaming love-story! the matter was settled out of court).

Robbie
July 12th, 2003, 02:50 PM
JB Books is apparantly loosely based on John Hardin.

B)

General Sterling Price
July 12th, 2003, 09:53 PM
I believe The Horse Soldiers is based on a true story.

GSP

BrianB
July 28th, 2003, 03:37 AM
So I guess we are at 10 roles on this subject?

Brian
Tulalip Wa

itdo
July 28th, 2003, 07:12 AM
"Rio Grande" was based on the actual "Mission of No Record" - the raiders actually started from Fort Clarke, which is, of course, where JW himself had his "base camp" during filming of The Alamo. But then, the story of cavalry officer Kirby Yorke is fictional.

The same goes for his character in The Green Berets: The script is based on the doings of real-life persons from the bestselling "The Green Berets" and there also is a character in the book resembling the Wayne role but Wayne's character is fictional.

Gen. Sherman he played more than the one time in How the West Was Won: In John Ford's The Colter Craven Story he's seen in a brief cameo and credited as Michael Morrison.

itdo
July 28th, 2003, 07:34 AM
I think Gen. Randolph in "Cast a Giant Shadow" isn't actually a historic personality as well - he was largely based on Gen. G.C. Patton (who actually helped the real-life Mickey Marcus along his way). So there you go: JW had a shot at Patton nevertheless.

chester7777
August 21st, 2009, 07:32 PM
It's been a long time since this thread has seen the light of day, so I am (bump)ing it for the benefit of our newer members.

Can anybody think of any that have been forgotten (after reading the thread from the beginning)?

Chester :newyear:

ZS_Maverick
August 22nd, 2009, 09:12 AM
Captain James Smith, the character Duke played in "Alleghenny Uprising" (a.k.a. "The First Rebel) was a a very real person. Here's something I found about him on line....

http://www.pa-roots.com/bedford/history/histjamsm.html

chester7777
August 23rd, 2009, 01:08 AM
Wow, ZS, what a great addition!! Thanks for that link, too!

Chester :newyear:

Karl Slater
August 24th, 2009, 06:43 AM
How about the Centurion guard at the cruxificion in The Greatest Story..........

Regards

Karl

kevin k
October 3rd, 2009, 10:12 PM
big jake might have been a real event,i read somewhere but i dont know for sure if there was a real jacob mccandles