Friends in Film

John Wayne had a number of actors that he liked working with (and made sure that they had plenty of film opportunities). Hank Worden was toward the top of the list, appearing in 17 movies with the Duke. Worden was an actual cowboy, raised on a Montana ranch (though trained as an engineer at Stanford). He was a professional rodeo rider, a Grand Canyon guide and worked dude ranches until he began acting in the ‘30s. His roles were often small, but his appearance—tall, thin and bald with a distinctive voice—made each one memorable.