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18SmokeSignalshardshipsexperiencedbyearlypioneerswasnotaboxofficesuccess.ThereweresomepunditswhofeltthatJohnWaynewasresponsibleforthepoorshowinghoweverinthiswritersopinionthatwasnotthecase.DukecarriedhisownintheroleofBreckColemanalongwithastellarcastsuchasMargueriteChurchillsoontobeMrs.GeorgeOBrienTullyMarshallandanevildownrightuglyTyronePowerSr.andformerUSCfootballplayerWardBond.ItwasagruelingfilmforthecastandcrewastheyhadtoendurethesameharshelementsofthepioneersspendingseveralmonthsfilmingontheactualrouteoftheOregonTrail.TheBigTrailwasfarsuperiortoJamesCruzesTheCoveredWagon1923thefirstepicwesternalsoabouttheOregonTrail.AfterTheBigTrailDukewasfirstcastinmostlyunforgettablerolesinnon-westernsandthenforseveralyearswasrelegatedtobeingacowboyheroinBwesterns.WithColumbiahewascastasacostarinaBuckJonesfilmandtwowithTimMcCoy.HethensignedwithWarnerBrothersinaseriesofroutineoaters.AccordingtoTheOldCorralwww.B-westerns.comThebestofthesixWarnerwesternswasthefirstfilmintheseriesRideHimCowboy1932andHauntedGold1932.DukethensignedwiththeLoneStarProductionsunitatMonogramforsixteenBwesternsbeginningwithRidersofDestiny1933.TherecommendedLoneStarfilmsbyTheOldCorralareBlueSteel1934RandyRidesAlone1934TheTrailBeyond1934andTheDawnRider1935.MonogrameventuallymergedwithRepublicStudiosandeightmoreJohnWaynewesternswereproducedstartingwithWesternHo1935andconcludingwithWindsoftheWasteland1936.ThesetwofilmsandtheKingofthePecos1936arerecommended.DukewasthenloanedtoParamountforonewesternwithJohnnyMackBrownBorntotheWestakaHelltown1937whichwasfavorablyreviewed.ThenDukewasaskedtoreplaceBobLivingstonasStonyBrookeinthepopularThreeMesquiteersseries.Hemadeeightofthetriofilmswhichco-starredRayCrashCorriganandMaxAlibiTerhunebeginningwithPalsoftheSaddle1938.TworecommendedfilmsareOverlandStageRaiders1938andWyomingOutlaw1939.BobLivingstoneventuallyreturnedtotheseries.JohnWaynefeltasthoughhewasgoingtospendtherestofhisfilmcareerasaBcowboystarhoweverhereallywantedtobeafilmdirector.Lookingbackonthe30shehadlearnedhiscraftwellliterallyfromthebottomup.HealsohadtheopportunitytoworkwiththelikesofYakimaCanuttGeorgeHayesbeforehisGabbypersonaandPaulFixwhowereusuallycastasthevillains.HealsogottoknowHarryCareyJohnFordsfirstmajorcowboyfilmstar.JohnWayneinaninterviewwithKevinBrownlowinhisoutstandingBBCseriesregardingtheGoldenEraofHollywoodsaidthathewaslikeafatherfiguretohimDukesownfatherdiedin1937andhethatlovedhim.JohnWaynesharedthatHarryhadanaturalstyleofacting.AlsoHarryalwayswantedagoodpairofbootsandacowboyhatandwhatheworeinbetweendidntmatterthatmuchtohim.In1933DukeMorrisonakaJohnWaynemarriedJosephineSaenzhislongtimegirlfriendwhohehadmetatthebeachwhenshewasateenandheacollegeman.TheweddingwasintheBelAirhomeofherfriendLorettaYoung.JosiewasthedaughteroftheConsulGeneralforPanama.ShewasveryattractivewithclassicLatinafeaturesandaverydevoutCatholic.ThecouplehadfourchildrenMichaelAntoniaToniPatrickandMelinda.DukeandJosieappearedtohaveahappyhomelifehoweverhisbeingawayonfilmlocationsaroundtheworldadifferenceofopinionastohowtheirchildrenshouldberaisedandherdesiretosocializewithpeoplethatwerenotinherhusbandscircleoffriendseventuallyledtoaseparationin1943anddivorcein1945.JohnFordhadnotforgottenDukeMorrison.WhenhedecidedtomakeErnestHaycocksshortstoryTheStagetoLordsburgpublishedinColliersmagazine1937intohisfirstsoundwesternhewantedDukeforthemainlead.SeveralpotentialproducersturnedhimdownaswesternswereconsideredpassbyHIGHNOON