By the Nineteen Seventies, John Wayne was coming in direction of the tip of his profession as a Hollywood star.

In 1973, aged 65-years-old, he had been dwelling with one lung for one of the best a part of 10 years and was affected by emphysema on the remaining one.

That 12 months he launched two Westerns, which aren’t remembered as his finest however noticed the ageing icon stick with it with a lot dedication.

One of those movies was The Train Robbers, which co-starred Ann-Margret as a feisty widow who works alongside three cowboys in recovering a cage of gold.

Despite his well being issues on the film, Wayne refused to delay filming and strived forwards. Ann-Margret had fond reminiscences of her co-star’s tenacity throughout this era.

Ann-Margret recalled: “Duke was still a strong, rugged, formidable man, larger-than-life and incredibly personal. He was a big teddy bear, and we got along famously. Duke gave me the confidence I lacked.”

The Viva Las Vegas star appreciated this on condition that 1972 had been a really troublesome time in her life, having been severely injured when performing in her Lake Tahoe present.

In phrases of the arrogance enhance she wanted, the actress needed to overcome her worry of horses as there was a lot using for her character.

It was right here that Wayne gave her help and helped her overcome this impediment. Yet even earlier than taking pictures began, Duke had fractured two of his ribs, which was so painful he struggled to sleep at night time.

As a end result, Duke’s motion scenes in The Train Robbers needed to be scaled down, with co-star Rod Taylor remembered Duke being “slightly” infirm in the course of the shoot. The Time Machine star mentioned the Western legend had hassle along with his stability and understandably wanted afternoon naps.