Want to know how did John Wayne die? Yes, we are talking about The Barbarian and the Geisha actor who recently made headlines for his opinion concerning the “worst part” of television. That’s especially when it comes to raising a family.
Even though he had strong feelings towards television and his work, it anyway extended his thoughts. Keeping it aside for today, fans still aren’t aware of the cause behind John Wayne’s sudden passing away. Before getting into that, let’s briefly discuss John Wayne’s prominence.
Starting from the basics, John Wayne was also known as The Duke. He was indeed a versatile actor who did wonders in the industry, for five decades, until his death. Talking about John Wayne’s notable works, the list includes- Girls Demand Excitement, Haunted Gold, West of the Divide, Conflict, New Frontier, Trouble Along the Way, Circus World, The Train Robbers, and Star Wars.
John Wayne followed his acting style in each of his works. Also, he was very particular when it was to the plot. Following that, John turned down several roles like High Noon, Gunsmoke, The Dirty Dozen, Streets of Laredo, etc.
Coming back to John Wayne’s death, he was at that time 72 years old. When the news came out to the public, nobody believed it initially. It was indeed very hard to accept as it was a major loss to the industry. Many wondered if it had something to do with his illness. Not everyone knows what went wrong with The Duke. If you are one of them, looking for how did John Wayne die, here are the details.
Also Read: How Many Films Did John Wayne Die In? Explained
John Wayne’s Death: What Happened To The Duke?
It was on 11 June 1979 John Wayne passed away. Since he was born in 1907, that made him 72 years old at the time of his death, as mentioned above. What happened to him? Well, the major reason behind John Wayne’s death was stomach cancer. The actor suffered from the life-threatening disease for more than a decade. Only the patient knows how struggling and pathetic it can be.
Not to forget to mention, John Wayne didn’t encounter the disease for the very first time. That’s understandable, though! The medical experts failed to begin the chemotherapy. Why? Because it was reported that The Duke was too weak to bear that. So, he approved that he wouldn’t be able to get the experimental treatment and was therefore helpless. That was badly unfortunate.
Back in 1964, John Wayne introduced the term “The Big C” for the disease he was struggling with. Following that, he underwent surgery for the removal of his left lung and four ribs. After that, the actor appeared to have healed quite a lot. But, eventually, he started having shortness of breath quite often. That was not a good sign, though. Things turned worse as he didn’t stop the consumption of tobacco.
During his last days, when John Wayne was admitted to the hospital for treatment, each of his family members was present, surrounding him. In other words, The Duke was never left alone.
Little did you know, John Wayne was a great father in reality. He loved each of his children equally. Even though he was unconscious during the last hours, he still managed to recognize his daughter, Aissa, who stayed until his deathbed. John’s last words were, “Of course, I know who you are. You’re my girl. I love you.” This was even more pathetic for his daughter to even think of.
Have you watched The Shootist? That was John Wayne’s last film before his death. If you haven’t, it’s highly recommended. Surprisingly, his character, a gunfighter in the film, also suffered from cancer.
Several years have passed. Still, it feels bad to accept that John Wayne is no more with us. We continue to cherish each of his works to the fullest. Which is your favorite John Wayne work?
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