In Memoriam: John Wayne

Today, I would like to celebrate and honor the memory and career of the late John Wayne, who would have turned 105 today were he still alive. Born Marion Robert Morrison in Iowa, Wayne got his acting start in an uncredited role in the 1926 film Brown of Harvard, and he continued to work consistently throughout the 1920s and 1930s before making his big break in John Ford's 1939 film, Stagecoach. Over the course of a career that spanned five decades, John Wayne cemented himself as one of the most beloved actors ever to grace the silver screen. He made a name for himself in the western genre, but he was known to dabble in a slew of different genres, including drama, comedy and the illustrious war film. Wayne appeared in over 170 titles over the course of his career, and within those years he starred in such memorable films as 1945's They Were Expendable, 1949's Sands of Iwo Jima, 1952's The Quiet Man, 1954's The High and the Mighty, 1956's The Searchers, 1959's Rio Bravo, 1960's The Alamo and 1969's True Grit, for which he won his only Academy Award. And so, to honor and celebrate his life and career, I have created a list of my five favorite of John Wayne's film performances, and I've managed to find a few clips for your viewing pleasure. Once again, please help me in remembering this legendary actor.

5. Ringo Kid

Stagecoach (1939)

*****

4. George Washington McLintock

McLintock! (1963)

***** 

3. Rooster Cogburn

True Grit (1969)

***** 

2. Sean Thornton

The Quiet Man (1952)

***** 

1. J.B. Books

The Shootist (1976)

In Memoriam: James Stewart

Today, we are celebrating and remembering the life and career of Academy Award-winning actor James Stewart on what would have been his 104th birthday. A Pennsylvania native, Jimmy began his acting career in the mid-1930s, landing his first role in a feature film in 1935's The Murder Man. He worked consistently throughout the 1930s, appearing in a total of twenty-one feature films from 1935 to 1939, where he scored his first Oscar nomination for his performance in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. The following year, Stewart nabbed his sole Oscar statuette for his role in 1940's The Philadelphia Story, which officially shot him to superstardom. Over the next twenty years, Stewart would score three more Oscar nominations for 1946's It's a Wonderful Life, 1950's Harvey and 1959's Anatomy of a Murder while also appearing in the 1952 film The Greatest Show on Earth, 1954's Rear Window and 1957's The Spirit of St. Louis. Sadly, Stewart passed away in 1997 at the age of 89, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate his memory. And so, I've listed my five favorite of Jimmy's performances for your viewing pleasure. I hope we can all enjoy the work that Stewart produced throughout his career and cherish the legacy he created on the Hollywood scene.

5. Dr. Hostleter

The Shootist (1977)

*****

4. L.B. 'Jeff' Jefferies

Rear Window (1954)

***** 

3. John 'Scottie' Ferguson

Vertigo (1958)

***** 

2. George Bailey

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

***** 

1. Jefferson Smith

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)