It happened during a break while filming The Green Berets (1968).
John Wayne had just finished a tough action scene under the blazing sun when a young extra shyly approached him, holding out a small notebook.
Wayne, still in his dusty army costume, took the book with that easy grin of his and started to sign. But halfway through, he looked at the kid and said in that deep Duke voice:
“Hold on, partner — you don’t just get an autograph for standing around. You gotta earn it.”
The entire crew stopped to watch. The kid froze, not knowing what Wayne meant. Then Wayne stood up, towering over everyone, and tossed him a prop helmet:
“Put that on and walk next to me in the next shot. From now on, you’re officially in a John Wayne picture.”
The boy’s face turned red with excitement, and when the cameras rolled again, he marched proudly right beside the Duke.
Later, Wayne handed him back the notebook, now with his bold signature and an added line:
“To my co-star — John Wayne.”
The kid kept that helmet for years, telling everyone the same story:
“I came for an autograph… and ended up in a John Wayne movie.”
Wayne had traveled to Vietnam earlier to help boost the morale of American military personnel during the war.
He enjoyed meeting the troops, often saying, “I can’t sing or dance, but can shake your hands and say thank you for your service to America.”
After the movie filming was completed, Wayne spent more time reading mail from soldiers. One day he opened a letter from the parents of one of the “boys” who received an autograph in person. The letter expressed how elated their son was from meeting Wayne.”
Nine days later, they received this letter from Wayne:
“It’s most difficult to find the right words [if there are any] of sympathy and comfort,” Wayne replied. “But as one parent to another, I am sure the fact that your son, in these days of irresponsibility on the part of so many young people, voluntarily joined the Special Force, volunteered to do what he did, and did it very well apparently, must give you great pride.
“The weeks and months I spent in Vietnam and at Fort Benning [in Georgia] filming the picture, ‘The Green Berets,’ and working with many Green Beret trainees and veterans, brought me very close to them. They, like your son, are men whom all of us should be very proud.”
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By award-winning Texas author Cynthia Leal Massey.
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Thank you for sharing this.
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This is a touching story showing John Wayne’s true character. 🙂
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He’d be amazed to know about all the good stories being told about him, even now. All those politicians yammering about “my legacy”…..I doubt those words ever crossed John Wayne’s lips.
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[…] Earn His Autograph […]
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