Actor-filmmaker Ron Howard shares his experience on the sets of the 1976 film ‘The Shootist’. He told how the atmosphere was tense due to the feud between actor John Wayne and director Don Siegel and what lesson he learned from this incident.
los angeles [यूएस]July 18 (ANI): Oscar-winning filmmaker and actor Ron Howard has revealed about the ‘intense’ environment on the sets of 1976 western film ‘The Shootist’. According to People, he recalled a long-running feud between veteran actor John Wayne and director Don Sigel during the production of the film.
Speaking with Ben Mankiewicz on the ‘Talking Pictures’ podcast, Howard reflected on his experience working on Wayne’s last film. He said that despite the stress on set, the production taught him valuable lessons about filmmaking and leadership.
Howard was impressed by Don Siegel’s direction.
Howard praised the film and Sigel’s direction, saying, ‘The Shootist’ still looks good today. The pace is slow and deliberate, but it moves along beautifully. Acting is good. Don Sigel was a very strong director. I really learned a lot from Don Siegel there. It was great, and I learned a lot from him.” However, he added that the experience was often uncomfortable because “Wayne and Sigel were feuding. They didn’t like each other.”
Had different relations with John Wayne and Sigel
Howard said he managed to maintain good personal relationships with both men. At the time, the 22-year-old actor was studying filmmaking at the University of Southern California and often talked to Sigel about directing, while Wayne appreciated his professionalism.
Howard recalled, “I even had the nerve to say, ‘Hey, do you want to practice lines?’ No one really talked to him during the setup. He was John Wayne. He was the Duke,” she said, adding that the veteran actor agreed and the two practiced their dialogues together. Howard said he found it fascinating to watch Wayne shape his performance, but he also often heard about the actor’s frustrations with Sigel. Howard said, “Throughout the process, I would hear about Don Siegel and his dissatisfaction with the way he was shooting.”
When Sigel gave advice to Howard
He also recalled the advice Sigel gave him about handling conflicts between directors and big stars. According to People, Howard said, “Siegel told me… ‘After about two weeks, if you’re the director and it comes to you or the star, you’re out. They can’t afford to go back and do reshoots. I don’t care how much they like your work. You’ll be out. And I love this script, and I love this movie, and I’ll finish it.’ I think John Wayne felt the same way.”
What did Howard learn from this incident?
Looking back, Howard said the director could have done more to reduce the tension. “It was very intense, but I remember saying, there’s a better way to deal with superstars than this,” he said. The filmmaker said that this experience influenced the collaborative approach he later adopted on his productions.
According to People, Howard explained, “I thought the main thing was that a lot of things were allowed to brew for a long time. The strategy I’ve followed over the years is whenever there’s a difference of opinion, talk about it straight away. You don’t need to make it a fight, but you’re there to accomplish something and talk about it.”
An interview had further spoiled the atmosphere
He also recalled an incident that further strained relations between Wayne and Sigel. According to Howard, Wayne was upset by comments Sigel made in an interview with a Carson City newspaper. Howard recalled, “I was going on set with John Wayne, and he had the Carson City newspaper in his hand. And he said, ‘Why did he say that?'”
What angered Wayne was Sigel’s comment: “They say John Wayne eats directors for breakfast. If he tried to bite me, he’d have indigestion.” Howard said, “This upset Duke, and made things worse.”
Despite the conflict, Howard said he was grateful for the opportunity to work with both men. He said, “Sigel made a really good movie, and I learned a lot from him. On the other hand, there were some days when he and John Wayne really went toe-to-toe.” (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)