Nuclear Film Set May Have Caused John Wayne's Death
Hollywood legend John Wayne's fatal cancer may have originated from a 1956 film shot near atomic test sites, where nearly half the crew later developed the disease.
For generations, moviegoers saw John Wayne as practically indestructible. The legendary actor dominated box offices for decades and rarely let his characters die on screen. This image seemed even more solid when Wayne beat cancer in the early 1960s, proudly declaring he had "licked the 'Big C'" before returning to work shortly after losing his left lung to surgery.
Wayne was known as a chain smoker, heavy drinker, and someone who commanded both fear and respect from colleagues. But cancer would return to claim him. His last starring performance in The Shootist proved deeply meaningful, featuring Wayne as an aging gunfighter facing a changing world. The role hit close to home since Wayne was battling terminal cancer during filming, just like his character. The Academy Award winner died of stomach cancer in 1979 at age 72.
The Conqueror Connection
Many believe Wayne's death can be traced to one particular movie set. At first, this theory sounds far-fetched until you examine the shocking statistics from 1956's The Conqueror. This epic period drama, which became Wayne's worst film, was filmed near nuclear testing areas. Nobody anticipated any health risks at the time, but by 1980, over 40% of the cast and crew had developed cancer, with nearly 50 people dying from the disease.
While it's impossible to definitively blame The Conqueror for Wayne's death more than 20 years later, the connection seems plausible. The tragedy might have been avoided if producer Howard Hughes had acted differently.
Hughes' Costly Delays
Eccentric mogul Howard Hughes saw himself as a major Hollywood player and invested heavily in films. Though he only directed two movies - 1930's Hell's Angels and 1943's The Outlaw - he produced many others. Hughes had funded 1951's The Flying Leathernecks starring Wayne and promised another collaboration that never materialized.
"His delay was really getting me into deep fucking water," Wayne told Michael Munn. Hughes hadn't even revealed what the project would be, while Warner Bros threatened to sue Wayne for breach of contract since he owed them a film too. "I was fucking mad, and I wrote to Howard and told him that it was his studio's responsibility to have scripts ready for me on the dates he had promised," Wayne explained.
A Fatal Handshake Deal
A chance encounter at RKO's offices changed everything. "I saw a treatment lying around for something called The Conqueror," Wayne remembered. "I took a cursory look at it and thought, 'This might be interesting'. I kind of liked it." Learning that Dick Powell would direct sealed the deal for Wayne.
"I kind of took him by surprise, and he said, 'Are you serious?'" Wayne recalled. "I said, 'Sure, why not?' So he said, 'OK', and we shook hands on it." This became the only Wayne film with Hughes credited as producer, and potentially the one that cost the star his life.