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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 997
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WHEREAS, John Wayne is the prototypical American hero, |
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symbolizing such traits as self-reliance, grace under pressure, |
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resolve, and patriotism; and |
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WHEREAS, Born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, in |
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Winterset, Iowa, he moved with his parents as a young boy to |
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California; in 1916, while the family was living in Glendale, he |
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began going by "Duke," a nickname that followed him throughout |
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his life; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1925, he began attending the University of |
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Southern California on a football scholarship, playing offensive |
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lineman; after breaking his collarbone in a surfing accident |
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before his junior year, he withdrew from the university and began |
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working at Fox Film Corporation as a laborer moving set props and |
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as an occasional extra in movies; and |
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WHEREAS, While working at the studio, he met Wyatt Earp, who |
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was a consultant to Western film director John Ford, and he would |
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adopt some of Earp's mannerisms for his roles as a cowboy; and |
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WHEREAS, The first film in which he was the leading actor |
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was The Big Trail in 1930; it was then that the studio gave him |
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the screen name "John Wayne," which he would use for the |
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remainder of his acting career; and |
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WHEREAS, Starring in classic Western films such as |
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Stagecoach, Red River, The Searchers, and True Grit, Wayne |
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personified the archetypal cowboy who is rough-edged and |
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plainspoken but also capable of great warmth, kindness, and |
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generosity; he won an Oscar in 1970 for Best Actor for his role as |
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Rooster Cogburn in True Grit; and |
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WHEREAS, Although best known for his Westerns, John Wayne |
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had an impressive list of performances in other genres, such as |
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the World War II films Flying Tigers and Sands of Iwo Jima; and |
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WHEREAS, Wayne was an avid supporter of the United States |
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military and toured bases and hospitals in the South Pacific in |
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1943 and 1944 with the United Service Organizations; and |
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WHEREAS, In The Alamo, his first film as a director, John |
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Wayne played the role of Davy Crockett; the film won an Oscar |
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nomination in 1961 for Best Picture; Wayne also directed and |
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starred in The Green Berets, which was released in 1968 and was |
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set in Vietnam; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his acting career, John Wayne |
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practically invented the Western hero by combining rugged |
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masculinity with the courage to stand up to authority when |
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necessary, the strength to match any opponent, and the |
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determination to prevail against great odds; John Wayne endures |
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as a cultural icon, and his films continue to appeal to new |
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audiences; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
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Legislature, hereby recognize May 26, 2015 as John Wayne Day; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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honor of this special occasion and as a tribute to the life of |
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John Wayne. |
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Nichols |
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Bettencourt |
Hall |
Rodríguez |
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Birdwell |
Hancock |
Schwertner |
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Campbell |
Huffines |
Taylor of Galveston |
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Creighton |
Huffman |
Taylor of Collin |
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Patrick, President of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 26, 2015. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |