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Top 150 Best John Wayne’s Quotes

Best John Wayne's quotes

Best John Wayne’s Quotes- John Wayne was one of the best actors America had during his lifetime. John Wayne is really passionate and highly skilled at acting. He has featured in so many movies some of which are listed at the end of this write-up.

We have collated the best John Wayne’s quotes from some of his movies which you will find motivating, interesting and even hilarious

Best John Wayne’s Quotes

Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.

Big mouth don’t make a big man.

Talk low, talk slow and don’t say too much.

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.

A man who won’t stand for what he believes isn’t a man!

All I’m for is the liberty of the individual.

A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.

Friend, you better get another line of work; this one sure don’t fit your pistol.

If everything isn’t black and white, I say, ‘Why the hell not?

A man ought to do what he thinks is right

Well if I had a big horse pistol like that I wouldn’t be scared of no “boogerman”.

A man deserves a second chance, but keep an eye on him.

I don’t know much about the law. Ain’t had much book learning. But the good Lord gave me a nose for smelling a horse thief a mile off. And what you need in these parts is a marshal that’s better at smelling than spelling.

Well, I guess you can’t break out of prison and into society in the same week.

I was sure I’d set the world on fire, and it was hard for a young feller like me to realize the truth – that I hadn’t set the world on fire, and I was totally unprepared to handle the consequences if ‘The Big Trail’ had been a success and launched me as a star

Life is getting up one more time than you’ve been knocked down.

All battles are fought by scared men who’d rather be some place else.

A man’s got to have a code, a creed to live by.

Nothing is so discouraging to an actor than to have to work for long hours upon hours in brightly lighted interior sets. 

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 and I require the same from them.

I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends respect me. The others can do whatever the hell they please.

Nobody should come to the movies unless he believes in heroes.

I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. That’s why I started in with the props.

When you stop fighting, that’s death.

You’re short on ears and long on mouth

A goal, a love, and a dream give you total control over your body and your life.

When you come to see a picture of mine, I want you to know that I’m not going to do anything that will make you uncomfortable. I want you to know that you won’t be disappointed.

I’m the stuff men are made of.

You take chances, my friend.

I define manhood simply: men should be tough, fair, and courageous, never petty, never looking for a fight, but never backing down from one either.

No, a human rides a horse until it dies, then he goes on afoot. A Comanche comes along, gets that horse up, rides him 20 more miles… and then he eats him.

Nothing is so discouraging to an actor than to have to work for long hours upon hours in brightly lighted interior sets.

I’m responsible only for what I say, not what you understand.

When you come against trouble, it’s never half as bad if you face up to it.

I’m not the sort to back away from a fight. I don’t believe in shrinking from anything. It’s not my speed; I’m a guy who meets adversities head on.

What’s the secret of success? Right decisions. How do you make right decisions? Experience. How do you get experience? Wrong decisions.

I know, I know. I’m gonna use good judgement. I haven’t lost my temper in forty 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….

When you come against trouble, it’s never half as bad if you face up to it.

Looking back is a bad habit.

In westerns, you meet a hardy bunch of characters. There is no jealousy on such pictures.

I’d like to know why the well-educated idiots keep apologizing for lazing and complaining people who think the world owes them a living.

In my acting, I have to identify with something in the character. The big tough boy on the side of right — that’s me.

Inspiring Quotes By John Wayne

Life is hard; it’s harder if you’re stupid.

You can’t serve papers on a rat, baby sister. You gotta kill him or let him be.

All battles are fought by scared men who’d rather be some place else.

Well, it’s not how you’re buried, it’s how you’re remembered.

When you come against trouble, it’s never half as bad if you face up to it.

I’m not the sort to back away from a fight. I don’t believe in shrinking from anything. It’s not my speed; I’m a guy who meets adversities head on

You can take everything a man has as long as you leave him his dignity.

Get off your butt and join the Marines

Don’t try to win this war all by yourself.

It takes a good fire to burn down the weeds… to let the flowers grow.

There’s right and there’s wrong. Y’gotta do one or the other, do the other and you may be walking around, but you’re dead as a beaver hat

I’d like to know why well-educated idiots keep apologizing for lazy and complaining people who think the world owes them a living.

The bigger the man, the deeper the imprint. And when he’s in love,  he suffers knowing it’s a dead end.

Well, there are some things a man just can’t run away.

More Best John Wayne Quotes

I suppose my best attribute if you want to call it that, is sincerity. I can sell sincerity because that’s the way I am.

Now I don’t hold jail against you, but I hate a liar.

Well, whatever I need I’ll get.

I suppose my best attribute, if you want to call it that, is sincerity. I can sell sincerity because that’s the way I am.

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, and I require the same from them.

I’d read up on the history of our country and I’d become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the fight for freedom, not just in America, but in all countries.

Young fella, if you’re looking for trouble, I’ll accommodate you. Otherwise, leave it alone.

I would like to be remembered, well… “FeoFuerte y formal,” which means he was ugly, strong, and had dignity.

When you come to see a picture of mine, I want you to know that I’m not going to do anything that will make you uncomfortable. I want you to know that you won’t be disappointed in me.

Friend, there’s nobody up there shooting back at you. It isn’t always being fast or even accurate that counts. It’s being willing. I found out early that most men, regardless of cause or need, aren’t willing. They blink an eye or draw a breath before they pull the trigger. I won’t.

I’ve always followed my father’s advice: he told me, first to always keep my word and, second, to never insult anybody unintentionally. If I insult you, you can be goddamn sure I intend to. And, third, he told me not to go around looking for trouble.

Everybody that I was in school with had an uncle or father in the law, and I started to realize that I was going to end up writing briefs for about ten years for these fellows who I thought I was smarter than. And I was kind of losing my feeling for that.

I’d read up on the history of our country and I’d become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the fight for freedom, not just in America, but in all countries.

Real art is basic emotion. If a scene is handled with simplicity—and I don’t mean simple—it’ll be good, and the public will know it

Hurry it up. We’re burning daylight!

I never have really become accustomed to the ‘John.’ Nobody ever really calls me John… I’ve always been Duke or Marion or John Wayne. It’s a name that goes well together, and it’s like one word

I define manhood simply: men should be tough, fair, and courageous, never petty, never looking for a fight, but never backing down from one either.

Figure a man’s only good for one oath at a time; I took mine to the Confederate States of America.

Put it in a nutshell? You couldn’t put it in a barrel without a bottom. You’re the longest winded bastard I’ve ever known.

Baby sister, I was born game and I intend to go out that way.

I’m a dying man, scared of the dark.

I always try to be ready.

Well, you look just how I remembered the Sweeneys – mean and ugly.

Thought-provoking John Wayne Quotes

When you stop fighting, that’s death.

What’s the secret of success? Right decisions. How do you make right decisions? Experience. How do you get experience? Wrong decisions.

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.

The worst part of it has been, I think, the adverse effect on family life. It kills off family conversation. And it’s harder to get your children to read books. I became a confirmed reader when I was growing up in Glendale. I’ve loved reading all my life. Now I’ve got this daughter, Aissa, a very bright young lady — but it is a hard job to get her to read. Television’s just too easy. 

Tomorrow hopes we have learned something from yesterday

I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends respect me. The others can do whatever the hell they please.

Never apologize and never explain – it’s a sign of weakness.

A goal, a love and a dream give you total control over your body and your life.

Who Was John Wayne?

John Wayne is a famous American actor. He lived between 1907 and 1979. He made an indelible mark in Hollywood through his starring roles in movies most especially western and war movies. He was married to 3 women at 3 different times and had 7 children. He died on June 11, 1979 after battling stomach cancer for more than 10 years.

His grave was marked with this quote:

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 have learned something from yesterday.

Best Movies of John Wayne

  • Big Jake(1971)
  • Mclintock (1963)
  • The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
  • Hatari (1962)
  • The Horse Soldiers (1959)
  • She wore a yellow ribbon (1949)
  • In Harm’s way (1965)
  • The Cowboys (1972)
  • True Grit (1969)
  • Fort Apache (1948)
  • Baby Face (1933)
  • El Dorado (1966)
  • The Shootist (1976)
  • Red River (1948)
  • The Quiet Man (1952)
  • The longest day (1962)
  • Stage Coach (1939)
  • The Searchers (1956)
  • Rio Bravo (1959)
  • The man who shot Liberty Valance

Big Jake: In this movie was featured a boy kidnapped by some group of Outlaws who demanded ransom.Wayne played the hero and sought to rescue the boy.

Mclintock: In this movie, Wayne was a titular land baron , well respected in the land. Using his influence he made attempt to keep peace between rivals while also addressing his own family matter.

Eldorado : The film was a collaboration between Wayne and Robert Mitchum, another famous movie actor. In the movie, Wayne was a gunslinger. On his return to town, he was set to work for Bart, a heartless landowner. But unfortunately, he had to turn down the offer when he realized he would have to be in combat with an old friend.

Rather than accept the offer, he decided to team up with this his old friend to protect Eldorado citizen from Bart. He also assisted his friend in fighting alcoholism

Last Words

Even though John Wayne is no more, his works still remain alive , out of which the quotes in this article were extracted. Some of the quotes are great words of wisdom that is worth going through over and over again.

This article has been on best John Wayne’s quotes, hope you got some value?

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Frequently Asked Questions

He loved meat and potatoes

John Wayne died at 72 of Stomach Cancer. He had been battling this cancer for over a decade.

At death, John Wayne was worth $7 million

Jerry Seinfield is the richest actor in the world as at August 2022 with a networth of $950 million. He is followed by Tyler Perry with $800 million as networth.

Reference(s)

  • www. everydaypower.com – John Wayne Quotes to lead you through life
  • www. goalcast.com-  50 Famous Quotes from John Wayne and His Movies
  • www. addicted2success.com- 40 Legendary John Wayne Quotes
  • www. screenrant .com – 20 Best John Wayne Movies , Ranked (According to IMDb)

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