John Wayne, known for his rugged cowboy and military roles, who insisted on performing his own stunts despite health issues in his fifties. His alongside stars like Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Sean Connery, and Richard Burton, however, sparked controversy. Interestingly, former President Dwight D Eisenhower was almost cast to play himself, but makeup artists couldn't make him look as young as he did in 1944.
Instead, a set decorator with an uncanny resemblance to the Supreme Allied Commander was chosen. The real Eisenhower reportedly walked out of "The Longest Day" after just a few minutes, frustrated with the film's inaccuracies. Despite these concerns, , much to the disappointment of Vandervoort himself when he discovered that the overweight 54-year-old Duke would be portraying him.
Originally, Charlton Heston, who was only ten years older than the real-life paratrooper, had actively pursued the part. However, Wayne's last-minute decision to take on the role blocked him and it came at a significant cost to the film's producer, reports . The Longest Day's producer, Darryl F Zanuck, had managed to negotiate $25,000 fees from his ensemble cast for what were mostly cameo appearances.
However, Wayne demanded $250,000 or he would refuse to appear in the movie - a request that was granted. The reason Duke "punished" the producer with this action was because he'd been quoted in an interview calling the Western legend "poor John Wayne" over 1960's The Alamo. That blockbuster was pr.
