Includes facsimiles of many items of John Wayne memorabilia, including his school diploma, driver's license, passport, and letters from celebrities and U.S presidents.

John Wayne: The Genuine Article provides readers a rare glimpse into the life of one of the most iconic movie stars of all time through a treasure trove of memorabilia, stories, and interviews. This definitive book includes John Wayne Enterprises' collection of never-before-seen letters and telegrams as well as incredibly compelling text from Wayne's unfinished memoir. Important milestones in the Academy Award-winning actor, director, and producer's life are also well documented here through anecdotes, photos, and visually rich ephemera including boots, hats, and saddles. The story of John Wayne's rise, reach, and influence in American culture is alive and well in this brilliant opus. With a foreword by Jimmy Carter and a preface by his son Ethan Wayne, John Wayne: The Genuine Article presents the complete story of how an ordinary man became a top box office draw for six decades, and a larger-than-life Icon known simply as the Duke.