John Wayne, also known as Marion Mitchell (Robert) Morrison or simply “The Duke”, was born in 1907 and was an iconic and influential actor, director and producer. He won several awards and honors, (including an Academy Award and an Oscar) and starred in 142 pictures; 83 of those being westerns. He started his career with his first big role in The Big Trail (1930) and his career started to officially flourish after the 1939 film Stagecoach. He worked with many famous actors such as James Stewart, Maureen O’Hara, Dean Martin, and many others. His views, demeanor, and style represented everything that was American and his political views often reflected that. For some critics, his acting has been overlooked and overshadowed by his political views, but it doesn’t mean the man wasn’t a brilliant and talented actor. Wayne performed an influential and unduplicated role in continuing the story of historical western events and way of life. He represented a simpler time in his films, a time that his personality often seemed to prefer. Here is a list of some of The Duke’s best films and on-screen performances: