Inside John Wayne’s Controversial $250K Deal That Caused Explosive Drama on the Set of 'The Longest Day'

Filmed in the 1960s, The Longest Day is celebrated as one of the greatest war films ever made. Nevertheless, its production encountered several difficulties. Reports indicate that significant tension arose between Western icon John Wayne and producer Darryl Zanuck, eventually prompting Wayne to take measures against Zanuck.

The Longest Day (1962)

Production for The Longest Day kicked off in March 1961 after securing the book rights. Presented in a docu-drama style, the film carefully identifies each key figure as they gear up for the historic D-Day invasion. With its broad narrative, it delivers a thorough and realistic depiction of this crucial moment in history.

The film traces the Allies from their preparations through the beach landings and fierce battles at notable sites such as Pointe du Hoc and Pegasus Bridge , highlighting the vast scale of the operation. It became a passionate project for producer Darryl Zanuck, who brought together an impressive cast that included stars like Henry Fonda , Sean Connery , Richard Burton, Kenneth More , and the legendary John Wayne.

John Wayne publicly punishes Darryl Zanuck

In contrast to his colleagues, John Wayne had just a brief role in The Longest Day . While most of the cast was compensated with $25,000 , Wayne turned down this amount and opted for a substantial $250,000 for his small part. To everyone's surprise, producer Darryl Zanuck agreed to Wayne's terms, resulting in him earning ten times more than the film's leading actors for his short appearance.

John Wayne never served in the US military

The large fee stirred significant controversy, particularly because John Wayne lacked military service, unlike several other cast members. This disparity was not well received by the audience. Even though the Western legend was paid handsomely, he was eventually credited only at the film's conclusion.

Years afterwards, Wayne remarked , "It was highway robbery. But I needed the money at the time, and that b****** Zanuck had it coming."

An earlier snub

How did the rivalry between Darryl Zanuck and John Wayne originate?

The discord between Darryl Zanuck and John Wayne traces all the way back to Wayne's choice to take on both the roles of producer and director for the 1960 film, The Alamo , in which he also played Davy Crockett. It focused on the 1836 battle of the same name, saw Wayne heavily invested, pouring a substantial amount of his own money into the project. Despite his efforts, the film was a commercial failure, unable to recoup its expenses, and this resulted in a notable setback for Wayne.

Darryl Zanuck called out John Wayne specifically

Sometime after The Alamo was released in theaters, Darryl Zanuck participated in an interview, where he mentioned John Wayne. In particular, he commented on how he didn't like when actors decide to make their own production companies.

He didn't leave his comments as vague generalizations - he said "poor old Duke" was one of many who'd done this.

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Having heard Zanuck's comments, Wayne decided that he wanted to make him pay... Literally.