hi all,
In 1979 when John Wayne for the last Time appears public by the oscars in 1979, he gets a standing ovation from the public.

I saw that on a documentary, and I'd like to know more about It.

cya jwfan

It was a proud yet sad sight to see Duke amble out on stage that night. He was very sick and wouldn't be with us much longer, but felt obligated to go. He wore a wetsuit under his tux to make him look thicker, having lost so much weight from the cancer. They took him there in a motor home and he made his appearance and left again, not having the strenth to go to any of the affairs after the show. It took alot of strenth and fortitude just to make it there, but he was larger then life! dukefan1

It brings tears to your eyes when you think about how important the fans were to John Wayne even at the end. I have no doubt that his appearance was his way of a tribute to all the men and women and especially the kids who went to his movies. Sats. and Suns. would sure have been different if there wasn't the hero's of the west on the silver screen.

I was maybe a year old when John Wayne made his last appearance :(

Going over photo's for my small webpage I tried to think of away to show John Wayne from his early movies to the Shootist :unsure:

One Photo I have that I did not post is of his last appearance. I do not personally carefore the photo. It is not the John Wayne I want to remember. I'm a little funny on this subject. (when people that have passed away and are in an open casket, I refuse to walk by and give my last respect) I want to remember that person in my own way. This is just the way I am and I hope people understand and respect my ways. some do and some don't. So if I come across alittle strange on any posts on this subject, that is why.

Monique ;)

Originally posted by Monique@Jul 25 2003, 12:09 PM
I'm a little funny on this subject. (when people have passed away and are in an open casket, I refuse to walk by and give my last respect) I want to remember that person in my own way. This is just the way I am and I hope people understand and respect my ways. some do and some don't. So if I come across alittle strange on any posts on this subject, that is why.

Monique ;)
Monique,

I certainly understand, and respect your feelings on the subject. How we deal with such things is a highly personal thing. I have observed loved ones in the casket on many occasions, and I can tell you that the person lying in that box never looks like the person I knew. The memories I carry are of the living person, and I don't have a real memory of what they looked like dead. So I guess I would be interested in seeing a photo of John Wayne, of his last public appearance, just out of curiosity, but the memory I will always carry of him is one of a very strong, vital man, bursting with life. The picture below is how I like to think of the Duke.

http://www.jwplace.com/graphics/jwriobravo.jpg

Thanks for sharing your feelings about this.

:rolleyes:

Mrs. Chester

hi,
thank you for the information, but I'd like to know more about the ovation John Wayne getted in his last appearance, I'd heard that Gregory Peck, Yul Brunner and some others came bring the Duke an last ovation.

I'd like to know more about that

Jwfan

Duke lost 40 pounds since Christmas, and the tux he had didn't fit. They made another one, but by the time the awards ceremony began, it was too big, so he went to the Wild Goose and got his wet suit. He spent most of the morning getting a radiation treatment. He could not eat anything, because of the pain in the place where his stomach was.

As far as I remember he was not escorted out on stage, but came alone. I actually saw the show when it aired in 1979, and I was shocked to see Duke's appearance. I couldn't find anything in the bio books as to who escorted him on stage, either. But that was the last public appearance on camera.

Right after the Oscar's, Duke did make one more trip on the Wild Goose with some friends from Nogales, Arizona (Ralph & Marjorie Wingfield), and sailed to the Catalina Island. After the trip, Duke gave Ralph Wingfield his favorite John B. Stetson, and put it on Paul's head. Duke then said to Ralph, that the Stetson looked better on his own head. That was a way of saying a cowboy "good-bye."

What Duke said at the Oscars:
"Oscar and I have something in common. Oscar first came to the Hollywood scene in 1928. So did I. We're both a little weather-beaten, but we're still here and plan to be around a whole lot longer."

What a classy gentleman.

Cheers, Hondo B)

Its nice to know that off screen Duke was a real life hero by the sheer fact he made this appearance, what he had to go through and as Hondo pointed out above by his dignity. I hope his battle with cancer has both helped and inspired many people who have sickness of any kind that they too can battle it and hopefully overcome it and hopefully som day mankind will come up with a cure for all sicknesses.

B)