John Wayne And James Dean’s Unfinished Western Showdown: Reality Or Fiction?

Did John Wayne and James Dean actually co-star in an unfinished Western known as Showdown? John Wayne starred in over 80 Westerns in his profession, along with his last efficiency coming with The Shootist. Regardless of being an icon himself, James Dean’s profession was tragically quick, with the actor solely showing in eight films whole.

5 of these had been uncredited roles, together with as “Soccer Spectator” in John Wayne sports activities comedy, Hassle Alongside the Approach. Dean grew to become a star because of his lead position in 1955’s East of Eden, however he did not stay to see the success of his two follow-ups, Insurgent With no Trigger and Big.

Dean handed away in an auto accident in September 1955, however regardless of his handful of starring roles, his simple expertise made him a display screen legend. It appeared Hassle Alongside the Approach was the one time “The Duke” and Dean labored on the identical undertaking, however a narrative from the set of Wayne’s last movie The Shootist prompt in any other case.

John Wayne And James Dean Supposedly Co-Starred In An Unfinished Western Known as Showdown

Wayne co-starred on this transferring Western alongside actor and writer Rick Lenz. Whereas engaged on the film, Lenz quizzed Wayne a couple of rumor he’d heard from Richard Boone, co-star of Wayne’s most violent Western Large Jake and an excellent pal of the star.

In accordance with Lenz (throughout an interview with Bloo), Boone claimed that he, Wayne and Dean labored on an unfinished Western known as Showdown. Apparently, the film acquired deep into filming earlier than being shut down following Dean’s sudden passing. As a substitute of confirming or denying this story, Lenz recalled that Wayne went quiet.

As a substitute, he requested if Boone had been talking to him earlier than reducing the question off with “I do not speak about that.” Lenz presumably by no means introduced up the subject with Wayne once more, however Lenz later used the idea of an unfinished Wayne and Dean Western for his 2021 novel, Impersonators Nameless.

There Is No Proof That Showdown Exists

Whereas discussing chapters of Impersonators Nameless on Bublish, Lenz admits that he initially thought Boone was joking about Showdown, however famous “… he wasn’t smiling.” The novel itself posits that the film acquired about two-thirds in filming earlier than Dean’s demise, although it is unclear if Boone himself made this declare to Lenz.

Regardless of the case, there isn’t a proof Showdown ever existed. The film would have been in manufacturing someday within the Nineteen Fifties, lengthy earlier than the web or business gossip actually existed. With that in thoughts, if Showdown was certainly an actual manufacturing, it is potential the filmmakers saved quiet about it following Dean’s passing.

That mentioned, it is unlikely there could be zero hint of it. There would wish to have been a coordinated effort to utterly suppress its existence, however what would the aim of that even be? Positive, the filmmakers behind Showdown may need been quiet within the speedy aftermath out of respect, however would they by no means speak about it?

Absolutely the director, author, or numerous crew members concerned would have talked about it in interviews in later years. I extremely doubt Lenz is making his story up, and it is potential Boone and Wayne had been speaking a couple of movie that was supposed to occur, as a substitute of 1 that made it midway into filming.

There are two different Westerns known as Showdown, with one being a 1963 Audie Murphy car, whereas the opposite was a 1973 providing starring Rock Hudson and Dean Martin. Neither manufacturing seems to have any hyperlink to both John Wayne or James Dean, nonetheless.

Supply: Bloo, Bublish