A John Wayne Jacket from "The Alamo."...

Description

A John Wayne Jacket from "The Alamo." United Artists, 1960. Made of tan suede, beadwork and fringe adorn chest and shoulder areas, further fringe sewn down each sleeve, three tie front closure (though two pieces are now missing), inside lining heavily stained with sweat and body make-up, label reads "Western Costume Co. / Hollywood / No. 2617-6 / John Wayne #1 (or #3, ink is smudged) / Chest 46;" one of a number of identical jackets made for and very likely worn by both the actor as he portrayed "Colonel Davy Crockett" and his stunt doubles in this multiple Academy Award-nominated film that Wayne produced, starred in, and directed.

The main proof that Wayne himself very likely wore this jacket is the body make-up residue on the inside lining. Had just the stunt men worn this during production, they wouldn't have been "made up" to the extent Wayne was since the camera didn't ever get close enough to them to matter (because if it did, then the audience would be able to tell it wasn't Wayne in the scene). Wayne, being the main star with numerous close-ups, would have been heavily "made up" (including body make-up), thus he would have left the body make-up residue on the jacket as the one in this lot shows. But, like any costume Heritage Auctions or any other auction house has sold, the main proof that an actor wore a costume is in the accurate label of the costume as well as in viewing the film. Hollywood productions always had (and still have) more than one costume for the actors to wear for the duration of filming. The most famous example is the multiple pairs of Ruby Slippers made for Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" as well as the multiple blue gingham dresses that she wore throughout that film. It is likely there were more of these fringed jackets made for Wayne as he wore it throughout the entire film. He would have worn all that were made for him as would his longtime stunt doubles - Chuck Roberson and Chuck Hayward - both of whom worked with Wayne for over 30 years and who were his same size. The three men frequently exchanged costume pieces and cowboy hats while filming for continuity sake.

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