...actor, or just a great " real character"? I got to thinking about this while watching Rooster Cogburn this weekend. I like a LOT of John Wayne's movies. But after years of watching them...I feel that I am watching the same thing in a lot of his roles. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I'm just saying that John Wayne played...well...John Wayne in a lot of of his movies. I don't think he was a great actor, simply because I don't think he had a lot of range or depth. But to me that doesn't matter simply because I like John Wayne as John Wayne. And nobody played John Wayne better than he did.

I would agree and in fact have seen that mentioned before on different shows. He even played Genghis Kahn as John Wayne.

Spot on IMO. He had great characters but they were always, well, Him.

 

Even his last film was a story of John Wayne dying, it just happened to have a plot built around it.

 

Still, I find myself watching most any Duke film.

He was a lot like Jack Nicholson or Clint Eastwood -- same character in every movie. It's a good thing if you like that character, which I do, but it also shows those actors' limitations.

To paraphrase Dorothy Parker,

 

"He runs the gamut of emotions from A to B."

Spot on IMO. He had great characters but they were always, well, Him.

 

Even his last film was a story of John Wayne dying, it just happened to have a plot built around it.

 

Still, I find myself watching most any Duke film.

You got that right, Pilgrim.

I have always contended there is a difference in being an actor and a movie star. IMO, the 5 biggest movie stars of all time are Charles Chaplin, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, and Marilyn Monroe. Of those 5 only Chaplin and Bogart seem to get acclaim for their acting...

...actor, or just a great " real character"? I got to thinking about this while watching Rooster Cogburn this weekend. I like a LOT of John Wayne's movies. But after years of watching them...I feel that I am watching the same thing in a lot of his roles. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I'm just saying that John Wayne played...well...John Wayne in a lot of of his movies. I don't think he was a great actor, simply because I don't think he had a lot of range or depth. But to me that doesn't matter simply because I like John Wayne as John Wayne. And nobody played John Wayne better than he did.

 

You nailed it. I am ok with John Wayne, but as far as an actor he played the same character in every single movie. Wasn't a great actor by no means.

Spot on IMO. He had great characters but they were always, well, Him.

 

Even his last film was a story of John Wayne dying, it just happened to have a plot built around it.

 

Still, I find myself watching most any Duke film.

Interesting tid bit about his last movie. My favorite actor of all tome was in that movie along with the other favorite John Wayne movie, The man who shot Liberty Valance....Jimmy Stewart.

I think he is a terrible actor, though I have a soft spot for him. I was watching him the other day and can't help but wonder if he would make it as an actor in today's world.

He was a star, and a marquee name for the studio, but not a great actor I would agree.

"That's acting!!!!"

"That's acting!!!!"

Barney Rubble.....What an actor!!!!!!!

Barney Rubble.....What an actor!!!!!!!

 

Actually, I was thinking of the character Jon Lovitz did on Saturday Night Live years ago (Master Thespian).

 

By the way, Fred Flintstone was a better actor than Barney.

There are several actors who are similar to John Wayne in that like has been said, they play the same character in every movie. I wonder if there is any possibility some actors want to specialize/perfect/master a certain type of character rather than be pretty good across the board?? Not sure, just throwing that out.