Ron Howard, the Oscar-winning director of A Beautiful Mind, has spoken about his experience working on John Wayne's final film, The Shootist. The film, released in 1976, was a Western drama that also starred Lauren Bacall. At the time, Howard was just 22 and at the height of his Happy Days fame.
Speaking on the Talking Pictures podcast, Howard recalled the tensions on set between Wayne and director Don Siegel. According to Howard, Siegel and Wayne were feuding, but he managed to befriend Wayne by asking to run lines with him. During these sessions, Wayne would give Howard 'an earful' about his disagreements with Siegel.
Howard, who was studying to become a director at USC Cinema School at the time, learned a lot from the experience. He said that watching the two men would later inform his approach to managing a film set. Howard believes that it's essential to address creative differences promptly, rather than letting them fester.
Howard went on to launch his own directing career just a year later with the 1977 road comedy Grand Theft Auto. The Shootist, meanwhile, was a critical and commercial success, and it cemented Wayne's reputation as one of Hollywood's greatest stars.
Watch The Shootist on Amazon Prime Video, which is available in the UK. The film is also available to stream on Apple TV+ and Google Play Movies & TV.