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John Wayne was a what?
Cactus Pryor
 | | Cactus Pryor is an Austin radio personality, author and humorist. |
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He was the toughest guy who ever had a shoot out with the fastest gun in the West, or took on a tribe of Indians single-handedly, or flew through acres of enemy flack. John Wayne struck fear into bad guys all over the world.
He also was a push-over. Explanation: His wife, Pilar, was tiny. Standing on her tip-toes she could look her husband right at his belt buckle. She was a soft-spoken woman and as feminine a person as you would ever meet. She dressed impeccably. The contrast between the man and the wife was like comparing Las Vegas to Bethlehem. He was outgoing, given to profanity, and when angry, his growl registered on the Richter scale. He had been known to keep company with Jack Daniel and Jose Cuervo. She was even-tempered, preferred a cup of tea for an afternoon pick-me-up, and was always in control of her emotions.
So, did the breaker of broncos ever get tamed? Yep. The cowboy enjoyed an occasional mouthful of shredded Beach Nut chewing tobacco. A man deserves a chew every now and then, right? Wrong. Mrs. John Wayne would not tolerate it.
When I first arrived for a role in the "Green Beret," I was told, by none other than the director and star of the movie, John Wayne, to have with me a package of Beech-Nut® Chewing tobacco in my hip pocket. Throughout the day, you'd see the incredulous sight of John Wayne reaching for a quick pinch of Beech-Nut®.
So, when Pilar would arrive on the set, sentries would warn our hero that she had arrived. The tiny lady would peruse her husband's uniform to determine if chewing tobacco was hidden on the Green Beret. The brave soldier never got caught.
Actually, John Wayne was a chicken.
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