Archive for the ‘John Wayne’ Category
Maureen O’Hara and Dan Dailey Arriving in Pensacola Florida …
Dan Dailey and Maureen O’Hara are shown arriving at the Pensacola Airport. They were here in Pensacola to film a movie with John Wayne, Wings of Eagles , in 1956. I had posted this image on the other blog site that I had of my father’s images five or six years ago and had hoped that some locals who were around when they were in town making the movie would have made a comment, but no one ever did. Maybe this time around it might jar someone’s memory and I will get a few comments. I have often wondered who the guy is that looks like he is directing everyone … maybe he is someone that the airport hired and dressed up to give a more “Hollywood” / “Los Angles” appeal to the movie stars. Also, the look on the little lady’s face watching all of this is priceless … you wonder what is running through her mind as she is watching this production.
The lady who runs Maureen O’Hara’s blog, Ms June Beck, saw my first post and graciously sent me a photo that some Navy photographer had made of John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara and members of the movie out on the Pensacola Naval Air Station. Here is the photo along with Ms Beck’s notation of the crew members and their relationship to the actors …
“On the running board is stuntman “Good” Chuck Hayward (that was his nickname) and, of course Maureen and Duke…then just to our right of Duke’s cap is “Bad” Chuck Roberson (John Wayne’s stunt double for over 30 years and a good actor himself). Roberson has a great book he published in the 1980’s called “The Fall Guy” that is absolutely great if you can find it – all about the stuntman’s colorful life. To our left of Duke’s cap is Ken Curtis, who was in many of Ford’s movies. He was an excellent singer and musician as well. Don’t know the name of the guy in the uniform – but he’s a redhead I’ve also seen in a lot of Ford’s films as an extra, etc.” … June Beck
That was very nice of Ms Beck to send the photo to me and to take the time to write the copy identifying all of the individuals in the photo. The guy in uniform in the back is very familiar, but I could not put a name to him. I went on the IMDb site, but could not match a name to the face. For some unknown reason, I picture him playing a German in some of the old WW II movies. The man that Ms Beck mentioned named Ken Curtis played Festus in Gunsmoke – now I know that everyone knows Festus. If anyone has any memories of these actors or of Ms O’Hara being in Pensacola, please feel free to share them with us. Thanks for looking and please check back … Frank
Several more things …. If the people out at the Pensacola International Airport decide to dress someone up a tux / dinner jacket as a greeter to all of the incoming flights at the airport, please give me credit for the idea and not to anyone down at City Hall. I can use all of the free publicity that I can get. Also, I went back and added a link to IMDb for Ken Curtis ” Festus ” after I read his bio. I am trying to give the readers some more information that what little I know or have on these photos in future posts. I do not know if it will get me any more viewers or readers, but at least you will be ready with some new trivia when Jeopardy comes on the tube, I mean TV. Thanks again for looking …
Thanks To Deborah at ” Airports Made Simple ” …
I just wanted to take a minute and thank Deborah over at Airports Made Simple for asking me to to be her ” Guest Blogger of the Month “. She did all of the layout and design on her blog, all I did was supply the photos and some copy. She arraigned everything and added some quotes to really tie everything together to make the posts so interesting and readable.. She really has an ” eye ” that gives her blog such a professional look and feel. And all of the great information that you get from reading her blog is fantastic. I have learned so much from scanning her blog and seeing all of the informative comments that she receives from her readers are so great. She also does such a good job of connecting and communicating with her readers that I try to take something away from her in that area. I have received an increase in viewers to my site since see has had me on her blog and that sure has been nice to see a boost in hits. So thanks again Deborah for including me in your blog … Frank
More John Wayne Photos …
Below are some photos that my father had of John Wayne. Now, as usual, I know nothing about the photos – the date, the people in the photos, etc, etc. They obviously were made on an aircraft carrier, which one, I do not know. There was an aircraft carrier, the Antietam, that was stationed in Pensacola at the time and I believe that it was shown at the start of the movie, The Wing’s of Eagles, but I am not sure. We rented the movie years ago and watched it, but to me, it was a very depressing story and the movie seemed to drag. The part showing Pensacola was the best part and it was only in the first 15 minutes or so of the film. All that being said … these photos are interesting and I have never seen them anywhere else, so I hope you enjoy them.
Like I said earlier, my father did not take these … I can only assume that these were the ones that John Wayne would have sent them. Knowing my dad, he was not a collector of photographs of other people, so unless they were sent them to him , he would not have gone out and got them. If anyone knows anything about these photos, please let us hear from you … Thanks again for looking …
John ” Duke ” Wayne in Pensacola Florida …
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 …
John Wayne Arriving in Pensacola …
Here is John Wayne arriving in Pensacola, where he is scheduled the make the movie ” Wings of Eagles “. I believe he made the part of the movie that was filmed out at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in 1955, since the movie came out in 1957. The movie itself was rather depressing to me and the part with him in Pensacola only took up the first ten minutes or so of the movie. It shows an exciting little piece where he flies a plane through a hanger and it has some nice views of Pensacola Bay, but it goes downhill to me from there. If you are a hard-core John Wayne fan, I am sure you will love it. I wish I could identify the fellows in the background, however no such luck. If anyone knows, please let me hear from you. I have several more photos that my father made of ” Duke ” and even have an autographed photo to Frank that I will post later. As usual, all comments are welcomed …
Frank Hardy Made My Photographs Two 
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