John Wayne ‘punished’ the producer of the D-Day film that almost starred Eisenhower | Movies | Entertainment

John Wayne was famous for his tough guy image on and off screen, particularly for his roles as a cowboy and military man.

In the early 1960s, Duke was in his fifties and struggling with health problems. However, he continued to insist not only on doing his own stunts, but also on playing characters – including historical figures – that he was now much older than.

This was particularly the case when he was cast in the 1962 D-Day epic The Longest Day, which featured an incredible all-star cast including Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Sean Connery and Richard Burton. But Wayne’s inclusion proved controversial.

Incredibly, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower almost played himself, but makeup artists couldn’t make him look as young as he did in 1944. Still, a set designer with no acting experience was cast in the likeness of the Supreme Allied Commander. Embarrassingly, the real Ike left The Longest Day after just a few minutes, frustrated by all the inaccuracies. Although Eisenhower was considered too old to play his younger self, that didn’t stop Wayne from being cast as 27-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Vandervoort, who was very disappointed to find out that the overweight 54-year-old Duke was portraying him .

Charlton Heston, who was only a decade older than the real paratrooper, had originally actively sought the role. However, Wayne’s last-minute decision to take the role stalled him and came at a heavy cost to the film’s producer. The Longest Day’s producer, Darryl F. Zanuck, managed to negotiate $25,000 in fees from his ensemble cast for the mostly cameo appearances. However, Wayne demanded $250,000 or else he would refuse to appear in the film – a request that was granted.

The reason Duke “punished” the producer with this action was because he had quoted “The Alamo” in a 1960s interview in which he referred to the Western legend as “poor John Wayne.”

This blockbuster was produced, directed and largely financed by the star himself. And Zanuck had said he didn’t believe in actors starting their own production companies, citing Wayne’s as an example. Wayne’s non-negotiable fee request for “The Longest Day” was not only an act of revenge, but also a way for him to get a quick paycheck after all the money he had spent on “The Alamo.”

Aside from being three decades too old for his role in the World War II blockbuster, Duke’s contract also contained a clause that made his casting even more controversial.

In addition to his whopping fee of $250,000, Wayne insisted on receiving separate billing from the other actors for The Longest Day. However, to his dismay, this was circumvented by listing the other stars first, followed by “and John Wayne”, meaning Duke’s name appeared last in the credits.

Nevertheless, it was highly controversial even back then, as the Hollywood star did not take part in the Second World War, which he tried to make up for throughout his career by acting in very patriotic films.