John Wayne
John Wayne’s cruel tradition on every film made grown men cry says George Takei
George Takei was deeply shocked by John Wayne when they starred together in The Green Berets - once in a good way and once in a painfully embarrassing way that reduced co-stars to tears.
George Takei isn’t just a living legend, he is a link back to the heady days of Hollywood when stars like John Wayne bestrode Westerns and war films like titans. The Duke wasn’t just larger than life on the screen, his behaviour on set and behind the scenes was equally overpowering. The Star Trek icon, who turned 86 this week, continues to live long and prosper, and shared with Express online his memories of working on The Green Beret – the movie that was responsible for him missing much of Season 2 of the sci-fi show.
Wayne was a leading member of the right-wing pro-war faction in Hollywood, while Takei was vehemently opposed. Yet, he was shocked from the very start by his first encounter with the Silver Screen legend.