Back in 1956, John Wayne starred in John Ford’s The Searchers, a classic Western about a Civil War veteran who spends years searching for his abducted niece. The shoot took place in the director’s favoured Monument Valley, part of the Navajo territory on the Arizona/Utah state line. During filming, temperatures could reach 49°C (120°F). So, no doubt being in such a remote location could prove challenging for the cast and crew. Yet generous Duke went out of his way, using his ample resources, to help those in need, especially the local Native Americans.

During filming, Wayne once discovered his co-star, Beulah Archuletta, who played Wild Goose Flying in the Night Sky, was crying. It turned out she was set to miss her son’s wedding because she was so far away in Monument Valley. As a result, Duke halted production for two days and flew her to California so she wouldn’t miss it. But his generosity didn’t stop there.

One evening, Wayne heard that a Navajo child was seriously ill with pneumonia, but their nearest hospital was hours away by car. Duke immediately had his private pilot fly his personal plane with the little girl to the hospital, where she survived. As a result, this act of heroism earned Wayne a new nickname: “The Man with the Big Eagle”.