On the face of it, it would seem that Marion Robert Morrison would have little in common with an Airedale Terrier, but they did share one thing. Their name.
As a kid, Marion’s dog was a big Airedale named “Duke,” and the pair were rarely apart. A local fireman in Marions’ hometown of Glendale often called the dog, “Big Duke” and his owner, “Little Duke.”
Marion grew up and after an injury caused him to lose his athletic scholarship at the University of Southern California, he dropped out and was hired as a prop boy and extra in films. He started getting bit parts, and in 1930, he won a big part in the movie, The Big Trail. The movie’s director, Raoul Walsh, however, wasn’t enamored with Marion’s birth name and suggested “Anthony Wayne,” after the Revolutionary War General. The studio head, however, rejected it and suggested “John Wayne” instead. According to movie legend, Marion wasn’t even part of the conversation, the decision was made between the studio head and the director. The childhood nickname, however, stuck, and John Wayne would be forever be known to his friends as “the Duke” for the rest of his life.
Image: Johny Wayne vector from Deposit photo
I have a Goldendoddle and also like golden Retrievers and I am thinking of making my next dog a little smaller and I like the black and brown Airedale 60 to 70 lbs . Plus I was thinking of dressing for my favorite holiday Halloween like in the movie Hondo . With both Duke’s but know one would recognize me from the character from the JW movie Hondo .