Frank Hardy Made My Photographs Two

Here is a photo of John Wayne that my father made back in 1955 or 56, I am not sure exactly of the year.  Duke was here in Pensacola making the movie, The Wings of Eagles , a John Ford film about a Navy aviator. He was staying at the Town House Motor Lodge and Mrs. Head, the owner, asked him if she had a photographer come over would he mind having his photo made for her ” celebrity ” wall.  Fine with him, he told her.  So my father went over and met Mrs. Head and Duke outside of his room.  Mrs. Head introduced my father and Duke said that he remembered him from the airport taking photos when he got off of the plane.  Mrs. Head then said that he was there to take his photo for her wall.  To which Duke replied, ” I told you that I would send you a real nice photo when I got back to Hollywood. ”  He then looked at my dad, put his arm around him and said, ” You know, that sounds as if I do not think that you can take a good photograph? ” .  My dad said he just stood there, not knowing how to respond to the number one movie star in America at the time.  Duke then said, ” Well, come on in my room and Frank you can take anything you like … just tell me where to sit and what you want me to do. ”  My dad said that he could not have been nicer and said that he would send him a couple of photos and autugraph any photo that my father made.  I have scanned the photos that he sent and I will post them next … I cannot remember if I posted the autographed photo that he made, along with the one of hime getting off the plane, so I will go back and check.

If anyone has any stories to share of John Wayne when he was here making The Wings of Eagles , please let us hear from you … or for that matter, any John Wayne story that you might have.  Thanks for looking and I appreciate all comments.  I hope all of you father’s have a Happy Father’s Day …