John Wayne developed a key element of his image with the help of another veteran of the Western genre. “The Duke” was launched to stardom with his role as the Ringo Kid in Stagecoach, a movie justifiably remembered as one of the most influential Westerns of all time and a defining moment in the actor’s career.

However, it’s worth noting that John Wayne’s rise didn’t come out of nowhere. It actually took years of lackluster, forgettable Westerns for Wayne to finally make his big break. While there was nothing particularly memorable about the vast majority of the Westerns he made prior to Stagecoach, that’s not to say they contributed nothing to John Wayne’s career.

These films were good experience for Wayne; by the time he made Stagecoach, he already had a mulтιтude of Western parts under his belt, and had therefore become comfortable in the role of a tough-as-nails gunslinger. As a result, Wayne was able to craft an image unique to him, one that was integral to the success of Stagecoach and the movies that followed.

Paul Fix Helped John Wayne Develop His Trademark Walk

One of the most recognizable aspects of John Wayne’s onscreen persona is his walk, which is characterized by deliberate and careful movements. This approach to his acting style is owed partially to the guidance of Paul Fix, a character actor and a fixture of the Western genre.

As explained by John Wayne: The Man Behind the Myth by Michael Munn, the older and more experienced Paul Fix tried to provide advice to Wayne, who expressed dissatisfaction with the way he walked in his movies during the making of The Desert Trail in 1935. Munn recounted Fix’s comments to him on his conversations with Wayne:

“Duke was bright, and you could teach him, and he’d quickly learn. He had trouble with the physical side of acting, like how to move and what to do with your hands. He said he hated watching himself on the screen because he always looked so stiff. I told to him try pointing his toes to the ground as he walked, and when he did that, his shoulders and hips kind of swung. He practiced that walk until it looked so graceful on the screen that I told him he had to watch himself on the screen so he could see what he was doing. I told him, “You can’t learn what to do if you don’t watch yourself on the screen.’ And in a short time, he had that distinctive rolling walk down perfect.”

Clearly, Paul Fix’s tips were quite helpful, as the impact of his advice is made evident by the confident gait John Wayne utilizes throughout his career. From the looks of things, Fix was something of a mentor for John Wayne, helping with not just his walk, but also his voice.

Munn noted in his book that after being rejected for a role in Cecil B. DeMille’s Wild Bill Hickok biopic The Plainsman, Wayne received help in deepening his voice and improving his delivery from other actors, including Paul Fix.

Paul Fix Appeared In 26 John Wayne Movies

John Wayne’s apparent appreciation for Paul Fix’s role in the development of his image and their friendship is reflected by the number of movies they made together. It’s unlikely to be a coincidence that Paul Fix was cast in a whopping total of 26 John Wayne Westerns. The Desert Trail was their Western together, and one of only three movies they made together in the 1930s.

The success that John Wayne found at the turn of the decade was followed by an explosion of movies, with 13 joint appearances by John Wayne and Paul Fix all happening in the 1940s.

Numerous actors had recurring appearances in Wayne’s films, with Ward Bond arguably being the most well-known of John Wayne’s frequent co-stars. Harry Carey, Jr., for his part, made nine movies with Wayne.

However, no actor can match the record number of roles Paul Fix has enjoyed in Wayne’s movies, which is a testament to the important – but rarely recognized – presence he had in the history of the Western genre.