America’s Favorite Cowboy: John “The Duke” Wayne

Stepping on to the Scene

It was actually an accident that led Wayne into show business. A severe bodysurfing injury wrecked his shoulder, and the future star lost his spot on the University of Southern California’s football team, as well as his athletic scholarship.

John Wayne In 'The Sons of Katie Elder'

Photo by Paramount/Getty Images

Wayne had no choice but to leave college. He took on odd jobs and worked on movie sets. But one of his first jobs after leaving school was setting up furniture in 1927 as the props guy at Fox Studios. So, before he was saddling horses, he was saddling props.

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