John Wayne shot his closest friend in the back and he took perfect ‘revenge’ years later

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John Wayne and Ward Bond starred together in some of the greatest Westerns in Hollywood history, even after The Duke shot the other actor in a very private and painful place.

In 1929, John Wayne had a small uncredited role in the American Football film Salute. It would be the start of his lifelong relationship with legendary director John Ford – but it also forged a friendship with fellow actor Ward Bond who, for one of the few and last times in their careers, received higher billing than The Duke. They starred together in another sporting epic, 1936’s boxing film Conflict, as they paid their Hollywood dues before both becoming grizzled staples in numerous Westerns like Fort Apache, Rio Bravo and The Quiet Man, as well as The Searchers. Bond was at the height of his fame, starring in smash hit TV show Wagon Train, when he suddenly died in November 1960.

Speaking of Bond’s death years later, Wayne said: “When you lose a friend that close after so many years together, you realize you’ve reached the time of life when the ghosts surrounding you are some of the most significant people in your life.

“Part of me knows he’s gone; another part automatically spots good parts for him. Instincts stay long after friends are gone.”

Alongside his memories, Wayne also found himself with another powerful reminder of Bond. In his will, the tough guy actor pointedly left Wayne the one item that perfectly summed up their friendship and the type of men they both were. Bond actually bequeathed to his fellow star the very same shotgun he had been shot with all those years ago.

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