John Wayne was Hollywood's great hero. Courageous, patriotic, outspoken, and decent, he personified the true American in the 153 movies he made, from his breakthrough as the mysterious Ringo Kid in Stagecoach to his Oscar-winning portrayal of Marshall Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. But there was much more to John Wayne than can be seen on the silver screen, and this biography, written by three personal friends of his, candidly reveals the real man behind the legend. From his three failed marriages to his notorious affairs with his leading ladies; from his hard-drinking, sometimes abusive behavior o the heartwarming moments of kindness and charm; from his childhood as the son of a failed druggist to his meteoric rise to success, to his intrepid battle against cancer, here's the Duke as he's never been seen before - with all the faults that made him human, and all the courage and honesty that made him one of Hollywood's most enduring stars.