Coordinates	8 °6 ′43.2 ″N79 °1 ′43.68 ″N
Name	Coors Light
Type	Beer
Abv	4.2%
Manufacturer	Coors Brewing Company
Distributor	Coors Brewing Company
Origin	United States
Introduced	1978
Website	http://www.coorslight.com }}

Coors Light is a light beer produced by the Coors Brewing Company. It was first produced in 1978.

The beer has a "Cold Certified" label which turns the mountains on the label from white to blue when the beer's temperature is lowered to 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit).

Promotions

In 2008, Coors Light became the official beer of NASCAR, replacing Budweiser.

In 2009, a Coors Light koozie depicting scenes from the 2010 Winter Olympics was offered in a limited number of cases that contained 28 bottles instead of 24.

Also in 2009, the Hillside Chalet Contest was created. The winner was given a six-night stay in Whistler, British Columbia, during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

References

External links

Coors Light

MillerCoors

The Official Web Store for Coors logoed merchandise (USA).

Category:1978 introductions Category:American beer brands Category:Canadian beer brands Category:Beer and breweries in multi regions Category:Molson Coors brands

pt:Coors Light

Coordinates	8 °6 ′43.2 ″N79 °1 ′43.68 ″N
Name	Jean-Claude Van Damme
Birth name	Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg
Birth date	October 18, 1960
Birth place	Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium
Yearsactive	1984–present (acting)
Occupation	Actor, martial artist, director
Spouse	1 child)and (1999–present); 2 children) }}

Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (born 18 October 1960), professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include ''Bloodsport'' (1988), ''Kickboxer'' (1989), ''Double Impact'' (1991), ''Universal Soldier'' (1992), ''Hard Target'' (1993), ''Timecop'' (1994), and ''JCVD'' (2008). He is known as "The Muscles from Brussels", "JCVD" and "Van Damage".

After studying martial arts intensively from the age of ten, Van Damme achieved national success in Belgium as a martial artist and bodybuilder, earning the "Mr. Belgium" bodybuilding title. He immigrated to the United States in 1982 to pursue a career in film, and achieved success with ''Bloodsport'' (1988), based on a story written by Frank Dux. He attained subsequent box office success with ''Timecop'' (1994), which grossed over $100 million worldwide and became his most financially successful film.

Early life

Van Damme was born in Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Brussels, Belgium, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Varenberg, who was an accountant and owned a flower shop. He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a Shotokan karate school. His styles consist of kickboxing, Shotokan karate, Muay Thai and Taekwondo. He eventually earned his black belt in karate. He started lifting weights to improve his physique, which eventually led to a Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title.

Career

Name	Jean-Claude Van Damme
Other names	The Muscles from Brussels JCVD Van Damage
Birth name	Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg
Birth date	October 18, 1960
Birth place	Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium
Nationality	Belgian
Years active	1976–1982 (martial arts)
height
weight	(currently) (fighting weight)
style	Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Shotokan Karate, Taekwondo
rank	''black belt in Shotokan''
trainer	Claude Goetz Dominique Valera
kickbox win	5
kickbox kowin	5
kickbox loss	0
am win	26
am loss	4
updated	}}

Kickboxing and Full-Contact Matches

Van Damme has five matches which were fought under kickboxing or full-contact rules.

In 1976, he over-came being staggered to knockout Toon Van Oostrum in one round.

In 1979, on his second day in Tampa, Florida, Jean-Claude faced Sherman Bergman, a kickboxer from Florida, USA. Van Damme was knocked to the canvas after absorbing a powerful left hook. However, Jean-Claude climbed off the canvas and with an ax-kick, knocked Bergman out in 56 seconds of the first round.

In 1980, after knocking out Georges Verlugels in two rounds, Jean-Claude caught the attention of the European martial arts community. ''Professional Karate Magazine'' publisher and editor Mike Anderson, and multiple European champion Geet Lemmens, tabbed Jean-Claude Van Damme as an upcoming prospect. However, Jean-Claude's ambitions now focused in the direction of acting.

Van Damme made a comeback in 1981. In his first match he knocked out Henk Besselman of Holland in one round, and at the 1st Journée Des Arts Martiaux. Next, Van Damme knocked out Lenny Leikman in 3 rounds.

Van Damme will make a return to fighting and is scheduled to fight former boxing Olympic gold-medalist Somluck Kamsing in November 2011. Early reports have named Las Vegas, USA, Moscow, Russia and Macau, China as locations for the bout but it now seems that the fight will take place at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. At the prospect of being the first man over the age of 50 to kickbox professionally, Van Damme stated that "it's kind of dangerous, but life is short." The fight is postponed to 2012.

Hollywood

In 1982, Van Damme and childhood friend, Michel Qissi, moved to America in the hope of becoming action stars. They both were cast as extras in the film, ''Breakin'''. After a small part in ''Missing In Action'', Van Damme was next cast in the film ''No Retreat, No Surrender'', as the role of the villain, Ivan the Russian. Van Damme worked for director John McTiernan for the 1987 film ''Predator'' as the titular alien, before being removed and replaced by Kevin Peter Hall. His breakout film was ''Bloodsport'', based on the alleged true story of Frank Dux. Shot on a 1.5 million dollar budget, it became a U.S. box-office hit in the spring of 1988. He then starred in the smaller budgeted film ''Cyborg''. His last role for 1989 was Kurt Sloane in the successful ''Kickboxer''. In this film, his character fought to avenge his brother who had been paralyzed by a Thai kickboxing champion (Qissi).

''Double Impact'' featured Van Damme in the dual role of Alex and Chad Wagner, two brothers fighting to avenge the deaths of their parents. This film reunited him with his former ''Bloodsport'' co-star, Bolo Yeung. He then starred opposite Dolph Lundgren in the action film ''Universal Soldier''. While it grossed $36,299,898 in the U.S., it was an even bigger success overseas, making over $65 million, well over its modest $23 million budget, making it Van Damme's highest grossing film at the time.

Van Damme followed ''Nowhere To Run'' and ''Hard Target'' with ''Timecop'' in 1994. The film was a huge success, grossing over $100 million worldwide. In the film, Van Damme played a time traveling cop, who tries to prevent the death of his wife. It remains his highest grossing film to date.

After his role in the poorly received ''Street Fighter,'' his projects started to fail at the box office. ''The Quest'' (1996), which he directed; ''Maximum Risk'' (1996) and ''Double Team'' (1997) were box-office flops.

The 1999 film ''Universal Soldier: The Return'' which was also a box-office flop, and Van Damme's last theatrically released film until 2008. In 2003, Van Damme employed his dancing training in the music video for Bob Sinclar's ''Kiss My Eyes''.

He returned to mainstream with limited theatrical release of the critically acclaimed film ''JCVD'' in 2008. ''Time'' magazine named Van Damme's performance in the film the second best of the year (after Heath Ledger's The Joker in ''The Dark Knight''), having previously stated that Van Damme "deserves not a black belt, but an Oscar". Van Damme indicated while promoting the film, he experienced a period of homelessness "sleeping on the street and starving in L.A."

Van Damme reprised his role as Luc Deveraux in the 2009 film ''Universal Soldier: Regeneration''.

He was offered a lead role in Sylvester Stallone's latest film ''The Expendables''. Stallone called Van Damme personally to offer him the role, but Van Damme turned it down. He has a series of film projects scheduled for 2011, including another ''Universal Soldier'' movie which will appear between 2011 and 2012, and the role of a villain in the sequel to ''The Expendables''. On June 30, 2011, Van Damme confirmed his participation in ''The Expendables 2''.

In 2011, Van Damme participated in various commercials for Coors Light beer, in which he is located on a snow-covered mountain, wearing a sleeveless denim jacket. Also in 2011 he appears in commercials for washing powder "Dash".

Personal life

At the age of 16 he took up ballet, which he studied for five years. According to Van Damme, ballet "is an art, but it's also one of the most difficult sports. If you can survive a ballet workout, you can survive a workout in any other sport." In the French-speaking world, Van Damme is well known for the picturesque aphorisms that he delivers on a wide range of topics (personal well-being, the environment, etc.) in a sort of Zen franglais. Most famous and often quoted was his repeated use of the English word ''aware'' during an interview for a French channel, to convey the notion of self-awareness as a key to success.

He is training for his upcoming fight with cage fighters Chris 'Ball-Breaker' Banister, Jules 'Crown Jewels' Fox and the champion Paul 'Pistol-Fists' Shah in his home country Belgium.

Van Damme has been married five times, including two marriages with bodybuilder and fitness competitor Gladys Portugues. Van Damme is the father of three children: Kristopher Van Varenberg (born 1987), Bianca (born 1990), and Nicholas (born 1995).

Health and addiction

Van Damme had troubles with cocaine that started during 1995. He entered a month-long rehabilitation program in 1996 but left it after only one week. In 1996, he spent up to $10,000 a week on cocaine. He is also reported to have experienced bipolar disorder. A turning point in his health issues came in late 1997, after having signed divorce papers charging him with spousal abuse, and drug addiction.

After the filming of the 1998 film ''Knock Off'', Van Damme was diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar disorder after becoming suicidal and started treatment on the mood stabilizer, sodium valproate.

Fight Record Controversy

When Jean-Claude Van Damme became an action film star, there were many doubts as to his claims of a fight record. According to Howard Hanson, President of the World Karate Association, he found evidence of Jean-Claude Van Damme competing in only one amateur bout. Writers from Black Belt Magazine labeled him (Van Damme) a "complete fraud."

On the 12th of November, 1993, the syndicated tabloid show Inside Edition implied that the star's karate credentials were bogus. Van Damme's office supplied a list of four European karate trophies that he earned under his real name, Van Varenberg, between 1978 and 1981: the Hope Cup; the Cup of Antwerp; World Championship, WAKO; and the Gala International. George Anderson, president of the Pan-American Union of Karatedo Organizations, said, "They're all minor awards, but that Van Damme's only crime is hyping them too much. ''Nobody has really clearly proven him to be a liar,''" Anderson says.

Van Damme's lawyer, Martin Singer, made a public statement defending his client: "There are records to document his martial-arts acclaim. He's the one who does those splits on chairs. He doesn't have a stunt man do that."

However, with the internet, photos and videos disproved the view that Van Damme was a fake or fraud. Numerous photos on-line, showed his various matches with such credited fighters as Patrick Teugels, Michael J. Heming and Sherman Bergman.

With the announcement that Van Damme was going to return to fight competition after decades of retirement, and meet Thailand's Somluck Kamsing, his fight record was again attacked as being "hyped".

Van Damme's record is posted on the net as 20-2 (20 knockouts). Paul Maslak of the STAR System World Kickboxing Ratings researched this record and came up with facts that showed that most of these fights were really semi-contact matches. However, photos and newspaper reports have also supported that Van Damme indeed had full-contact/kick-boxing matches.

Semi-Contact Karate and Tournament Competition

At the age of 11, Van Damme joined the ''Centre National De Karaté'' (National Center of Karate) under the guidance of Claude Goetz in France. Van Damme trained for four years and he earned a spot on the Belgian Karate Team.

In 1976, Jean-Claude is reported to have started his competive career in Ingelmunster, Belgium in a semi-contact match which was sanctioned by the European Karate Union. He defeated fellow Belgium Roland Vedani.

The following year, Van Damme remained undefeated with victories over Maurice Devos, Andre LeMaire and fellow team-mate Patrick Teugels in non-tournament matches sanctioned by the World All-Styles Karate Organization. In his first tournament competition, Van Damme placed second at the Challenge Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament (1st Trials). Jean-Claude defeated 25 opponents in the three day tournament (including Eric "Bruno" Strauss, Michel Juvillier, and Orlando Lang) before losing in the finals to fellow team-mate Angelo Spataro. In 1978, Van Damme fought Patrick Teugels in a bid for the Belguim Sem-Contact Leightweight Title. However, the more experienced Teugels won the decision in 2-rounds. Next, Van Damme failed to place at the WAKO World Championships, losing in the opening match.

Van Damme travelled with the Belgium Team to Tampa, Florida in the United States in November 1979. Van Damme earned the berth on the team by defeating Andre Robaeys, Jacques Piniarski and Rolf Risberg. In Tampa, Van Damme lost his first semi-contact match and is eliminated from placing in the WAKO World Championships for the second consecutive year. Promoter Mike Anderson recalled Van Damme as a "flashy fighter" at the championships.

Upon his return to Europe, Jean-Claude was a member of the Belgium Team when it won the European Championship on the 26th of December, 1979 at La Coupe Francois Persoons Karate Tournament in Brussels, Belgium. Van Damme defeated British and European Middleweight Champion Michael J. Heming in the finals; enabling his team to take the championship.

'''Jean-Claude Van Damme'' ended his semi-contact career on the 8th of March, 1980 at the Forest National in Brussels. Van Damme knocked Patrick Teugels down and scored a first round technical knockout victory. Teugels suffered a nose injury and was unable to continue. Newspaper reports list the fight as a "light-contact" match which is awarded to Van Damme by "L'abandon" (forfeit) after Teugels is unable to continue.

Filmography

Van Damme has been cast in "dual roles" in a single film many times during his career. Most cases involve two distinct characters, but others (such as ''Timecop'') involve the same character from different periods of time-travel. These scenes often necessitate special editing or blue-screen cinematography to have two versions of the actor interacting in the same scene.

TV

Tournament Record

|- style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:100%;"

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Date	Round	Time	Event	Location	Notes
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Light-Contact (Teugels suffers a broken nose and is unable to continue.)
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Woluwe, Brussels, Belgium	Semi Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact (Dias suffers ankle injury and is unable to continue.)
style="text-align:center;" Win								Ingelmunster, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Opprebais, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Mulhouse, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Loss								Arena Deurne, Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Loss								Brussels, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Izegem, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Izegem, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Loss								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Izegem, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Loss								Izegem, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Antwerp, Belgium	Semi-Contact
style="text-align:center;" Win								Ingelmunster, Belgium	Semi-Contact

Kickboxing Record

|- style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:100%;"

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Date	Round	Time	Event	Location	Notes
								Bangkok, Thailand	Kickboxing
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing
style="text-align:center;" Win									Kickboxing (Non-Tournament match. Van Damme climbs off floor to win.)
style="text-align:center;" Win								Brussels, Belgium	Kickboxing

References

Further reading

(Wako) (PKA World Heavyweight Title) (Eku)

External links

Sites

Official Page on Facebook

Rodin Entertainment

Fansite

Interviews

Interview with Patri(c)k Teugels

Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:People from Sint-Agatha-Berchem Category:Belgian expatriates in the United States Category:Belgian film actors Category:Belgian emigrants to the United States Category:Belgian karateka Category:Belgian kickboxers Category:Middleweight kickboxers Category:Belgian Muay Thai practitioners Category:People with bipolar disorder

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Coordinates	8 °6 ′43.2 ″N79 °1 ′43.68 ″N
name	John Wayne
birth name	Marion Robert Morrison
birth date	May 26, 1907
birth place	Winterset, Iowa, U.S.
death date	June 11, 1979
death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
other names	Marion Mitchell Morrison; "The Duke"; Duke Morrison
occupation	Actor, director, producer
education	Glendale High School
alma mater	University of Southern California
home town	Glendale, California
party	Republican
religion	Roman Catholic convert from Presbyterian
years active	1926–76
death cause	Stomach cancer
spouse
website	http://www.johnwayne.com }}

Marion Mitchell Morrison (born Marion Robert Morrison; May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive voice, walk and height. He was also known for his conservative political views and his support, beginning in the 1950s, for anti-communist positions.

A Harris Poll, released January 2011, placed Wayne third among America's favorite film stars, the only deceased star on the list and the only one who has appeared on the poll every year since it first began in 1994.

In June of 1999, the American Film Institute named Wayne 13th among the Greatest Male Screen Legends of All Time.

Early life

Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, Iowa. His middle name was soon changed from Robert to Mitchell when his parents decided to name their next son Robert.

Wayne's father, Clyde Leonard Morrison (1884–1937), was the son of American Civil War veteran Marion Mitchell Morrison (1845–1915). Wayne's mother, the former Mary "Molly" Alberta Brown (1885–1970), was from Lancaster County, Nebraska. Wayne was of Presbyterian Scots-Irish descent through his second great-grandfather Robert Morrison, who was born in County Antrim, Ireland and emigrated to the United States in 1782.

Wayne's family moved to Palmdale, California, and then in 1911 to Glendale, California, where his father worked as a pharmacist. A local fireman at the station on his route to school in Glendale started calling him "Little Duke" because he never went anywhere without his huge Airedale Terrier, Duke. He preferred "Duke" to "Marion", and the name stuck for the rest of his life.

As a teen, Wayne worked in an ice cream shop for a man who shod horses for Hollywood studios. He was also active as a member of the Order of DeMolay, a youth organization associated with the Freemasons. He attended Wilson Middle School in Glendale. He played football for the 1924 champion Glendale High School team. Wayne applied to the U.S. Naval Academy, but was not accepted. He instead attended the University of Southern California (USC), majoring in pre-law. He was a member of the Trojan Knights and Sigma Chi fraternities. Wayne also played on the USC football team under legendary coach Howard Jones. An injury curtailed his athletic career; Wayne later noted he was too terrified of Jones's reaction to reveal the actual cause of his injury, which was bodysurfing at the “Wedge” at the tip of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. He lost his athletic scholarship and, without funds, had to leave the university.

Wayne began working at the local film studios. Prolific silent western film star Tom Mix had gotten him a summer job in the prop department in exchange for football tickets. Wayne soon moved on to bit parts, establishing a longtime friendship with the director who provided most of those roles, John Ford. Early in this period, Wayne appeared with his USC teammates playing football in ''Brown of Harvard'' (1926), ''The Dropkick'' (1927), and ''Salute'' (1929) and Columbia's ''Maker of Men'' (filmed in 1930, released in 1931). Also, it is during this period that Wayne is reputed to have met the legendary gunfighter and lawman Wyatt Earp.

Film career

While working for Fox Film Corporation in bit roles, he was given on-screen credit as "Duke Morrison" only once, in ''Words and Music'' (1929). In 1930, director Raoul Walsh cast him in his first starring role in ''The Big Trail'' (1930). For his screen name, Walsh suggested "Anthony Wayne", after Revolutionary War general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. Fox Studios chief Winfield Sheehan rejected it as sounding "too Italian". Walsh then suggested "John Wayne". Sheehan agreed, and the name was set. Wayne himself was not even present for the discussion. His pay was raised to $105 a week.

''The Big Trail'' was to be the first big-budget outdoor spectacle of the sound era, made at a staggering cost of over $2 million, using hundreds of extras and wide vistas of the American southwest, still largely unpopulated at the time. To take advantage of the breathtaking scenery, it was filmed in two versions, a standard 35mm version and another in "Grandeur", a new process using innovative camera and lenses and a revolutionary 70mm widescreen process. Many in the audience who saw it in Grandeur stood and cheered. Unfortunately, only a handful of theaters were equipped to show the film in its widescreen process, and the effort was largely wasted. The film was considered a huge flop. After the failure of ''The Big Trail'', Wayne was relegated to small roles in A-pictures, including Columbia's ''The Deceiver'' (1931), in which he played a corpse. He appeared in the serial ''The Three Musketeers'' (1933), an updated version of the Alexandre Dumas novel in which the protagonists were soldiers in the French Foreign Legion in then-contemporary North Africa. He appeared in many low-budget "Poverty Row" westerns, mostly at Monogram Pictures and serials for Mascot Pictures Corporation. By Wayne's own estimation, he appeared in about eighty of these horse operas between 1930 - 1939. In ''Riders of Destiny'' (1933) he became one of the first singing cowboys of film, albeit via dubbing. Wayne also appeared in some of the ''Three Mesquiteers'' westerns, whose title was a play on the Dumas classic. He was mentored by stuntmen in riding and other western skills. He and famed stuntman Yakima Canutt developed and perfected stunts still used today.

Wayne's breakthrough role came with director John Ford's classic ''Stagecoach'' (1939). Because of Wayne's non-star status and track record in low-budget westerns throughout the 1930s, Ford had difficulty getting financing for what was to be an A-budget film. After rejection by all the top studios, Ford struck a deal with independent producer Walter Wanger in which Claire Trevor—a much bigger star at the time—received top billing. ''Stagecoach'' was a huge critical and financial success, and Wayne became a star. He later appeared in more than twenty of John Ford's films, including ''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'' (1949), ''The Quiet Man'' (1952), ''The Searchers'' (1956), ''The Wings of Eagles'' (1957), and ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' (1962).

Wayne's first color film was ''Shepherd of the Hills'' (1941), in which he co-starred with his longtime friend Harry Carey. The following year, he appeared in his only film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, the Technicolor epic ''Reap the Wild Wind'' (1942), in which he co-starred with Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard; it was one of the rare times he played a character with questionable values.

In 1949, director Robert Rossen offered the starring role of ''All the King's Men'' to Wayne. Wayne refused, believing the script to be un-American in many ways. Broderick Crawford, who eventually got the role, won the 1949 Oscar for best male actor, ironically beating out Wayne, who had been nominated for ''Sands of Iwo Jima.'' He lost the leading role in ''The Gunfighter'' (1950) to Gregory Peck due to his refusal to work for Columbia Pictures because its chief, Harry Cohn, had mistreated him years before when he was a young contract player. Cohn had bought the project for Wayne, but Wayne's grudge was too deep, and Cohn sold the script to Twentieth Century Fox, which cast Peck in the role Wayne badly wanted but for which he refused to bend.

One of Wayne's most popular roles was in ''The High and the Mighty'' (1954), directed by William Wellman, and based on a novel by Ernest K. Gann. His portrayal of a heroic copilot won widespread acclaim. Wayne also portrayed aviators in ''Flying Tigers (1942),'' ''Flying Leathernecks'' (1951), ''Island in the Sky'' (1953), ''The Wings of Eagles'' (1957), and ''Jet Pilot'' (1957).

''The Searchers'' (1956) continues to be widely regarded as perhaps Wayne's finest and most complex performance. In 2006, ''Premiere Magazine'' ran an industry poll in which Wayne's portrayal of Ethan Edwards was rated the 87th greatest performance in film history. He named his youngest son Ethan after the character. John Wayne won a Best Actor Oscar for ''True Grit'' (1969). Wayne was also nominated as the producer of Best Picture for ''The Alamo'' (1960), one of two films he directed. The other was ''The Green Berets'' (1968), the only major film made during the Vietnam War to support the war. During the filming of ''Green Berets'', the Degar or Montagnard people of Vietnam's Central Highlands, fierce fighters against communism, bestowed on Wayne a brass bracelet that he wore in the film and all subsequent films. His last film was ''The Shootist'' (1976), whose main character, J. B. Books, was dying of cancer—the illness to which Wayne himself succumbed three years later.

According to the Internet Movie Database, Wayne played the lead in 142 of his film appearances.

Batjac, the production company co-founded by Wayne, was named after the fictional shipping company Batjak in ''Wake of the Red Witch'' (1948), a film based on the novel by Garland Roark. (A spelling error by Wayne's secretary was allowed to stand, accounting for the variation.) Batjac (and its predecessor, Wayne-Fellows Productions) was the arm through which Wayne produced many films for himself and other stars. Its best-known non-Wayne production was the highly acclaimed ''Seven Men From Now'' (1956), which started the classic collaboration between director Budd Boetticher and star Randolph Scott.

In the ''Motion Picture Herald'' Top Ten Money- Making Western Stars poll, Wayne was listed in 1936 and 1939. He appeared in the similar ''Box Office'' poll in 1939 and 1940. While these two polls are really an indication only of the popularity of series stars, Wayne also appeared in the ''Top Ten Money Makers Poll'' of all films from 1949 to 1957 and 1958 to 1974, taking first place in 1950, 1951, 1954 and 1971 . With a total of 25 years on the list, Wayne has more appearances than any other star, beating Clint Eastwood (21) into second place.

In later years, Wayne was recognized as a sort of American natural resource, and his various critics, of his performances and his politics, viewed him with more respect. Abbie Hoffman, the radical of the 1960s, paid tribute to Wayne's singularity, saying, "I like Wayne's wholeness, his style. As for his politics, well—I suppose even cavemen felt a little admiration for the dinosaurs that were trying to gobble them up." Reviewing ''The Cowboys'' (1972), Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'', who did not particularly care for the film, wrote: "Wayne is, of course, marvelously indestructible, and he has become an almost perfect father figure."

Filmography

1964 illness

Wayne had been a chain-smoker of cigarettes since young adulthood. In 1964, Wayne was diagnosed with lung cancer, and underwent successful surgery to remove his entire left lung and four ribs. Despite efforts by his business associates to prevent him from going public with his illness (for fear it would cost him work), Wayne announced he had cancer and called on the public to get preventive examinations. Five years later, Wayne was declared cancer-free. Despite the fact that Wayne's diminished lung capacity left him incapable of prolonged exertion and frequently in need of supplemental oxygen, within a few years of his operation he chewed tobacco and began smoking cigars until the day he died.

Politics

Wayne claimed in his ''Playboy'' interview to have been a socialist during his years at college, and he admitted voting for Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1936 presidential election. In the same interview, he also expressed admiration for Democratic President Harry S Truman. For most of his career, however, he was a vocally conservative Republican. He took part in creating the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals in February 1944 and was elected president of that organization in 1947. He was an ardent anti-communist and vocal supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committee. In 1952, he made ''Big Jim McLain'' to show his support for the anti-communist cause. A supporter of Vice President Richard Nixon's candidacy in the United States presidential election in 1960, he expressed his vision of patriotism when John F. Kennedy won the election: "I didn't vote for him but he's my president, and I hope he does a good job."

Wayne used his iconic status to support conservative causes, including rallying support for the Vietnam War by producing, co-directing, and starring in the critically panned ''The Green Berets'' in 1968. In the mid-1970s, however, he went against many fellow conservatives in supporting the Panama Canal Treaty.

Due to his enormous popularity, and his status as the most famous Republican star in Hollywood, wealthy Texas Republican Party backers asked Wayne to run for national office in 1968, as had his friend and fellow actor, Senator George Murphy. He declined, joking that he did not believe the public would seriously consider an actor in the White House. However, he did support his friend Ronald Reagan's runs for Governor of California in 1966 and 1970. He was also asked to be the running mate for Democratic Alabama Governor George Wallace in 1968. Wayne vehemently rejected the offer. Wayne actively campaigned for Richard Nixon, and addressed the Republican National Convention on its opening day in August 1968. Wayne also was a member of the conservative and anti-communist John Birch Society.

Wayne openly differed with the Republican Party over the issue of the Panama Canal. Conservatives wanted America to retain full control, but Wayne, believing that the Panamanians had the right to the canal, sided with President Jimmy Carter and the Democrats to win passage of the treaty returning the canal in the Senate. Mr. Wayne was a close friend of the late Panamanian leader, Brig. Gen. Omar Torrijos Herrera. Mr. Wayne's first wife, Josephine, whom he divorced in 1946, was a native of Panama.

Soviet documents released in 2003 revealed, despite being a fan of Wayne's movies, Joseph Stalin ordered Wayne's assassination due to his strong anti-communist politics. Stalin died before the killing could be accomplished. His successor, Nikita Khrushchev, reportedly told Wayne during a 1959 visit to the United States that he had personally rescinded the order.

Controversy

Military service

America's entry into World War II resulted in a deluge of support for the war effort from all sectors of society, and Hollywood was no exception. Many established stars rushed to sign up for military service.

As the majority of male leads left Hollywood to serve overseas, John Wayne saw his just-blossoming stardom at risk. Despite enormous pressure from his inner circle of friends, he put off enlisting. Wayne was exempted from service due to his age (34 at the time of Pearl Harbor) and family status, classified as 3-A (family deferment). Wayne's secretary recalled making inquiries of military officials on behalf of his interest in enlisting, "but he never really followed up on them". He repeatedly wrote to John Ford, asking to be placed in Ford's military unit, but consistently postponed it until "after he finished one more film", Republic Studios was emphatically resistant to losing Wayne, especially after the loss of Gene Autry to the Army.

Correspondence between Wayne and Herbert J. Yates (the head of Republic) indicates Yates threatened Wayne with a lawsuit if he walked away from his contract, though the likelihood of a studio suing its biggest star for going to war was minute. Whether or not the threat was real, Wayne did not test it. Selective Service records indicate he did not attempt to prevent his reclassification as 1-A (draft eligible), but apparently Republic Pictures intervened directly, requesting his further deferment. In May, 1944, Wayne was reclassified as 1-A (draft eligible), but the studio obtained another 2-A deferment (for "support of national health, safety, or interest"). He remained 2-A until the war's end. Thus, John Wayne did not illegally "dodge" the draft, but he never took direct positive action toward enlistment.

Wayne was in the South Pacific theater of the war for three months in 1943–44, touring U.S. bases and hospitals, as well as doing some work for OSS commander William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan, who "hoped that a celebrity like Wayne could provide information denied his own operatives. Donovan was particularly interested in Wayne's assessment of MacArthur himself. Wayne's mission was only partly successful. He never met MacArthur, and although he filed a report with Donovan when he got back to the States, he had nothing substantial to offer Donovan." Donovan gave him a plaque and commendation for serving with the OSS, but Wayne dismissed it as meaningless.

The foregoing facts influenced the direction of Wayne's later life. By many accounts, Wayne's failure to serve in the military during World War II was the most painful experience of his life. Some other stars, for various reasons, did not enlist, but Wayne, by virtue of becoming a celluloid war hero in several patriotic war films, as well as an outspoken supporter of conservative political causes and the Vietnam War, became the focus of particular disdain from both himself and certain portions of the public, particularly in later years. While some hold Wayne in contempt for the paradox between his early actions and his later attitudes, his widow suggests Wayne's rampant patriotism in later decades sprang not from hypocrisy but from guilt. Pilar Wayne wrote, "He would become a 'superpatriot' for the rest of his life trying to atone for staying home."

Statements to ''Playboy'' magazine

In an interview with ''Playboy'' magazine published on May 1, 1971, Wayne made several controversial remarks about race and class in the United States. The interview became a hot topic and many stores had trouble keeping the issue in stock. He noted that, as someone living in the 20th century, he was not responsible for the way people who lived one hundred years before him had treated Native Americans, stating:

I don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them if that's what you're asking. Our so called stealing of this country was just a question of survival. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.... Look, I'm sure there have been inequalities. If those inequalities are presently affecting any of the Indians now alive, they have a right to a court hearing. But what happened 100 years ago in our country can't be blamed on us today. I'm quite sure that the concept of a Government-run reservation... seems to be what the socialists are working for now – to have everyone cared for from cradle to grave.... What happened between their forefathers and our forefathers is so far back – right, wrong or indifferent – that I don't see why we owe them anything. I don't know why the government should give them something that it wouldn't give me.

Wayne responded to questions about whether social programs like Medicare and Social Security were good for the country:

I know all about that. In the late Twenties, when I was a sophomore at USC, I was a socialist myself – but not when I left. The average college kid idealistically wishes everybody could have ice cream and cake for every meal. But as he gets older and gives more thought to his and his fellow man's responsibilities, he finds that it can't work out that way – that some people just won't carry their load.... I believe in welfare – a welfare work program. I don't think a fella should be able to sit on his backside and receive welfare. I'd like to know why well-educated idiots keep apologizing for lazy and complaining people who think the world owes them a living. I'd like to know why they make excuses for cowards who spit in the faces of the police and then run behind the judicial sob sisters. I can't understand these people who carry placards to save the life of some criminal, yet have no thought for the innocent victim.

In the interview he previously had discussed race relations, including his response to Angela Davis's assertion that her removal from a position as an assistant professor in the UCLA philosophy department on the grounds that she was an active member the Communist party was actually because she was black:

With a lot of blacks, there's quite a bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully so. But we can't all of a sudden get down on our knees and turn everything over to the leadership of the blacks. I believe in white supremacy until blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don't believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.

When asked how blacks could address their perceived lack of leadership experience and the inequities of the past, Wayne replied:

It's not my judgment. The academic community has developed certain tests that determine whether the blacks are sufficiently equipped scholastically. But some blacks have tried to force the issue and enter college when they haven't passed the tests and don't have the requisite background.... By going to school. I don't know why people insist that blacks have been forbidden to go to school. They were allowed in public schools wherever I've been. Even if they don't have the proper credentials for college, there are courses to help them become eligible. But if they aren't academically ready for that step, I don't think they should be allowed in. Otherwise, the academic society is brought down to the lowest common denominator.... What good would it do to register anybody in a class of higher algebra or calculus if they haven't learned to count? There has to be a standard. I don't feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves. Now, I'm not condoning slavery. It's just a fact of life, like the kid who gets infantile paralysis and has to wear braces so he can't play football with the rest of us. I will say this, though: I think any black who can compete with a white today can get a better break than a white man. I wish they'd tell me where in the world they have it better than right here in America.

Wayne later made controversial pro-war comments when asked why a North-South joint election in Vietnam could not have been administered in lieu of armed conflict:

That would be no more practical than if France, after coming to help us in the Revolution, suggested having an election to decide what we wanted to do. It would be an exact parallel. The majority of those living in the Colonies didn't want war at that time. If there had been a general election then, we probably wouldn't be here today. As far as Vietnam is concerned, we've made mistakes. I know of no country that's perfect. But I honestly believe that there's as much need for us to help the Vietnamese as there was to help the Jews in Germany. The only difference is that we haven't had any leadership in this war. All the liberal senators have stuck their noses in this, and it's out of their bailiwick. They've already put far too many barriers in the way of the military. Our lack of leadership has gone so far that now no one man can come in, face the issue and tell people that we ought to be in an all-out war.

Personal life

Wayne was married three times and divorced twice. His wives, all of them Hispanic women, were Josephine Alicia Saenz, Esperanza Baur, and Pilar Pallete. He had four children with Josephine:

Michael Wayne (film producer) - Born November 23, 1934 / Died April 2, 2003

Mary Antonia "Toni" Wayne LaCava - Born February 25, 1936 / Died December 6, 2000

Patrick Wayne (actor) - Born July 15, 1939

Melinda Wayne Munoz - Born December 3, 1940

and three with Pilar:

Aissa Wayne (actress, now attorney) - Born March 31, 1956

John Ethan Wayne (actor) - Born February 22, 1962

Marisa Wayne (actress) - Born February 22, 1966

Heavyweight boxer Tommy Morrison alleges that Wayne is his great-uncle. Wayne's son Ethan was billed as John Ethan Wayne in a few films, and played one of the leads in the 1990s update of the ''Adam-12'' television series.

His stormiest divorce was from Esperanza Baur, a former Mexican actress. She convinced herself that Wayne and co-star Gail Russell were having an affair. The night the film ''Angel and the Badman'' (1947) wrapped, there was the usual party for cast and crew, and Wayne came home very late. Esperanza was in a drunken rage by the time he arrived, and she attempted to shoot him as he walked through the front door.

Wayne's hair began thinning in the 1940s, and he started wearing a hairpiece by the end of that decade (though his receding hairline is quite evident in ''Rio Grande''). He was occasionally seen in public without the hairpiece (notably, according to ''Life Magazine'' photos, at Gary Cooper's funeral). The only time he unintentionally appeared on film without it was for a split second in ''North to Alaska.'' On the first punch of the climactic fistfight, Wayne's hat flies off, revealing a brief flash of his unadorned scalp. Wayne also has several scenes in ''The Wings of Eagles'' where he is without his hairpiece. (During a widely noted appearance at Harvard University, Wayne was asked by a student, "Is your hair real?" Wayne responded in the affirmative, then added, "It's not mine, but it's real!")

Wayne had several high-profile affairs, including one with Marlene Dietrich that lasted for three years. In the years prior to his death, Wayne was romantically involved with his former secretary Pat Stacy (1941–1995). She wrote a biography of her life with him, ''DUKE: A Love Story'' (1983).

A close friend of Wayne's, California Congressman Alphonzo Bell, wrote of him, "Duke's personality and sense of humor were very close to what the general public saw on the big screen. It is perhaps best shown in these words he had engraved on a plaque: 'Each of us is a mixture of some good and some not so good qualities. In considering one's fellow man it's important to remember the good things. . . We should refrain from making judgments just because a fella happens to be a dirty, rotten SOB.'"

During the early 1960s, John Wayne traveled extensively to Panama. During this time, the actor reportedly purchased the island of Taborcillo off the main coast of Panama. It was sold by his estate at his death and changed hands many times before being opened as a tourist attraction.

Wayne was a Freemason, a Master Mason in Marion McDaniel Lodge #56 F&AM;, in Tucson. He became a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and later joined the Al Malaikah Shrine Temple in Los Angeles. He became a member of the York Rite.

Wayne biographer Michael Munn writes of Wayne's love of alcohol. According to Sam O'Steen's memoir, ''Cut to the Chase'', studio directors knew to shoot Wayne's scenes before noon, because by afternoon Wayne "was a mean drunk".

John Wayne's height has been perennially described as at least 6'4" (193 cm), but claims abound that he was shorter. However, Wayne's high school athletic records indicate he was 6'3" at age 17, and his University of Southern California athletic records state that by age 18, he had grown to 6'4".

Death

Although he enrolled in a cancer vaccine study in an attempt to ward off the disease, John Wayne died of stomach cancer on June 11, 1979, at the UCLA Medical Center, and was interred in the Pacific View Memorial Park cemetery in Corona del Mar. According to his son Patrick, he converted to Roman Catholicism shortly before his death. He requested his tombstone read "Feo, Fuerte y Formal", a Mexican epitaph Wayne described as meaning "ugly, strong and dignified". However, the grave, unmarked for twenty years, is now marked with a quotation from his controversial 1971 ''Playboy'' interview: "Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday."

Among the 220 or so cast and crew who filmed the 1956 film, ''The Conqueror'', on location near St. George, Utah, 91 at various times developed some form of cancer (41%), including stars Wayne, Susan Hayward, and Agnes Moorehead, and director Dick Powell. The film was shot in southwestern Utah, east of and generally downwind from where the U.S. Government had tested nuclear weapons in southeastern Nevada. Although the 41% incidence of cancer in the cast and crew is identical to that of the general population, many contend radioactive fallout from these tests contaminated the film location and poisoned the film crew working there. Despite the suggestion Wayne’s 1964 lung cancer and his 1979 stomach cancer resulted from this nuclear contamination, he himself believed his lung cancer to have been a result of his six-pack-a-day cigarette habit.

Legacy

Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom

John Wayne's enduring status as an iconic American was formally recognized by the United States Congress on May 26, 1979, when he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Hollywood figures and American leaders from across the political spectrum, including Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Mike Frankovich, Katharine Hepburn, General and Mrs. Omar Bradley, Gregory Peck, Robert Stack, James Arness, and Kirk Douglas, testified to Congress of the merit and deservedness of this award. Most notable was the testimony of Robert Aldrich, then president of the Directors Guild of America: "It is important for you to know that I am a registered Democrat and, to my knowledge, share none of the political views espoused by Duke. However, whether he is ill disposed or healthy, John Wayne is far beyond the normal political sharp shooting in this community. Because of his courage, his dignity, his integrity, and because of his talents as an actor, his strength as a leader, his warmth as a human being throughout his illustrious career, he is entitled to a unique spot in our hearts and minds. In this industry, we often judge people, sometimes unfairly, by asking whether they have paid their dues. John Wayne has paid his dues over and over, and I'm proud to consider him a friend and am very much in favor of my Government recognizing in some important fashion the contribution that Mr. Wayne has made."

Maureen O'Hara, Wayne's close friend, initiated the petition for the medal and requested the words that would be placed onto the medal: "It is my great honor to be here. I beg you to strike a medal for Duke, to order the President to strike it. And I feel that the medal should say just one thing, 'John Wayne, American.'" The medal crafted by the United States Mint has on one side John Wayne riding on horseback, and the other side has a portrait of Wayne with the words, "John Wayne, American". This Congressional Gold Medal was presented to the family of John Wayne in a ceremony held on March 6, 1980, at the United States Capitol. Copies were made and sold in large numbers to the public.

On June 9, 1980, Wayne was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter (at whose inaugural ball Wayne had appeared "as a member of the loyal opposition", as Wayne described it in his speech to the gathering). Thus Wayne received the two highest civilian decorations awarded by the United States government.

American icon

Wayne rose beyond the typical recognition for a famous actor to that of an enduring icon who symbolized and communicated American values and ideals. By the middle of his career, Wayne had developed a larger-than-life image, and as his career progressed, he selected roles that would not compromise his off-screen image. By the time of his last film ''The Shootist'' (1976), Wayne refused to allow his character to shoot a man in the back as was originally scripted, saying "I've made over 250 pictures and have never shot a guy in the back. Change it."

Wayne's rise to being the quintessential movie war hero began to take shape four years after World War II, when ''Sands of Iwo Jima'' (1949) was released. His footprints at Grauman's Chinese theater in Hollywood were laid in concrete that contained sand from Iwo Jima. His status grew so large and legendary that when Japanese Emperor Hirohito visited the United States in 1975, he asked to meet John Wayne, the symbolic representation of his country's former enemy.

Wayne was a popular visitor to the war zones in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. By the 1950s, perhaps in large part due to the military aspect of films such as the ''Sands of Iwo Jima'', ''Flying Tigers'', ''They Were Expendable'', and the Ford cavalry trilogy, Wayne had become an icon to all the branches of the U.S. Military, even in light of his actual lack of military service. Many veterans have said their reason for serving was in some part related to watching Wayne's movies. His name is attached to various pieces of gear, such as the P-38 "John Wayne" can opener, so named because "it can do anything", paper towels known as "John Wayne toilet paper" because "it's rough and it's tough and don't take shit off no one," and C-Ration crackers are called "John Wayne crackers" because presumably only someone as tough as Wayne could eat them. A rough and rocky mountain pass used by military tanks and jeeps at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County, California, is aptly named "John Wayne Pass".

Various public locations, named in memory of John Wayne, include John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, where his nine-foot bronze statue graces the entrance; the John Wayne Marina that Wayne bequeathed the land for, near Sequim, Washington; John Wayne Elementary School (P.S. 380) in Brooklyn, NY, which boasts a 38-foot mosaic mural commission by New York artist Knox Martin entitled "John Wayne and the American Frontier"; and a 100-plus-mile trail named the "John Wayne Pioneer Trail" in Washington state's Iron Horse State Park. A larger than life-size bronze statue of Wayne atop a horse was erected at the corner of La Cienega Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California at the former offices of the Great Western Savings & Loan Corporation, for whom Wayne had done a number of commercials. (The building now houses Larry Flynt Enterprises.)

In the city of Maricopa, Arizona, part of AZ State Highway 347 is named John Wayne Parkway, which runs right through the center of town.

On December 5, 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver inducted Wayne into the California Hall of Fame, located at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts.

Celebrations and landmarks

Several celebrations took place on May 26, 2007, the centennial of John Wayne's birth.

At the John Wayne birthplace in Winterset, Iowa, the John Wayne Birthday Centennial Celebration was held on May 25–27, 2007. The celebration included chuck-wagon suppers, concerts by Michael Martin Murphey and Riders in the Sky, a Wild West Revue in the style of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, a Cowboy Symposium with John Wayne co-stars, Gregg Palmer, Ed Faulkner, and Dean Smith, along with Paramount producer A.C. Lyles and costumer Luster Bayless were all there to talk about their friendships with Wayne. They had cavalry and trick horse demonstrations, as well as many of John Wayne's films running at the local theater.

This event also included the groundbreaking for the New John Wayne Birthplace Museum and Learning Center at his birthplace house. Over 30 family members were there, including Melinda Wayne Munoz, Aissa, Ethan and Marisa Wayne. Several grandchildren and great-grandchildren were also present. An old gas station is being torn down to make way for the new museum. This groundbreaking was held with Ethan Wayne at the controls of the equipment.

In 2006, friends of Wayne's and his former Arizona business partner, Louis Johnson, inaugurated the "Louie and the Duke Classics" events benefiting the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society. The weekend long event each fall in Casa Grande, Arizona includes a golf tournament, an auction of John Wayne memorabilia and a team roping competition.

Missed roles

John Wayne desperately wanted the role of "Jimmy Ringo" in the 1950 film ''The Gunfighter,'' directed by Henry King. But the role went to Gregory Peck instead. John Wayne's final film, ''The Shootist'' (1976), directed by Don Siegel was very similar to ''The Gunfighter.''

An urban legend has it that John Wayne was offered the leading role of Matt Dillon in the longtime favorite television show ''Gunsmoke,'' but he turned it down, recommending instead James Arness for the role. The only part of this story that is true is that Wayne did indeed recommend Arness for the part. Wayne introduced Arness in a prologue to the first episode of ''Gunsmoke''.

Wayne was approached by Mel Brooks to play the part of the Waco Kid in the film ''Blazing Saddles.'' After reading the script he said, "I can't be in this picture, it's too dirty ... but I'll be the first in line to see it."

He reportedly had initially strongly considered taking the role of Major Reisman in ''The Dirty Dozen'', even asking MGM to make changes to the script to accommodate him. But ultimately, he turned it down to make ''The Green Berets''. The role went to Lee Marvin.

Wayne had lobbied to play the lead in ''Dirty Harry'', but Warner Bros. felt that at age 63, he was too old for the role. The role eventually went to Clint Eastwood.

Prior to his death, Wayne had bought the film rights to Buddy Atkinson's novel, ''Beau John'', and was in the pre-production stage of the movie when he took ill. The film was a comedy set in Kentucky during the 1920s, and would have co-starred Ron Howard and Hal Linden.

Quotations

Movie quotations

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, I require the same from them." (''The Shootist'')

Speaking to his young cavalry lieutenants: "Don't apologize—it's a sign of weakness." (''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'')

"Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!" (''True Grit'')

"That'll be the day!" (''The Searchers'' - Spoken several times; inspired Buddy Holly to write a song with that title.)

"Pilgrim". (''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' - Reportedly he used the expression "Pilgrim", as in "tenderfoot" or "dude" or "amateur", 23 times in that film, and once also in ''McLintock!''. It became a catchphrase for impressionists such as John Byner, and Rich Little)

"I haven't lost my temper in 40 years; but, Pilgrim, you caused a lot of trouble this morning; might have got somebody killed; and somebody oughta belt you in the mouth. But I won't. I won't. ''The hell I won't!''" (He belts him in the mouth). (To Leo Gordon in ''McLintock!'')

"Out here, due process is a bullet!" (To anti-war journalist David Janssen in ''The Green Berets'')

"Not hardly!" (''Big Jake'' - used several times throughout the movie when told by others "Jacob McCandles?! I thought you were dead!")

"It's a hard life!" (''The Cowboys'' - in response to "The 'long-haired man'" played by Bruce Dern saying "You're a hard man!")

"We're burning daylight!" ("The Cowboys")

"You want that gun, pick it up...I wish you would" (Rio Bravo)

Famous quotations outside the movies

"I eat as much as I ever did, I drink more than I should, and my sex life is none of your goddamned business." (May 1971, ''Playboy'' interview)

"If I had known this, I would've put that patch on thirty-five years earlier." (1969, Academy Awards speech for Best Actor in ''True Grit''.)

"We had a pretty good time together, when she wasn't trying to kill me!" (1954, in an interview with Hedda Hopper regarding his marriage to Esperanza "Chata" Baur.)

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry. Wayne was nominated for three competitive awards and won once.

Actor

{| |- | The winner for each year is in bold face text against a | style="background:yellow;"| yellow | background. |}

[[1969 in film
! Actor	! Film	! Actor	! Film
	style="background:yellow;"	[[Richard Burton">1949 in film
	[[1969 in film
! Actor	! Film	! Actor	! Film
	style="background:yellow;"	[[Richard Burton	''Anne of the Thousand Days''
Kirk Douglas		Dustin Hoffman
Gregory Peck	''Twelve O'Clock High''	Peter O'Toole'''	''Goodbye, Mr. Chips''
Richard Todd	''The Hasty Heart''	Jon Voight'''
John Wayne	''Sands of Iwo Jima''		style="background:yellow;"

Producer

{| class=wikitable | style="text-align:center; background:lightsteelblue;" colspan="2"|- 1960 - |- ! Producer ! Film |- | Bernard Smith | ''Elmer Gantry'' |- | Jerry Wald | ''Sons and Lovers'' |- | John Wayne | ''The Alamo'' |- | style="background:yellow;"|Billy Wilder | style="background:yellow;"|''The Apartment'' Best Picture} |- | Fred Zinnemann | ''The Sundowners'' |}

Golden Globes

The Golden Globe Awards are presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) to recognize outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry, both domestic and foreign, and to focus wide public attention upon the best in motion pictures and television. Wayne won a Golden Globe Award for his performance in "True Grit".

The Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures is an annual award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the Golden Globe Award ceremonies in Hollywood, California. It was named in honor of Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959), one of the industry's most successful filmmakers; John Wayne won this particular award in 1966.

See also

Hall of Great Western Performers

List of film director and actor collaborations

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Red Scare

References

Further reading

Baur, Andreas, and Bitterli, Konrad. "Brave Lonesome Cowboy. Der Mythos des Westerns in der Gegenwartskunst oder: John Wayne zum 100. Geburtstag". Verlag für moderne Kunst Nürnberg. Nuremberg 2007 ISBN 978-3-939738-15-2.

Roberts, Randy, and James S. Olson. ''John Wayne: American''. New York: Free Press, 1995 ISBN 978-0029238370.

Campbell, James T. "Print the Legend: John Wayne and Postwar American Culture". ''Reviews in American History'', Volume 28, Number 3, September 2000, pp. 465–477.

Shepherd, Donald, and Robert Slatzer, with Dave Grayson. ''Duke: The Life and Times of John Wayne''. New York: Doubleday, 1985 ISBN 0-385-17893-X.

Carey, Harry Jr. ''A Company of Heroes: My Life as an Actor in the John Ford Stock Company''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1994 ISBN 0-8108-2865-0.

Clark, Donald & Christopher Anderson. ''John Wayne's The Alamo: The Making of the Epic Film''. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1995 ISBN 0-8065-1625-9. (pbk.)

Eyman, Scott. ''Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999 ISBN 0-684-81161-8.

McCarthy, Todd. ''Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood''. New York: Grove Press, 1997 ISBN 0-8021-1598-5.

Maurice Zolotow., ''Shooting Star: A Biography of John Wayne''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1974 ISBN 0671829696.

Jim Beaver, "John Wayne". ''Films in Review'', Volume 28, Number 5, May 1977, pp. 265–284.

McGivern, Carolyn. ''John Wayne: A Giant Shadow''. Bracknell, England: Sammon, 2000 ISBN 0-9540031-0-1.

Davis, Ronald L. ''Duke: The Life and Times of John Wayne''. University of Oklahoma Press, 2001. ISBN 0806133295.

Raab, Markus, Beautiful Hearts, Laughers at the World, Bowlers. Worldviews of the Late Western; in: Baur/Bitterli: Brave Lonesome Cowboy. Der Myhos des Westerns in der Gegenwartskunst oder: John Wayne zum 100. Geburtstag, Nuremberg 2007, ISBN 978-3-939738-15-2.

External links

John Wayne Cancer Foundation

John Wayne Cancer Institute

FBI file on John Wayne

Birthplace of John Wayne official website

"On the Set of The Alamo": Behind-the-scenes footage from the production of the film, from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image.

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Coordinates	8 °6 ′43.2 ″N79 °1 ′43.68 ″N
name	Mike Gundy
birth date	August 12, 1967
birth place	Midwest City, OK
contract	$900,000
sport	Football
current team	Oklahoma State
current conference	Big 12
current title	Head coach
current record	47–29
overall record	47–29
cfbdwid	3763
player years	1986-1989
player teams	Oklahoma State
player positions	Quarterback
coach years	19901991-19931994-199519961997-20002001-20042005-''present''
coach teams	Oklahoma State (WR)Oklahoma State (QB)Oklahoma State (OC)Baylor (QB)Maryland (WR)Oklahoma State (OC)Oklahoma State
championships	1 Big 12 South Division (2010)
awards	2010 Big 12 Coach of the Year
cfbhof id	}}

Mike Gundy (born August 16, 1967) is the head football coach at Oklahoma State University and a former quarterback of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Gundy became Oklahoma State's coach on January 3, 2005. In 2007 he received national media attention for his heated criticism of a newspaper article on one of his players.

Biography

Playing career

At Midwest City High School, Gundy played quarterback, and was voted Oklahoma Player of the Year in 1986. Gundy was heavily recruited by the Oklahoma Sooners but in the end signed with the Oklahoma State University Cowboys. He became the starting quarterback midway through his freshman year and held the job from 1986–1989. Gundy would become the all-time leading passer in Oklahoma State and Big 8 Conference history. Over the course of four years, Gundy threw 49 touchdowns and 7,997 yards, including 2,106 yards in 1987 and 2,163 in 1988. He led the Cowboys to bowl wins in the 1987 Sun Bowl and 1988 Holiday Bowl aided by two Hall of Fame running backs, Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. He also led OSU to the only three 10-win seasons in school history to date.

Mike Gundy held the record for most consecutive passes attempted without an interception at the start of a career by a freshman in Division 1 history with 138, until Baylor freshman Robert Griffin broke it in 2008. Coincidentally, Baylor was playing against Gundy's Oklahoma State team when Griffin surpassed the mark. After the game, Gundy was able to personally congratulate Griffin on the accomplishment.

Coaching career

Early positions

When Gundy graduated, he became an assistant coach for the Cowboys. He was wide receiver coach in 1990, quarterback coach from 1991–1993 and offensive coordinator from 1994–1995.

Gundy was quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator for Baylor during the 1996 season. He was on staff with Larry Fedora at Baylor and would rekindle that relationship when he became head coach at Oklahoma State bringing Fedora on as his offensive coordinator. After the season, he moved again, this time to Maryland where he was wide receiver coach and passing game coordinator from 1997–2000 for the Terps.

Oklahoma State

In 2001, the Oklahoma State University head football coach job became vacant when Bob Simmons resigned and a search produced Les Miles and Mike Gundy as the finalists. Miles was hired as head coach and Gundy was brought aboard as offensive coordinator. The team would go on to three straight bowl games in Miles's last three years as head coach and when Miles left in 2004 to take the LSU job, Gundy was named immediately as Miles successor and the 22nd head coach at Oklahoma State.

His first season saw the expulsion of eleven players from the team and the Cowboys struggled to a 4–7 record winning only one Big 12 conference game.

In his second season, the Cowboy offense began to click and the Cowboys would finish 7–6 including a victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Independence Bowl.

In 2007, the Cowboys again posted a 6–6 regular season record and a bowl win over the Indiana Hoosiers in the Insight Bowl. After their second straight bowl appearance, Gundy was rewarded with a contract extension through the 2013 season.

2007 media controversy

On September 22, 2007, Gundy made comments that became the subject of a nationwide media controversy. Following his team's victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Gundy was so disgusted with an inaccurate news article that he refused to discuss the game or to answer any questions about the game. Instead, he commented for 3 minutes and 20 seconds about the newspaper article. The article was critical of one of Gundy's players, and Gundy launched into what ESPN called a "tirade" against the journalist who wrote the story. Video clips of the coach's impassioned speech were watched more than 1,500,000 times from video streaming sites such as YouTube, where it became one of the ten most-viewed clips of the day. Jenni Carlson of ''The Oklahoman'' wrote the original article discussing Bobby Reid, the former starting quarterback, and reasons why he might have been demoted to second-string. The OSU coaching staff publicly supported Reid earlier in the year, but later demoted him with no public explanation to the media. The article was titled "Reid is still the most talented signal-caller, but attitude is reason for change." However, the bolded headline read: "QB Change: All About Attitude". Carlson said that Reid was still the most talented quarterback on the team but that he got "nicked in some games and sat it out instead of gutting it out." Gundy professed his feelings about the article, in essence calling the writer and the editor bullies because they were picking on an amateur athlete.

In this post-game press conference, Gundy called three-fourths of Carlson's column "fiction." He noted two statements in the article that were false: 1) That the coaches said Bobby Reid was scared and 2) they made the decision because of a threatened transfer by Donovan Woods. Gundy bluntly stated, "That ain't true" and "That's not true" respectively. During his weekly news conference the following Monday, Carlson asked the coach to point out what he thought were the factual errors in the article and Gundy replied, "I don't have to," preferring to leave the matter behind him and unwilling to talk to the individual who had written the article he was disgusted with. Gundy said, "I'd rather just let it go." Gundy called the 21-year old Reid a "good kid" who does everything right and is undeserving of such criticism. He also made the now famous quote, "...Come after me! I'm a man! I'm forty!" during the rant, for which he has often been ridiculed since. Reid's mother says that the story was malicious and untrue. She pointed to one thing in the article that she said was untrue; she said she did not feed her son chicken from a box meal after the team's loss to Troy University.

In a column the following Tuesday, Carlson wrote that she also would like to let it go, had Gundy not questioned her credibility. She wrote, "I will not stand on the sidelines and allow someone to attack my credibility." Mike Griffith, president of the Football Writers Association of America, called Gundy's behavior "completely inappropriate." OSU athletic director Mike Holder stood behind Gundy, saying that "nothing is more important to us than our student-athletes." College football coaches were divided in their opinions. Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said, "I feel like the coach at Oklahoma State summed it up very well. I’m in agreement with him." However, Oregon State coach Mike Riley said that dealing with both criticism and praise is just part of a player’s learning experience. Riley said, "They’re young men, but I think college is all about growth and development. The scrutiny part of it is part of our life, and they have to be educated about that."

The article generated discussion about what constitutes fair criticism for players that welcome the adulation of the press when things are going well for them. In Gundy's criticism of Carlson, he said that she would have never written the piece if she were a parent like himself. There are some concerns that the remarks constituted a form of sexism and about whether Gundy would have launched a similar attack on a male sportswriter. The Association for Women in Sports Media said that Gundy handled the situation in an "unprofessional manner."

2008 season

In 2008, Gundy led the Oklahoma State Cowboys to their best season in 20 years. They were ranked in the top 15 for most of the season. The season ended with an appearance in the Holiday Bowl, where they lost to Oregon. Gundy was rewarded with a new seven-year contract worth $15.7 million. The contract, which extends through the 2015 season, went into effect on January 1, 2009.

2009 season

Gundy led the 2009 Cowboys to another solid season. Going into the 2009 Bedlam game, the Cowboys were 9-3 and poised to win their first-ever Big 12 South title and notch only the fourth 10-win season in school history. However, the Cowboys were beaten by Oklahoma 27-0, and went on to lose the Cotton Bowl to Ole Miss.

2010 season

The 2010 Cowboys rolled through the regular season, finishing with a share of the last Big 12 South title (the Big 12 dropped the divisional format after the 2010 season). Along the way, they set numerous records for points scored, as well as total and individual yardage.

With a 48-14 victory over Kansas on November 20, Oklahoma State won 10 regular-season games for the first time ever. It was also only the fourth 10-win season in the school's 111-year football history; Gundy has had a hand in three of them (two as quarterback, one as head coach).

A loss to Oklahoma in the final regular season game kept the Cowboys out of the Big 12 Championship Game. They did, however, rout Arizona in the Alamo Bowl for their school-record 11th win.

Personal

Gundy and his wife, Kristen, have three children, Gavin, Gunnar and Gage. His brother, Cale Gundy, was a starting quarterback for the University of Oklahoma in the 1990s and is currently the running backs coach for the University of Oklahoma.

Head coaching record

References

External links

Oklahoma State Cowboys: Team Bio

Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:American football quarterbacks Category:Baylor Bears football coaches Category:Maryland Terrapins football coaches Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys football coaches Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys football players Category:Oklahoma State University alumni Category:People from Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Category:Internet memes

Coordinates	8 °6 ′43.2 ″N79 °1 ′43.68 ″N
Color	#006666
Fontcolor	white
Name	Bill Parcells
Birth date	August 22, 1941
Birth place	Englewood, New Jersey
Current place of residency	Saratoga Springs, New York
Position	Head Coach, Vice President
College	Wichita State
Career highlights	yes
Stats	yes
Awards	1994 AP NFL Coach of Year1986 AP NFL Coach of Year1986 Sporting News NFL Coach of Year1996 Pro Football Weekly NFL Coach of Year1994 Pro Football Weekly NFL Coach of Year1994 Maxwell Football Club NFL Coach of Year1994 UPI NFL Coach of Year1986 UPI NFL Coach of Year
Honors	NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
Championships	1996 AFC Championship1990 NFC Championship1986 NFC Championship
Superbowls	1990 Super Bowl XXV1986 Super Bowl XXI
Databasefootballcoach	PARCEBIL01
Pfrcoach	ParcBi0
Coach	yes
Coachingyears	196419651966–19671968–19691970–19721973–19741975–19771978197919801981–19821983–19901993–19961997–199920002003–20062008–2010
Coachingteams	Hastings(Linebackers Coach)Wichita State(Linebackers Coach)Army(Linebackers Coach)Army(Defensive Coordinator)Florida State(Linebackers Coach)Vanderbilt(Linebackers Coach)Texas Tech(Linebackers Coach)Air Force Academy(Head Coach)New York Giants(Defensive Coordinator)New England Patriots(Linebackers Coach)New York Giants(Def. Coordinator/LB Coach)New York Giants(Head Coach)New England Patriots(Head Coach)New York Jets(Head Coach/General Manager)New York Jets(General Manager)Dallas Cowboys(Head Coach)Miami Dolphins(Exec. VP of Football Operations)
Record	172–130–1 (Regular Season)11–8 (Postseason)183–138–1 (Overall) }}

Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells (born August 22, 1941) is currently an NFL analyst for ESPN. He is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006. He is known as "The Big Tuna", a nickname about the shape of his physique derived from a team joke during his tenure as linebackers coach of the New England Patriots.

Parcells won two Super Bowl rings with the Giants, defeating the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI and the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. He also led the New England Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI and the New York Jets to the 1998 AFC Championship Game. He announced his third retirement from football on January 22, 2007 before returning to the sport later that year as the Vice President of Football Operations with the Miami Dolphins. He resigned from his role as the "football czar" with the Dolphins in September 2010, working as a "consultant" with the team until he took a leave of absence in October 2010, and left the team after the season.

Early life

Parcells was born in Englewood, New Jersey, on August 22, 1941. He grew up in the nearby town of Hasbrouck Heights, His mother, Ida Parcells (née Naclerio), was a housewife while his father, Charles Parcells, was a graduate of Georgetown Law School who had worked for the FBI before becoming a lawyer for Uniroyal Tires. Bill Parcells is of Irish and Italian descent.

Prior to his sophomore year in high school, the Parcells family moved a few miles north to the town of Oradell, where he attended River Dell Regional High School. While he was at River Dell, he was routinely mistaken for another boy named Bill. As he had always disliked his given name of Duane, he decided to adopt Bill as his nickname.

Parcells was a gifted athlete as a youth. He possessed good size (6'2" upon entering River Dell) and natural leadership skills, which enabled him to become a star quarterback, pitcher, and center on his high school's football, baseball, and basketball teams, respectively. His football coach at River Dell was Tom Cahill, who would later become the head coach at Army. His basketball coach at River Dell was Mickey Corcoran who Parcells considers to be "next to my father ... the most important influence in my life." Corcoran would serve Parcells as an advisor and confidant throughout his coaching career.

College years

Upon graduating from high school, Parcells arrived at Colgate University. As a freshman, he was offered a contract by the Philadelphia Phillies. His father disapproved of a career in sports and wanted him to study law, so the younger Parcells declined the offer. He soon transferred to the University of Wichita (now known as Wichita State University), where he played linebacker and earned a physical education degree. He was good enough to be drafted in the seventh round by the Detroit Lions, but was released by the team before playing a single NFL game.

Collegiate coaching career

At the conclusion of his playing days, Parcells decided to pursue a career in coaching. He began as an assistant coach at Hastings (1964) before moving on to Wichita State (1965), Army (1966–69), Florida State (1970–72), Vanderbilt (1973–74), and Texas Tech (1975–77). In 1978, he became the head coach at the Air Force Academy for one season.

While serving as linebackers coach at Army, Parcells was also a part-time assistant basketball coach for Bob Knight during the 1966-67 season, which led to their longtime friendship.

Professional coaching career

New York Giants

In 1979, Parcells accepted an offer to become the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants under head coach Ray Perkins but, before the season started, he resigned and took a job with a land development company in Colorado.

Feeling dissatisfied with his life away from football, Parcells returned to the sport in 1980 as the linebackers coach of the New England Patriots under Ron Erhardt.

The following season, Parcells was approached once again by Perkins to join the Giants' staff as an assistant coach, and Parcells accepted the offer. As defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, he was allowed to change the team's 4-3 defense to a 3-4 system. When Perkins announced on December 15, 1982, that he was leaving the Giants at the end of the season to become head coach and athletic director at the University of Alabama, the Giants announced that Parcells would succeed him as head coach.

When Parcells took over in 1983, the New York Giants were a team that had posted just one winning season in the previous ten years. In his first year, he made a controversial decision to bench Phil Simms in favor of Scott Brunner. The result was a disastrous 3–12–1 season during which the Giants seriously considered bringing in University of Miami head coach Howard Schnellenberger to replace Parcells.

After this dismal first season, Parcells made Simms the starter again. The team's record improved to 9–7 and 10–6 over the next two years, and earned them their first back-to-back playoff appearances since 1961–1963. In 1986, he led the Giants to the first of two Super Bowls. In the 1986 season, the Giants compiled a franchise best 14-2 record and the first of three division titles. Parcells, whose stifling 3-4 defense (known as the Big Blue Wrecking Crew) led by Lawrence Taylor, Carl Banks, Harry Carson, and Leonard Marshall, and an offense under the direction of Phil Simms, knocked off the San Francisco 49ers 49–3, and the Washington Redskins 17–0, in the playoffs before routing the Denver Broncos, 39–20, in Super Bowl XXI. Parcells was the first coach to be dunked with Gatorade at the end of the game and at the end of a Super Bowl which led to a Super Bowl Gatorade dunking tradition.

Following the Super Bowl win, Parcells was courted by the Atlanta Falcons to become the Head Coach and General Manager of the franchise. However NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle would not allow Parcells to break his contract with the Giants and he stayed in New York.

Parcells led the Giants to a second Super Bowl in 1990. The Giants began the 1990 season 10–0, and finished 13–3, but lost Simms to injury late in the season. Playing with a back-up quarterback in Jeff Hostetler and a 33-year-old veteran running back in Ottis Anderson, the Giants convincingly defeated the Chicago Bears in the divisional playoff, 31–3, and won in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion over San Francisco, 15–13, in the NFC Championship on a last-second 42-yard field goal by Matt Bahr which was set up by a Roger Craig fumble caused by nose tackle Erik Howard. Super Bowl XXV proved equally exciting as the Giants used tough defense, and a ball-control and power-running Erhardt - Perkins style offense to stop the Buffalo Bills, 20–19, whose own last-second 47-yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood missed wide right. Parcells retired from football after Super Bowl XXV due to health problems. During his tenure, the Giants had secured three division titles (1986, 1989, 1990), had only two losing seasons (the Giants went 6–9 during the strike year of 1987) and tallied an 8–3 playoff record.

First retirement

Following retirement, Parcells spent time as a football analyst for NBC Sports from 1991–1992, working as a commentator. He also hosted a local sports show in New York with Mike Francesa entitled ''Around the NFL''.

In 1992, Parcells made a handshake agreement to become head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At the last minute, Parcells opted not to take the job. Parcells did not feel the situation was right for him at that time. Tampa Bay owner Hugh Culverhouse said, "I feel like I've been jilted at the altar."

New England Patriots

After a two-year hiatus, Parcells returned to the NFL in 1993 as the head coach for the New England Patriots. Within two years, he coached the team to a 10–6 record and its first playoff game in eight years. In 1996, he guided the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI but lost to the Green Bay Packers, 35–21, in New Orleans.

Parcells left the Patriots after disagreements with owner Robert Kraft; Parcells felt he did not have enough input in player personnel decisions. Upon his departure, Parcells famously stated: "They want you to cook the dinner; at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries. Okay?" This was mainly in reference to an incident in the Patriots' war room during the 1996 Draft where Parcells, who wanted to draft a defensive player with their first-round choice, was vetoed by Kraft, and the Patriots selected Ohio State WR Terry Glenn.

New York Jets

Although Parcells had decided to leave New England, his contract did not allow him to coach anywhere else. The New York Jets sought Parcells as head coach and general manager after a 4–28 record under Rich Kotite. To circumvent Parcells' contractual obligations, the Jets hired Bill Belichick (then the #1 assistant to Parcells) as the Jets coach, and then hired Parcells in an "advisory" role. New England threatened legal action against Parcells and the Jets, but NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue brokered a deal between the two sides, with New England releasing Parcells from his contract and the Jets giving New England a third and fourth round pick that year, a second round pick the next year and a first round draft choice the year after that.

1997–98

Parcells again instrumented a remarkable turnaround in his first year with the Jets. In his first season with the Jets, the team barely missed the playoffs with a record of 9–7. In 1998, the Jets went to the playoffs with a 12–4 record, which was good enough for second place in the conference and earned the Jets their third home playoff game since moving to New Jersey in 1984 (their first home playoff game was against the New England Patriots following the 1985 season), but lost to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.

1999

In 1999, expectations were high for the Jets to go to the Super Bowl. However, quarterback Vinny Testaverde ruptured his achilles tendon in the Jets home opener and the season went downhill from there. After starting the season 1–6, the Jets won three straight and faced the Indianapolis Colts. Parcells emphasized the importance of not obtaining a "7th loss" but they did lose to the Colts and then to the New York Giants the following week. At 4–8, the Jets were in danger of finishing below .500. The Jets would finish 8–8, but out of the playoffs. In 1999, Bill Parcells retired from football for the second time, vowing that he would not coach again. He remained with the Jets one more year as general manager.

Dallas Cowboys

Following three straight 5–11 seasons, Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones lured Bill Parcells out of retirement and made him the head coach in 2003.

2003

In his first season with the Cowboys, he led them to the playoffs with a 10–6 record (losing to the eventual NFC Champion Carolina Panthers in the opening round), thus making him the first head coach in NFL history to guide four different teams to the playoffs.

2004

The 2004 season was one of turmoil. Starting quarterback Quincy Carter was terminated for alleged drug use in favor of 40-year-old veteran Vinny Testaverde, who had been brought to the Cowboys from the New York Jets by his former coach in the off-season. While a favorite of Coach Parcells, Testaverde proved ineffective as a starter. The Cowboys started strong, with victories against the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, but injuries, older personnel, spotty play calling, and persistent penalties hobbled the Cowboys, and they quickly fell off to a 3–5 record by midseason, finishing the season 6–10.

2005

The Cowboys improved their defense before the 2005 season with the additions of first round draft picks Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears. Parcells drafted these players in hopes of jumpstarting the team's transition from the traditional 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense, which Parcells had run in all of his previous stops. Jerry Jones also added a number of high-priced older veteran players, acquiring nose tackle Jason Ferguson and cornerback Anthony Henry via free agency, and linebacker Scott Fujita via the Kansas City Chiefs. On offense, the Cowboys felt the need to upgrade their passing game to complement their top 2004 draft pick, running back Julius Jones, and acquired quarterback Drew Bledsoe via free agency. During his tenure, Parcells made a point of signing players who had played for him in the past, including Bledsoe, Terry Glenn (with the Patriots), Testaverde, cornerback Aaron Glenn, wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and fullback Richie Anderson with the Jets. In 2005, the Cowboys went 9–7, missing the playoffs by one game.

2006

In 2006 the Cowboys signed controversial former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens. Keyshawn Johnson was released and signed with the Carolina Panthers. Owens, whom Parcells never referred to by name, but rather as "The Player", was fairly successful with the team. In week 7 of the 2006 season, Parcells decided to replace veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe with fourth year quarterback Tony Romo. The Cowboys were 6–4 with Romo as the starter. They finished the season with a 9–7 overall record but failed to win the NFC East Division after a 23–7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Christmas Day in week 16 followed by a loss to the last-place team in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions in week 17. They were able to clinch a playoff berth as the 5th seed in the NFC, eventually losing 21–20 against the Seahawks in Seattle on January 6, on a botched hold by Tony Romo during a field goal attempt.

Parcells would finish his Dallas stint with a 34–32 record and no playoff wins.

Third retirement

Parcells would have entered the final year of his contract with the Cowboys in 2007, and had been facing questions all year as to whether he would return to the Cowboys to coach his final season. With his 0–2 playoff record over four years as coach of Dallas, many had begun to wonder if the game had simply "passed him by." Immediately following the Cowboys' loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Parcells said that he was unsure if he would return in 2007, and the rumors about Parcells's future escalated.

On January 9, the Newark Star Ledger reported through anonymous sources that Parcells had contacted the New York Giants about their available General Manager position, but the Giants were not interested in Parcells' services. Parcells, the next day, quickly refuted any interest in the Giants GM position stating, "There is absolutely nothing to it. Whoever said it is a liar."

On January 22, 2007, he announced his retirement as head coach of the Cowboys after 4 years, apparently ending his coaching career.

Evidently, there are still questions as to his specific reasons for leaving the game. There were even reports that Parcells had been holding out for more money, and that Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones simply did not think Parcell's performance was worth the money he was demanding for the upcoming season.

After retiring from coaching, Parcells became a studio analyst for ESPN. This was his fourth stint with the network, having worked there before accepting the job in Dallas, where he coached both the Dallas Cowboys and a little league team for charity. It was rumored that ESPN offered him position on Monday Night Football, but Parcells declined the opportunity. (It is also worth noting that ESPN still held a contract with Parcells as a broadcaster even as he coached the Cowboys). Because he wasn't a member of the coaches union his name was not mentioned in the Madden NFL series of games when he was Cowboys' coach. He was called only "Dallas Coach." Bill Belichick is another example of this.

Miami Dolphins

On December 19, 2007, the Miami Herald reported that Parcells had agreed to become the new Executive Vice President of Football Operations of the Miami Dolphins. ESPN reported the following day that he signed a four-year contract. Just a day prior, reports linking Parcells to the Atlanta Falcons' position of vice president of football operations were leaked. However, the following day the Falcons formally announced that Parcells had turned down the offer because of discussions with Miami.

In the first season as Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Parcells fired head coach Cam Cameron, GM Randy Mueller, along with a few assistant coaches, after a 1–15 finish in the 2007 season. With vacancies at the GM and head coaching spots, he brought in Jeff Ireland to be the general manager and signed Tony Sparano as head coach.

The new front office under Parcells then signed over 20 little-known players in the free-agent market.

In the 2008 draft, they drafted offensive tackle Jake Long with the #1 overall pick, along with Phillip Merling, Kendall Langford, Chad Henne, Lex Hilliard, and Donald Thomas. They also signed undrafted free agents Dan Carpenter and Davone Bess.

They also released fan favorite Zach Thomas, who would end up signing with the Dallas Cowboys, and traded star defensive end Jason Taylor to the Washington Redskins for a second round pick in the 2009 draft.

The Dolphins then went on to sign quarterback Chad Pennington (drafted by Parcells in his Jets days), who was cut by the Jets to make room for Brett Favre.

The Dolphins finished the 2008 season 11–5 and became AFC East champions when Pennington and the Dolphins defeated Favre and the Jets in the final game of the season. They finished with a 10 game improvement from the previous season, making the Dolphins one of two teams in NFL history to accomplish a 10 game turnaround, the other being the 1999 Indianapolis Colts. It was also the first time since 2001 that the Dolphins made the playoffs. However, they were routed in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens, 27–9.

Head coaching record

College

NFL

12 !1984 New York Giants season 7 !1985 New York Giants season 6 !1986 New York Giants season 2 !1987 New York Giants season 9 !1988 New York Giants season 6 !1989 New York Giants season 4 !|[[1990 NFL season|1990 3 77 !1993 New England Patriots season 11 !1994 New England Patriots season 6 !1995 New England Patriots season 10 !1996 New England Patriots season 5 32 !1997 New York Jets season 7 !1998 New York Jets season 4 !1999 New York Jets season 8 29 !2003 Dallas Cowboys season 6 !2004 Dallas Cowboys season 10 !2005 Dallas Cowboys season 7 !2006 Dallas Cowboys season 7 34 172

rowspan="2"	Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular Season !! colspan="4"|Post Season
!Won!!Lost!!Ties!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
1983 New York Giants season>NYG	1983 NFL season>1983		3	|	1	.219	5th in NFC East	-	-	-	-
NYG||1984		9	|	0	.562	2nd in NFC East	1	1	.500	Lost to San Francisco 49ers in NFL playoffs, 1984–85>NFC Divisional Game.
NYG||1985		10	|	0	.625	2nd in NFC East	1	1	.500	Lost to Chicago Bears in NFL playoffs, 1985–86>NFC Divisional Game.
NYG||1986		14	|	0	.875	1st in NFC East	3	0	1.000	Super Bowl XXI Champions.
NYG||1987		6	|	0	.400	5th in NFC East	-	-	-	-
NYG||1988		10	|	0	.625	2nd in NFC East	-	-	-	-
NYG||1989		12	|	0	.750	1st in NFC East	0	1	.000	Lost to St. Louis Rams
	13	|	0	.812	1st in NFC East	3	0	1.000	Super Bowl XXV Champions.
colspan="2"	NYG Total	|	49	1	.611	|8||	3	.727
NE||1993		5	|	0	.312	4th in AFC East	-	-	-	-
NE||1994		10	|	0	.625	2nd in AFC East	0	1	.000	Lost to Cleveland Browns in NFL playoffs, 1994–95>AFC Wild-Card Game.
NE||1995		6	|	0	.375	4th in AFC East	-	-	-	-
NE||1996		11	|	0	.687	1st in AFC East	2	1	.667	Lost to Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI.
colspan="2"	NE Total	|	32	0	.500	|2||	2	.500
NYJ||1997		9	|	0	.562	3rd in AFC East	-	-	-	-
NYJ||1998		12	|	0	.750	1st in AFC East	1	1	.500	Lost to Denver Broncos in NFL playoffs, 1998–99>AFC Championship Game.
NYJ||1999		8	|	0	.500	4th in AFC East	-	-	-	-
colspan="2"	NYJ Total	|	19	0	.604	|1||	1	.500
DAL||2003		10	|	0	.625	2nd in NFC East	0	1	.000	Lost to Carolina Panthers in NFL playoffs, 2003–04>NFC Wild-Card Game.
DAL||2004		6	|	0	.375	3rd in NFC East	-	-	-	-
DAL||2005		9	|	0	.562	3rd in NFC East	-	-	-	-
DAL||2006		9	|	0	.562	2nd in NFC East	0	1	.000	Lost to Seattle Seahawks in NFL playoffs, 2006–07>NFC Wild-Card Game.
colspan="2"	DAL Total	|	30	0	.531	|0||	2	.000
colspan="2"	Total	|	130	1	.569	|11||	8	.578

Coaching tree

As of 2009, former Parcells assistants who are currently head coaches in either the NFL or the college ranks include:

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

Tom Coughlin, New York Giants

Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints

Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins

Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs

Mike MacIntyre, San Jose State

In addition, former Parcells assistants who previously served as NFL or College head coaches include:

Ray Handley, New York Giants (1991–92)

Chris Palmer, Cleveland Browns (1999–2000)

Al Groh, New York Jets (2000), University of Virginia (2001–2009)

Romeo Crennel, Cleveland Browns (2005–2008)

Charlie Weis, Notre Dame (2005–2009)

Eric Mangini, Cleveland Browns (2009–2010)

See also

History of the New York Giants (1979–1993)

Notes and references

See also

History of the New York Giants (1979-1993)

External links

Dolphins profile

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