It was much easier set than done when he was a notoriously hard man to please, but the best way to ensure a harmonious experience in a John Wayne movie was to earn the star’s respect.
‘The Duke’ lived, breathed, ate, and slept his onscreen persona, so there was barely any distinction between the actor and the characters he played onscreen. He was rough around the edges, fond of a stiff drink, and didn’t think twice about putting anyone in their place if they annoyed or irritated him.
It was tough love that caused plenty of friction during his lengthy time spent as one of the biggest, most popular, and bankable draws in the industry, but once any actor or filmmaker had managed to crack Wayne’s steely facade, he was happy to take them under his wing or mentor them in any way he could.
For a fresh-faced newcomer to Hollywood, debuts don’t come much more daunting than a John Ford picture with ‘The Duke’ in the lead role. John Agar had never appeared in a movie before, and if taking fourth billing in a Wayne picture helmed by his greatest collaborator wasn’t daunting enough, the rookie’s wife was also part of the cast.
Unfortunately for Agar, his spouse was Shirley Temple, arguably the most famous child star in history. She was 19 when Fort Apache began shooting, but Ford used the couple’s status as a means to make Agar’s life a living hell. It was a hazing that pushed the untested actor to the brink until Wayne stepped in to place an arm around his shoulder.
Ford constantly belittled Agar in front of the cast and crew by exclusively referring to him as ‘Mr Temple’, while the director repeatedly pointed out his lack of horseriding experience and stilted line delivery. It was almost too much to bear until Wayne diffused the tension by adopting the latest in his long line of proteges.
Agar didn’t only make it through Fort Apache unscathed, but he reunited with his guardian angel on Sands of Iwo Jima, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Big Jake, The Undefeated, and Chisum. Reflecting on how important Wayne’s mentorship was during their first picture together, Agar couldn’t have made it any clearer when he said, “I would go to hell and back for Duke.”
Ford was the type of personality who thought being a bit of an arsehole to his actors would aid their performances in some way, which is a side of the director Wayne had become more than familiar with. Agar’s attempts to break into acting were partly driven by his desire to establish himself as more than Temple’s husband, so it was almost inevitable the filmmaker would constantly strike at the rawest nerve he could find.