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John Wayneis one of the determine movie stars of the 20th century , but his life history is meet with missed opportunities . “ The Duke ” had a signature swagger and commanding comportment that saw him asterisk in numerous iconic roles acrossWayne ’s impressive movie career . However , the same decisive character and spunky beliefs that allowed Wayne to resonate with film - fit audiences also caused the star topology to turn down some of the most memorable celluloid roles in chronicle .
John Wayne was a fervent patriot , a staunch diehard , and a stubborn holder of grudges . While The Duke turn in memorable performance in many films that talk to fairly aboveboard values and theme , his reluctance to encompass some of the more insurgent filmmaking that began to emerge in the latter part of the 20th century , as well as his own interpersonal issue , run to his miss out on some of the most significant motion-picture show of the era . However , Wayne ’s inherent aptitude sometimes served him well , saving the actor from look in historic failure that would have left a blot on his filmography .
10Lonesome Dove (1989)
The miniseriesLonesome Dovebegan as a film script in 1972 whenLast Picture Showcollaborators Larry McMurtrey and Peter Bogdanovich were given the green light to recrudesce a westerly . The project , follow a group of retire Texas Rangers on a cows driveway in the closing years of the West , was then titledStreets of La Toredo ; it would have starred Wayne alongside two other legendary twentieth - hundred actors , James Stewart and Henry Fonda . However , Wayne turn down the role , and the film soon fell apart . Lonesome Dovewas a hugely successful miniseries starring Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones , win seven Emmys in 1989 .
91941 (1979)
When Steven Spielberg was cause the warfare comedy1941 , about a mass of hysteric Californians preparing for a Nipponese invasion following Pearl Harbor , the director in person approached John Wayne for the part of the gentle - hearted General Stillwell . However , the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. after receiving the script , Wayne reportedly phoned Spielberg , urging him not to make the movie . Wayne called the film “ un - American ” and told Spielberg , “ Do n’t joke about World War II ” ( viaOutsider ) . Spielberg went on to make the motion-picture show , mould Wayne’sHigh and Mightyco - principal Robert Stack in the character . Yet Wayne may have had a point;1941was poorly reviewed and is now consideredone of Spielberg ’s bad movies .
8Heaven’s Gate (1980)
Wayne was originally offered the lead theatrical role of Sheriff James Averill inHeaven ’s Gate , which would eventually go to the much younger KrisKristofferson . The film is loosely establish on the Johnson County War , a genuine diachronic effect touched upon in another John Wayne film , Chisum . Whatever Wayne ’s reasons for refusing the persona , he certainly made the right decision , with the disastrous production apparently plague by numerous reshoots , cost overruns and the dictatorial streak of its director , Michael Cimino . Heaven ’s Gatewas a notorious boxful office tragedy , sink its studio apartment , United Artists , and considered a fateful blow to auteur - driven studio projects in Hollywood .
7The Gunfighter (1950)
This acclaimed classic Western follow a haunted gunslinger who essay out his estranged wife in a little Ithiel Town , only to determine furiousness around every corner . The role of the titular gunfighter , Jimmy Ringo , was written with John Wayne in judgement , but Wayne ’s attachment fell apart when rights to the film were purchased by Columbia Pictures , with whose president Wayne had an on-going feud . Ironically , the script would eventually be free from Columbia Pictures , purchase by Twentieth Century Fox , where Gregory Peck was cast in the jumper lead . John Wayne ’s last pic , The Shootist , partake several thematic and tale element withThe Gunfighter .
6All The King’s Men (1949)
The moving-picture show adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize - winning novel , All The King ’s Men , tells the narration of a corrupt politician ’s rise and free fall . Wayne was offered the lead purpose of pol Willy Stark . However , as he would afterwards do with Spielberg’s1941 , Wayne turned down the film for being unpatriotic . In a searing letter to his agent , who transport Wayne the handwriting , The Duke say the film “ smudge the machinery of government for no determination of humor or enlightenment ” ( viaCheatsheet ) . The role eventually went to Broderick Crawford , who would gain ground the 1949 Academy Award for good player , beating out John Wayne inThe Sands of Iwo Jima .
5Dr. Strangelove (1964)
In Stanley Kubrick ’s satiric Cold War masterpieceDr . Strangelove , the part of B-52 bomber pilot burner Major T.J. “ King ” Kong - responsible for the iconic visual in which a man straddles an atomic bomb , waving his lid as it sail into Russian territory - was ab initio offered to John Wayne . Screenwriter Terry Southern initially wrote the part with Wayne in mind , but when Kubrick reached out to The Duke , he never get a line back . Wayne was already committed to three moving-picture show in 1963 - 4 and Kubrick , who was not yet the universally spat director , was patently not deserving Wayne ’s time . The part of Kong would eventually go to another Western worker , Slim Pickens .
4The Dirty Dozen (1967)
This World War II movie see an army major charged with leading a grouping of convict murderers on a suicide military mission in front of the Normandy landings . The star role of Major John Reisman was volunteer to John Wayne . Wayne objected to the character being an adulterer , so that section of the handwriting was transfer . However , The Duke still passed , in all likelihood due to the flick ’s shooting dates running too closely to the due day of the month of his significant married woman , Pilar . Lee Marvin play Major Reisman , and Wayne asterisk in another warfare word picture , the extremely financially successfulThe Green Berets .
3Dirty Harry (1971)
The title of respect role of the gritty San Francisco cop Harry Callahan inDirty Harrywas initially offered to Frank Sinatra , who passed . Wayne was then offered the use but also decline because he did n’t wish to take a part that Sinatra had work down . However , the film ’s eventual monumental success with star Clint Eastwood caused Wayne to regret his conclusion , with The Duke even telling his biographer ( viaFar Out ) , “ I made a mistake with that one . ” Wayne ’s regret would push him to asterisk in twoDirty Harry rip - offsin subsequent years without much success .
2Blazing Saddles (1974)
Widely look at thegreatest westerly funniness of all time , Blazing Saddles ’ fib of a black sheriff hired to run a anti-Semite frontier townsfolk was miles ahead of its time . The crude oil , subversive , self - aware film ab initio sought to cast John Wayne ; contradictory reports suggest that Wayne was stand for for either the theatrical role of gunslinger Jim , eventually played by Gene Wilder , or for the henchman Taggart , played by Slim Pickens , who had supervene upon Wayne once before inDr . Strangelove . While The Duke refused the function , he nevertheless endorsed the script , stating ( viaYukon - News ): " I ca n’t be in this mental picture . It ’s too filthy , but I ’ll be the first in telephone line to see it " .
1High Noon (1952)
High Noon ’s tense existent - time drama follows a township marshal ’s increasingly desperate pleas for help fight the ring of killer who have promise to frivol away him dead at noonday . John Wayne was initially offered the leading part of marshall Will Kane , but sprain it down with a deplorable , familiar rebuke , calling it ( viaThe Guardian ) “ the most un - American thing I ’ve ever attend in my whole sprightliness . ” Now considered one of thegreatest Westerns of all time , High Noonwon its eventual star Gary Cooper an Oscar . Cooper , unable to give ear , asked Wayne to accept the award on his behalf .
Source : Outsider , Cheatsheet , Far Out , Yukon - News , The Guardian
