‘John Wayne built my career:’ Durango prop guys and pistoleros with Chris Mitchum

“Now I’m cold and hungry and wet and tired and short-tempered…so get on with it…hell, get outta my way!” In a black Stetson and fall-inspired wool jacket, blue-eyed, 65-year-old John Wayne proves he can still cut the mustard when a group of vigilantes tries to forcefully intercept a quartet of prisoners accused of bank robbery and murder he is delivering to jail in “Cahill: U.S. Marshal.” The Duke’s fifth and final collaboration with director Andrew V. McLaglen was issued on July 11, 1973, and featured an underappreciated screenplay by none other than Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink of “Dirty Harry” infamy. Photography by David Sutton / Warner Bros.

“John Wayne was more of a mentor and a father to me in the business than my own father was…Duke did nothing but give me support. He took me from a two or three-line role to costarring with him. He basically made my career…” Chris Mitchum, the second child of the masterful Winds of War naval commander emblazoned by the late Robert Mitchum, wound up good-naturedly sparring with Wayne in three westerns filmed consecutively in Mexico — Chisum, Rio Lobo, and the legend-embellishing Big Jake — before their relationship suddenly crumbled during a joint 1972 summit on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

So pull off your spurs for the third installment of an ongoing, exclusive conversation where Mitchum examines his mentor over 50 years since Chisum began production under the tutelage of gentle giant Andrew V. McLaglen. Previous segments in this “Next Stop, John Wayne Station” column uncovered the naturally reserved, intelligent actor’s startling encounters with Steve McQueen and Elvis Presley.

The Chris Mitchum Interview, Part Three

Did you know John Wayne before you worked with him in Chisum?

I didn’t meet him until I filmed Chisum in 1969 with director Andy [Andrew] McLaglen. Of course my dad had known Duke for decades and worked alongside him in Howard Hawks’ excellent El Dorado [they were also among the all-star cast in the 1962 World War II epic The Longest Day but had no scenes together].

I actually went in for the part of Billy the Kid in Chisum. One day when we were down in Durango, Mexico, I was probably the fourth guy in the back doing the scene. Duke’s sitting down with a chaw of tobacco in his mouth watching.

He walks over towards me. I’m on a horse’s back. Duke slaps his hand on my side and says [Mitchum adopts a dead-on Wayne impression], “You should have played Billy the Kid.” “Gosh Duke, that was my thought when I went in for the interview” [laughs].

Duke added, “Howard Hawks is coming down to talk to me about my next film [Rio Lobo]. I want to introduce you to him.” Duke did just that, and Howard gave me his card. Howard told me, “When you get to Hollywood, give me a call. I want to see you.”…