121 Famous John Wayne Quotes

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If you are looking for an incredible selection of John Wayne quotes you’re in the right place.

John Wayne, nicknamed The Duke was an American actor and filmmaker who became famous for starring in lots of Western films.

His career began in the 1920s and he appeared in a total of 179 film and TV productions.

For over three decades he was among the top box office draws and appeared with many of the most famous Hollywood stars of his era.

Right, let’s jump into this list of John Wayne quotes.

Contents show

Top 10 John Wayne Quotes

I suppose my best attribute if you want to call it that, is sincerity. I can sell sincerity because thats the way I am.
John Wayne

It takes a good fire to burn down the weeds… to let the flowers grow.
John Wayne

When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it.
John Wayne

I want to go out in the world again and see the trees and the lakes and the hills and the sky.
John Wayne

I stick to simple themes. Love. Hate. No nuances. I stay away from psychoanalyst’s couch scenes. Couches are good for one thing.
John Wayne

Theres right and theres wrong. Ygotta do one or the other, do the other and you may be walking around, but youre dead as a beaver hat.
John Wayne

Figure a mans only good for one oath at a time; I took mine to the Confederate States of America.
John Wayne

The bigger the man, the deeper the imprint. And when hes in love, he suffers knowing its a dead end.
John Wayne

Get down off them horses. I dont favor looking up to the likes of you
John Wayne

You can take everything a man has as long as you leave him his dignity.
John Wayne

More John Wayne Quotes

Out here a man settles his own problems.

A man who wont stand for what he believes isnt a man!
John Wayne

Mister, youd better find another line of work. This one sure dont suit your pistol

Nothing is so discouraging to an actor than to have to work for long hours upon hours in brightly lighted interior sets.

Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.

When the road looks rough ahead, remember the Man upstairs and the word HOPE. Hang onto both and tough it out.
John Wayne

Im the stuff men are made of.

Words are what men live by… words they say and mean.

All Im for is the liberty of the individual.

I’ve had three wives, six children and six grandchildren and I still don’t understand women
John Wayne

LaBoeuf, you get cross ways of me and youll think a thousand of brick have fell on you!

A man deserves a second chance, but keep an eye on him.

Friend, you better get another line of work; this one sure dont fit your pistol.

Fill your hands you son-of-a-bitch
John Wayne

Never apologize and never explain its a sign of weakness.

The Sioux once raided into Apache territory. Old-timers told me you can follow the line of their retreat by the bones of their dead.

Is this an invite to a necktie party, Reverend?

A lot of guys make mistakes, I guess, but every one we make, a whole stack of chips goes with it. We make a mistake, and some guy dont walk away—forever more, he doesnt walk away.
John Wayne

Well, I guess you cant break out of prison and into society in the same week.

I play in every part regardless of the character, and I’ve been doing okay, haven’t I?

When you come to see a picture of mine, I want you to know that Im not going to do anything that will make you uncomfortable. I want you to know that you wont be disappointed.

You can’t serve papers on a rat, baby sister. You gotta kill him or let him be.
John Wayne

Talk low, talk slow, and dont say too much.

If you say three, mister, youll never hear the man count ten.

Yes sir. But if you’re wrong dont ever give me another (order).

Did anyone ever tell you that youre beautiful when youre angry?
John Wayne

Come on Wildcats, make us proud today

No, a human rides a horse until it dies, then he goes on afoot. A Comanche comes along, gets that horse up, rides him more miles… and then he eats him.

Im a dying man, scared of the dark.

Death can come for ya any place, any time. Its never welcomed. But if youve done all you can do, and its your best, in a way I guess youre ready for it.
John Wayne

Half the people in the world are women. Why does it have to be you that stirs me?

You can’t give the enemy a break. Send him to hell.

I know, I know. Im gonna use good judgement. I havent lost my temper in forty years, but pilgrim you caused a lot of trouble this morning, might have got somebody killed… and somebody oughta belt you in the mouth. But I wont, I wont….

Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.
John Wayne

I wouldnt make it a habit of calling me that, son.

My hope and prayer is that everyone know and love our country for what she really is and what she stands for.

Bond, I dont believe I ever killed a man that didnt deserve it.

In westerns, you meet a hardy bunch of characters. There is no jealousy on such pictures.
John Wayne

Well, you look just how I remembered the Sweeneys mean and ugly.

Well, there are some things a man just cant run away from.

Monsewer, words are what men live by

Young fella, if you’re looking for trouble, Ill accommodate ya.
John Wayne

TRUE Courage is when you are scared to death and STILL saddle up and ride in!

I’m an American actor. I work with my clothes on. I have to. Riding a horse can be pretty tough on your legs and elsewheres.

I wont be wronged, I wont be insulted, and I wont be laid a hand on. I dont do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.

When you come against trouble, its never half as bad if you face up to it.
John Wayne

Nobody ever saw a cowboy on the psychiatrist’s couch.

Im proud of ya… All of ya. Every man wants his children to be bettern he was. You are.

Im not the sort to back away from a fight. I dont believe in shrinking from anything. Its not my speed; Im a guy who meets adversities head on.

Id like to know why the well-educated idiots keep apologizing for lazing and complaining people who think the world owes them a living.
John Wayne

I define manhood simply: men should be tough, fair, and courageous, never petty, never looking for a fight, but never backing down from one either.

Im responsible only for what I say, not what you understand.

If everything isnt black and white, I say, Why the hell not?

Well, its not how you’re buried, its how you’re remembered.
John Wayne

You look like the vermin-ridden son of a bitch you are

Motivational John Wayne Quotes

Looking back is a bad habit.

My folks always let me go to the movies every Saturday. We were really motion-picture goers.
John Wayne

Everybody that I was in school with had an uncle or father in the law, and I started to realize that I was going to end up writing briefs for about ten years for these fellows who I thought I was smarter than. And I was kind of losing my feeling for that.

A horse is a horse, it aint make a difference what color it is.

Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. Its perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes weve learned something from yesterday.

You have to be a man before you can be a gentleman.
John Wayne

A man oughta do what he thinks is right.

Tomorrow hopes we have learned something from yesterday.

Life is tough, but its tougher if youre stupid.

You take chances, my friend.
John Wayne

Get off your butt and join the Marines.

I dont know much about the law. Aint had much book learning. But the good Lord gave me a nose for smelling a horse thief a mile off. And what you need in these parts is a marshal thats better at smelling than spelling.

Now I dont hold jail against you, but I hate a liar.

Put it in a nutshell? You couldn’t put it in a barrel without a bottom. You’re the longest-winded bastard I’ve ever known.
John Wayne

You’re the guy we’re fighting this war for

I would like to be remembered, well… FeoFuerte y formal, which means he was ugly, strong, and had dignity.

A mans got to do what a mans got to do.

I am a demonstrative man, a baby picker-upper, a hugger and a kisser–that’s my nature.
John Wayne

Somebody outa belt you in the mouth…but I wont, I wont, the hell I wont

Any man that doesn’t wanna co-operate, Ill make him wish he hadnt been born.

Life is getting up one more time than youve been knocked down.

A mans got to have a code, a creed to live by.
John Wayne

Id read up on the history of our country and Id become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the fight for freedom, not just in America, but in all countries.

Dont pick a fight, but if you find yourself in one I suggest you make damn sure you win.

Dont try to win this war all by yourself.

Out here, due process is a bullet.
John Wayne

You have a streak of kindness a mile wide.

Sorry don’t get it done, Dude.

I never trust a man that doesn’t drink.

Baby sister, I was born game and I intend to go out that way.
John Wayne

Real art is basic emotion. If a scene is handled with simplicity—and I dont mean simple—itll be good, and the public will know it.

Hurry it up. Were burning daylight!

Ive always followed my fathers advice: he told me, first to always keep my word and, second, to never insult anybody unintentionally. If I insult you, you can be goddamn sure I intend to. And, third, he told me not to go around looking for trouble.

Inspirational John Wayne Quotes

Give this insubordinate son-of-a-bitch every truck and every blanket in the Third Army. And I dont care who you have to steal them from!

I found out early that most men, regardless of cause or need, arent willing. They blink an eye or draw a breath before they pull the trigger. I wont.
John Wayne

Nobody should come to the movies unless he believes in heroes.

Get off your horse and drink your milk.

True grit is making a decision and standing by it, doing what must be done.

I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. Thats why I started in with the props.
John Wayne

I was sure Id set the world on fire, and it was hard for a young feller like me to realize the truth that I hadnt set the world on fire, and I was totally unprepared to handle the consequences if The Big Trail had been a success and launched me as a star.

Whats the secret of success? Right decisions. How do you make right decisions? Experience. How do you get experience? Wrong decisions.

Life is tough pilgrim, it is even tougher if you’re stupid

You’re short on ears and long on mouth.
John Wayne

The guy you see on the screen isnt really me. Im Duke Morrison, and I never was and never will be a film personality like . I know him well. Im one of his closest students. I have to be. I made a living out of him.

Well if I had a big horse pistol like that I wouldn’t be scared of no boogerman.

Government has no wealth, and when a politician promises to give you something for nothing, he must first confiscate that wealth from you — either by direct taxes, or by the cruelly indirect tax of inflation.

Big mouth don’t make a big man.
John Wayne

For that dumbass amateur. Theres always some six-fingered bustard that couldnt hit a cow in the tit with a tin cup. Thats the one who usually does you in. But Masterson always was full of… sheep-dip

Give the American people a good cause, and there’s nothing they can’t lick.

A goal, a love and a dream give you total control over your body and your life.

I want to play a real man in all my films, and I define manhood simply: men should be tough, fair, and courageous, never petty, never looking for a fight, but never backing down from one either.
John Wayne

In my acting, I have to identify with something in the character. The big tough boy on the side of right – that’s me. Simple themes. Same me from the nuances. All I do is sell sincerity and I’ve been selling the hell out of that ever since I started.

Slap some bacon on a biscuit and lets go! Were burnin daylight!

I never have really become accustomed to the John. Nobody ever really calls me John… Ive always been Duke or Marion or . Its a name that goes well together, and its like one word .

I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends respect me. The others can do whatever the hell they please.
John Wayne

All battles are fought by scared men whod rather be some place else.

To Sum Up

Hopefully you have enjoyed this big list of John Wayne quotes.

There are lots to motivate and inspire you every day.

I’d love to know which John Wayne quotes are your favourites.

Drop them in the comments below.

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