In the final 15 years of his life, John Wayne suffered from severe well being issues.

A heavy smoker, he was identified with lung most cancers within the mid-sixties, leading to having one in all his lungs and a few ribs eliminated.

Determined to keep up his macho picture, Duke usually nonetheless insisted on doing his personal stunts in his films and continued to puff on cigars regardless of giving up cigarettes.

Wayne, who stored enjoying elements he was too previous for, would put on a toupee and secretly relied on an oxygen tank.

After making 1973’s Cahill US Marshall, the star responded to the loss of life of his director collaborator John Ford: “I’m on borrowed time.”

READ MORE: John Wayne's estate share behind-the-scenes photo of Duke movie debut

In 1976, he starred in his closing film, a Western referred to as The Shootist which additionally featured Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard and James Stewart.

His lead function as JB Books was a person dying from most cancers, a illness which might kill Duke in actual life simply three years later. Having been identified with abdomen most cancers, Wayne enrolled in a vaccine research in an try to beat it. However, the 72-year-old was too weak to start chemotherapy and experimental remedy.

His final public look can be on the 51st Academy Awards on April 9, 1979, the place Duke offered Best Picture. He was welcomed to the stage after being launched by Johnny Carson, arriving to a standing ovation. Wayne was noticeably a lot thinner and secretly wore a moist swimsuit beneath his tuxedo to beef himself up. Thanking the viewers for his or her applause, the Western legend spoke earlier than saying The Deer Hunter because the winner.

He mentioned: “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. That’s just about the only medicine a fella would really ever need. Believe me when I tell ya, I’m mighty pleased that I can amble down here tonight. Well, Oscar and I have something in common: Oscar first came to the Hollywood scene in 1928, so did I. We’re both a little weather-beaten, but we’re still here and plan to be around for a whole lot longer.”

Sadly Wayne died simply two months in a while June 11, 1979 together with his household round him. His daughter Aissa held his hand and requested if he knew who she was and he replied together with his final phrases.

Duke mentioned sweetly: “Of course, I know who you are. You’re my girl. I love you.” Shortly earlier than he died, the 72-year-old transformed to Roman Catholicism and requested that his tombstone learn, “Feo, Fuerte y Formal”, a Spanish epitaph which means “ugly, strong and dignified.”