Yesterday there was a live Q&A with Patrick Wayne on Facebook. I was unfortunately not able to participate as I was on the road all day on my way back home from a family reunion (I have SO much blog reading to catch up on...).
As the Q&A was only 30 min. long, Patrick wasn't able to answer many of the questions (there were close to 3500). It was also apparently his birthday, which I missed. Here are the questions that Patrick was able to answer.
Q: Hello Patrick how much fun was it working on McLintock?
A: McLintock was a lot of fun. My younger sister in real life played my sister in the movie and Yvonne DeCarlo played my mother. The script was written like a laugh riot and that was pretty much the temperament on the set. One fun day after another. What wonderful characters, like Edgar Buchanon and Chill Wills made every day enjoyable.
Q: Happy Birthday, Patrick! I had the pleasure of meeting you and your brothers in Winterset at the dedication of the John Wayne Birthplace in 1981. You guys couldn't have been more accommodating to me as you allowed me to tag along with you after the dedication as you strolled downtown for lunch and allowed me to sit with you and chat about your father and how much he meant to me as a fan. You each signed several items I had with me which I have displayed in a case at home in my "John Wayne" room. I have a photo of you and I together at the banquet that was held in your honor that evening. Thank you to you and your brothers for making that day one that has always stood out in my memory
A: A lot of water under the bridge Rod. Thanks for the fond memories.
Q: Hello Patrick. Did you enjoy being in Ireland during the filming of THE QUIET MAN?
A: Absolutely. I had a fantastic experience. It was 1951, my older brother and I were there for 6 weeks and had plenty of opportunity to travel around the country side and see the sites and meet the people. I went back in 1975 and Ireland looked like it had 25 years earlier. The countryside, the people and their personalities hadn't changed a bit. I went back again in 2010 with my younger sister and this was after the Celtic Tiger had taken over the economy and I still found the people and the country to be as charming and down to earth as they were 50 years ago.
Patrick and his father in Ireland during the filming of The Quiet Man
Q: I would have loved to see John Wayne play the part of Ted Williams in Ted's life story but his story never materialized. Was John a baseball fan? I can' t remember reading anything about him being one.
A: I don't know about Ted Williams, but my dad has been asked to play many parts of sports figures. The one that comes to mind is Coach Bear Bryant. There was a biography of the coach that got a lot of readers and interest and the studio decided to make it into a film. Coach Bryant tells the story, well if there's going to be a film, I want John Wayne to play the part. The studios came to offer him the role, he read the book, but he turned it down. And Coach Bryant asked him why he didn't want to do it. Wayne said to Bryant, well there isn't anything to the story and Coach Bryant said "I knew that, but I didn't think he did."
Q: Happy birthday Patrick! I'm a big fan of you and your father! Although I'm only 20 years old, i watch more old movies than new, and like to do research on them. smile emoticon I love all the movies that you have made with your father, who is actually one of my top crushes from the movies. grin emoticon Just watched the Quiet Man for the first time, and it was awesome! Didn't know you were in it though, until I was looking at your page on Wikipedia today. One of my favorite movies of yours is Shenandoah, love that movie.
A: Keep up the good work. I find myself going to Turner Classic Movies: TCM quite often.
Q: Hi Patrick, I've heard that your dad is on record saying Hondo was ihs favoite of all the movies he did. A couple questions (1) Did he interact directly with Louis L'Amour at all during the filming? (2) What are some other films he listed among his favorites? (3) Which was his favorite non-western film?
A: Louis L'Amour was not involved in the film production. Jimmy Grant wrote the script loosely based on the story. Jimmy Grant was one of those writers who could write dialog for my father and my father never had to change a word. It just flowed from the paper out of his mouth. Hondo was made in 3D which had a lot of gimmicks to take advantage of the 3D effect. But the film stood up on its own in 2D, and I'm pretty sure it has been exhibited more in 2D then 3D. His favorite was She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. In this film, he was playing a cavalry officer retiring from the cavalry in his mid 60s but in reality he was in his early 40's. I heard somewhere that The Quiet Man was one of his favorites.
Q: Happy Birthday Patrick, mine was yesterday. I am a big fan of everything John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara. Do you have a favorite movie with them? Also, was your family friends with hers?
A: Absolutely. I have many stories I can tell you about Maureen. Big Jake in 1971 was my favorite film with my dad and Maureen. She has been a great friend of the family. I believe Maureen single handedly convinced the congress to award my dad the Congressional Gold Medal. A few months ago, Maureen was awarded an honorary Oscar, and I got to take part in a video clip that they showed at the event, mainly because I am one of the last people still living that worked with her. Maureen gave me first screen kiss in The Long Grey Line. They found the clip of the kiss and included it in the video. She is a great woman and fortunately still with us
A: I had a very privileged upbringing and have nothing to compare his skill sets as being a father. He was perfect. He was fair and consistent in his rearing of his children. You knew what was right and wrong and if you stayed in the parameters of what was right you were home free, and if you went outside those parameters I would run for the hills. And if you were really bad he would take a minute to process which would be the longest minute of your life. He was 3 people. He was a character in the motion pictures and his character in films was pretty much the same person from movie to movie. The character was a predictable one that his public liked. In his public life, he was a very opinionated person who felt comfortable and courageous enough to express his opinions even if they weren't popular. His private life was a much richer more interesting character than the one he played on the screen, more vulnerable, more humorous, all of those things we think of as being a human being.
Q: I like every single John Wayne movie the Shootist was great I miss him as I am sure you do also.....
A: I think I agree with you about The Shootist, for this reason: I couldn't look at the film for about ten years until after my father died. It was just too close to reality. But when I finally watched the film, I would have to say it was my father's finest performance, purely as an actor. He really reached out and took chances that he wasn't typically used to doing. He was more vulnerable in this film than any prior film. And in my opinion, a better candidate for an Oscar than the Rooster Cogburn character in True Grit, just my opinion.
Q: You are a very fortunate person. What is it like growing up as a Wayne? And being a Wayne as an adult?
A: One thing I remember growing up is that every time we went out in public, our mother or father cautioned us that you are representing the Wayne name and you have to be on your best behavior. I'm not saying that I paid any attention to that unfortunately. As an adult, I have been given the very special privilege of being able to use my fathers name to advance the cause of cancer research. My younger brother Ethan takes care of the enterprise, and we have the John Wayne Cancer Foundation that raises money to help the work we do at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.
Q: Happy Birthday Patrick!! I was wondering after all the movies you and your father have done who were some of the other actors you really looked up to and admired growing up? Thanks for answering!! god bless!!
A: I worked several times with Jimmy Stewart, a true gentleman and true American and I am very proud and honored to have known and worked with him. Tyrone Power was also very helpful and kind to me as a young actor.
Q: Hi Patrick - Did you enjoy working together on the movie "Big Jake"? I like that movie!
A: I liked it too. It was a special time to be not only working with my father, but my older brother produced the film and my younger brother played my nephew and Maureen O'Hara played my mother and as I said before, she was like a true member of the family.
Q: A great fan of your father! And watch his movies all the time. You featured in quite a few of them. The Searchers was my favourite.
A: The Searchers was one of my favorites too. It didn't hurt that Natalie Wood was in the film and we were both about the same age…and really hit it off well.
Q: Hello Patrick, than you for taking time to be here . My favorite movie of your dad's was the Searchers. What was it like being in that beautiful area during the filming?
A: Beautiful yes! But, so darn hot! They had a fine red dust that got into every possible place you can imagine dust can get. It didn't matter how long you bathed for in the evening you could never get rid of the dust. The heat was 100+ every day, with no way to escape the blazing sun. It's been 60 years since it was filmed and I can remember the heat and dust like it was yesterday. I went there one year in the spring after this movie and it was absolutely pleasant, the temperature was temperate, and the dust wasn't blowing. Why couldn't they have filmed in the Spring?
Q: My father and I truly enjoyed you in Big Jake!!! I love when he got tired of you boys,and you'll had a big blow out in the hotel room. Your a wonderful actor,just wish you guys would've done some more movies together. Either way as a fan of the Wayne Family,I'd love to hear your thoughts on your time on the movie sets with your dad,who we all know was larger than life to us fans. Yet such a wonderful and absolute true American. Thanks so much for your time.
A: Good question. My dad really enjoyed working and his personality was at its best when he was working. So he was really a lot of fun to be around in that environment. At the time I had a brother and 2 sisters who weren't really interested in pursuing a career in film, so quite often I had my dad all to myself. I wasn't competing with my siblings for his attention which also made it special. In hindsight, I would have to say, I learned some very important lessons about managing life and work.
Q: Gosh I wish we had heroes again. John Wayne was the last real man. The USA misses him. You were so fortunate and must have great and fond memories. Happy Birthday Patrick.
A: Thank you.
John Wayne FB page: We are thrilled and overwhelmed with the response, unfortunately we didn't schedule enough time with Patrick. Thank you everyone for your questions. We will have Patrick back soon to answer more. Good bye for now.
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