Maureen O’Hara shared a special friendship with actor John Wayne
Irish actress Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne had a special bond, having worked together on five films such as The Quiet Man and Big Jake, and enjoying a lasting friendship after that. O’Hara has always been open about her love for her co-star and close friend, and even spent three days with him right before he passed away in 1979.
Around that time, O’Hara pleaded to Congress to honor her dear friend. On May 21, 1979, the Irish-American star flew in from her home in St. Croix, the Virgin Islands, to give testimony for an authorization for the President of the United States to strike a commemorative gold medal in honor of John Wayne.
The Duke, as he was known, was suffering greatly at the time, battling lung cancer. As Maureen O’Hara was introduced before the House Banking, Finance, and Urban Affair Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs by Chairman Annunzio, she was fighting back the tears when speaking about her close friend, who had days to live.
Tearing up, O’Hara told the room: “I have known John Wayne for 39 years, and in those 39 years I have called him my dearest friend, my best friend. To the people of the world, John Wayne is not just an actor — and a very fine actor — John Wayne is the United States of America.”
Pointing out how highly she thought of Wayne, O’Hara continued: “There are many stories I could tell you about Duke — about how right after the inauguration of President Carter in 1977, he sent me a postcard (and I have it) and the postcard said, ‘In the twilight of our lives, when the hell are you going to invite me to the Virgin Islands?’
“One day he was driving a big red truck, which we borrowed for him because he won’t fit in an automobile you know — he has to drive a truck. And he was driving down to Christiansted, and he was going slowly because he was looking on both sides of the street and ogling everything he could see.
“And suddenly there’s a big truck behind him and they blow the horn ‘beep, beep, beep, beep,’ and [tell] him, ‘get out of the way’. And they pull up beside him and say, ‘Hey,’ and he says, ‘Yah,’ and that was the end of it. They didn’t challenge Duke anymore!”
She concluded: “I beg you to strike a medal for Duke, to order the President to strike it. And I feel that the medal should say just one thing: ‘John Wayne, American.’”.O’Hara’s loving attempt was successful and the coin was minted and carried the inscription that she proposed.