John Wayne: The Epic Collection Debuts May 20
DVD Collection of 40 Warner and Paramount Films is the
Largest John Wayne Box Set Ever and Includes
Hours of Special Features and Remarkable Memorabilia
Fourth Annual John Wayne Film Festival Set for April 24-27 in Dallas
Burbank, Calif., February 24, 2014 — To commemorate one of America’s most iconic
film heroes, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will introduce a comprehensive new DVD
set — John Wayne: The Epic Collection — on May 20. The spring release, just in
time for Father’s Day gift-giving ($149.98 SRP), will contain 38 discs with 40 Wayne
films (full list below), including The Searchers, once called one of the most
influential movies in American history[1] and the film for which Wayne won his Best
Actor Academy Award(r), True Grit (1969). The collection comes packaged in a
handsome book with unique collectibles and hours of special features.
The coffee table book includes a chronological presentation of Wayne films, enhanced
with wonderful photographs; the hours of special features include commentaries,
documentaries, featurettes, vintage shorts and classic cartoons; and the special
John Wayne collectibles include personal correspondence, script pages/covers, pages
with Wayne’s notations and behind-the-scenes artifacts.
Wayne’s legacy will also be celebrated at the 4th annual John Wayne Film Festival in
Dallas from April 24th through the 27th. The four-day festival will feature
screenings of some of Wayne’s classic feature films, Q + A sessions with Wayne
family members and co-stars, and parties celebrating the John Wayne heritage and
legacy. All the proceeds from the festival will benefit the John Wayne Cancer
Foundation.
In making the announcement of the new collection, Jeff Baker, WHV’s Executive VP and
General Manager, Theatrical Catalog said, “Thanks to our recent strategic alliance
with Paramount and their catalog titles, we’re delighted to be able to offer this
number of titles representing such a broad range of Wayne’s work. Wayne was one of
the most popular film stars ever. For more than a quarter century he was one of the
tops at the worldwide box-office. This collection will certainly be a ‘must have’
for loyal John Wayne fans and, hopefully, will have an equal appeal to younger folks
who want to learn more about him.”
Born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, Iowa, John Wayne first worked in the film
business as a laborer on the Fox lot during summer vacations from U.S.C., which he
attended on a football scholarship. He met and was befriended by John
Ford
was beginning to make a name for himself in action films, comedies and dramas. It
was Ford who recommended Wayne for his first leading role.
For the next nine years, Wayne worked in a multitude of B-Westerns and serials in
between bit parts in larger features. Wayne’s big break came in 1939, when Ford cast
him as the Ringo Kid in the adventure Stagecoach. Wayne nearly stole the picture
from his more seasoned co-stars, and his career as a box-office superstar began.
During his 50 year film career, Wayne played the lead in more than 140 movies[2], an
as yet unsurpassed record, and was nominated for three Academy Awards(r)[3], winning
the Best Actor award for his performance in True Grit (1969).
Discs In John Wayne: The Epic Collection
Big Stampede/Ride Him Cowboy/Haunted Gold, 1932
Telegraph Trail/Somewhere in Sonora/Man from Monterey, 1933
Allegheny Uprising, 1939
Reunion In France, 1942
Tall in the Saddle,1944
Back to Bataan, 1945
They Were Expendable, 1945
Without Reservations, 1946
Tycoon, 1947
Fort Apache, 1948
The Three Godfathers, 1948
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, 1949
Flying Leathernecks, 1951
Operation Pacific, 1951
Big Jim McLain, 1952
Trouble Along the Way, 1953
Blood Alley, 1966
The Sea Chase, 1955
The Searchers, 1956
The Wings Of Eagles, 1957
Rio Bravo, 1959
Hatari, 1962
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, 1962
How The West Was Won: Special Edition, 1962
Donovan’s Reef, 1963
In Harm’s Way, 1965
The Sons Of Katie Elder, 1965
El Dorado, 1966
The Green Berets, 1968
True Grit, 1969
Chisum, 1970
Cowboys, The: Deluxe Edition, 1972
Cahill: U.S. Marshall, 1973
The Train Robbers, 1973
McQ, 1974
The Shootist, 1976
John Wayne: The Epic Collection
Street Date: 5/20/14
Order Date: 4/15/14
Pricing: $149.98 SRP
