John Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison
May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979

Not a boy named Sue
But a guy named Marion
Was born on this date

Hardworking and tough
Football player got a job
On a movie set

Director John Ford
Fed him ever-bigger parts
Breakthrough in “Stagecoach”

“Tall in the Saddle”
For years that described John Wayne
Cowboy Western star

Two-fisted hero
And (spoiler!) “The Man Who Shot
“Liberty Valance”

Classics “Red River”
“She Wore a Yellow Ribbon”
And “Rio Bravo”

No one said “pilgrim”
Quite like the Duke; laconic
Became iconic

Cowboy turned warrior
In “Sands of Iwo Jima,”
Other combat films

Returned to Westerns
“True Grit” Oscar, “The Shootist”
Died with his boots on

Happy birthday, Duke
John Ford was right to bet on
That guy Marion