MovieChat Forums > The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) Discussion > The Man with One Lung

The Man with One Lung

posted 12 years ago by donovanarchmontierth
4 replies | jump to latest

John Wayne, The Sons of Katie Elder: Less that four months after the operation to have his left lung removed, still having considerable trouble breathing, John Wayne embarked on one of his most strenuous roles ever, gunfighter John Elder in The Sons of Katie Elder. It was a part that required Wayne to ride hard, fall off horses and repeatedly dive into frigid mountain waters.

http://www.beststuntaward.com/2013/03/1965-best-stunt-award.html

Donovan Montierth
Brothers' Ink Productions

[–] mrbobbyh 12 years ago

Amazing to think that nearly 50 years ago, they could perform a surgery like that.

[–] Etherdave 11 years ago

I believe the point has been well made, that if anyone could pull this off, it would be The Duke.

[–] vinidici 9 years ago

Wayne has his critics and naysayers even all these years and decades since his death; but no one can deny he was about as tough an old bird in real life as he was onscreen, to make the kind of comeback to action Westerns he did, so soon after losing a lung and winning his first bout with cancer.

[–] MAGolding (1240) 7 years ago

According to IMDB Wayne's left lung was removed in September 1964 and The Sons of Katie Elder premiered 9 months later 16 August 1965. But when was The Sons of Katie Elder filmed? Movies are often filmed about a year before being released.

But IMDB trivia section says:

"This picture marked the return of John Wayne to work after having a cancerous lung and two ribs removed just four months earlier. He insisted on doing some of his own stunts to show the public that the illness hadn't slowed him down."

and:

"Filming was due to begin in October 1964, but had to be delayed until January 1965 after John Wayne was diagnosed with lung cancer."

So the OP is correct. And if the OP had given the sources I wouldn't have suspected he was just making assumptions about the filming date.

And that is very impressive for John Wayne.