History Trivia / TheShootist

* WagTheDirector: Creator/JohnWayne was highly self-conscious of his public image, considering it unmanly to be photographed in production stills while makeup was being applied with a powder puff. He also insisted on using a particular reddish tint of makeup, which flattered his complexion but created headaches for cinematographer Bruce Surtees. Most importantly, he insisted on toning down the profanity and more explicit references to cancer from the original novel.

* ActorInspiredHeroism: When viewing footage of the final gunfight in the bar, Creator/JohnWayne saw that it was edited to show him shooting a guy in the back. He said, "I've made over 250 pictures and have never shot a guy in the back. Change it." They did. However, Wayne had shot men in the back in several of his movies, including ''Film/TheSearchers''.

* AllStarCast: When word got out that Creator/JohnWayne was doing what everyone assumed would be his final movie, people were nearly begging for parts. Wayne personally selected Creator/LaurenBacall for the female lead, with Creator/RonHoward and Creator/JimmyStewart in the two main supporting roles. Presumably the director was too scared of Creator/JohnCarradine to ask him to leave. Harry Morgan shows up for two scenes, Creator/ScatmanCrothers for one. Richard Boone and Hugh O'Brian were also smuggled onto the set. Ricky Nelson is also shown briefly in flashback (actually a clip from ''Film/RioBravo'').

** Creator/GeorgeCScott was originally offered the role of Books, and accepted it on the condition that not one word of the script be changed. However, the role was given to Creator/JohnWayne after he expressed interest. The producers claim they had wanted him all along, but did not believe he would be interested in the film. Creator/CharlesBronson, Creator/ClintEastwood, Creator/GeneHackman and Creator/PaulNewman turned it down before Wayne was cast.

* WagTheDirector: Wayne was highly self-conscious of his public image, considering it unmanly to be photographed in production stills while makeup was being applied with a powder puff. He also insisted on using a particular reddish tint of makeup, which flattered his complexion but created headaches for cinematographer Bruce Surtees. Most importantly, he insisted on toning down the profanity and more explicit references to cancer from the original novel.

* WagTheDirector:
** When viewing footage of the final gunfight in the bar, Creator/JohnWayne saw that it was edited to show him shooting a guy in the back. He said, "I've made over 250 pictures and have never shot a guy in the back. Change it." They did. However, Wayne had shot men in the back in several of his movies, including ''Film/TheSearchers''.
** Wayne was highly self-conscious of his public image, considering it unmanly to be photographed in production stills while makeup was being applied with a powder puff. He also insisted on using a particular reddish tint of makeup, which flattered his complexion but created headaches for cinematographer Bruce Surtees. Most importantly, he insisted on toning down the profanity and more explicit references to cancer from the original novel.

* AllStarCast: When word got out that Creator/JohnWayne was doing what everyone assumed would be his final movie, people were nearly begging for parts. Wayne personally selected Creator/LaurenBacall for the female lead, with Creator/RonHoward and Creator/JimmyStewart in the two main supporting roles. Presumably the director was too scared of Creator/JohnCarradine to ask him to leave. Harry Morgan shows up for two scenes, Scatman Crothers for one. Richard Boone and Hugh O'Brian were also smuggled onto the set. Ricky Nelson is also shown briefly in flashback (actually a clip from ''Film/RioBravo'').

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: Creator/JohnWayne was irked at the disappointing box-office of the film, which he blamed mostly on Creator/{{Paramount}} for poorly marketing the film. He complained that Paramount spent too much time focused on ''Film/KingKong1976'' and relied too heavily on Wayne's name brand alone to sell the film, which by 1976 was not a sure thing as in years past after a couple of flops. He also felt it deluded any potential for his fine performance to be nominated for an Oscar, which after a few ads in Variety for consideration was quickly forgotten by the Academy.

* ActorAllusion:
** The film opens with StockFootage of previous Creator/JohnWayne films - ''Film/RedRiver'', ''Film/{{Hondo}}'', ''Film/RioBravo'' and ''Film/ElDorado''.
** When J.B. Books arrives at Dr. E.W. Hostetler's office, Hostetler mentions that it has been 15 years since they last saw each other. The inside joke is that Wayne and Creator/JamesStewart last worked together on ''Film/TheManWhoShotLibertyValance'', 15 years before.

** Creator/GeorgeCScott was originally offered the role of Books, and accepted it on the condition that not one word of the script be changed. However, the role was given to Creator/JohnWayne after he expressed interest. The producers claim they had wanted him all along, but did not believe he would be interested in the film.
** Creator/PaulNewman, Creator/CharlesBronson, Creator/GeneHackman and Creator/ClintEastwood turned down the lead role before Wayne was cast.

** [[spoiler:The original screenplay had Gillom Rogers shooting and killing J.B. Books. In the screenplay, the killing disturbed Gillom so much that he throws away the pistol and leaves the bar, repulsed by the act. Wayne had the screenplay changed so that Books is killed by the bartender, who is then killed by Rogers]].

* ActorAllusion: The film opens with StockFootage of previous Creator/JohnWayne films - ''Film/RedRiver'', ''Film/{{Hondo}}'', ''Film/RioBravo'' and ''Film/ElDorado''.

* DawsonCasting: Creator/RonHoward was 21 when he played the teenager Gillom.

* RealitySubtext: Creator/JohnWayne plays a legendary gunfighter dying of cancer. While, contrary to popular belief, Wayne didn't have his fatal cancer at the time of filming, he was in ill health at the time. He fell ill with influenza during production and was hospitalized for two weeks, during which time production was shut down. It was uncertain at one point whether the film would actually be completed because Wayne was so ill his doctors were close to forbidding him to finish it. He was also suffering from heart problems during filming, the result of a severe bout of pneumonia in January 1974 that caused him to cough so violently that he damaged a heart valve.

* WagTheDirector: When viewing footage of the final gunfight in the bar, Creator/JohnWayne saw that it was edited to show him shooting a guy in the back. He said, "I've made over 250 pictures and have never shot a guy in the back. Change it." They did. However, Wayne had shot men in the back in several of his movies, including ''Film/TheSearchers''.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/GeorgeCScott was originally offered the role of Books, and accepted it on the condition that not one word of the script be changed. However, the role was given to Creator/JohnWayne after he expressed interest. The producers claim they had wanted him all along, but did not believe he would be interested in the film.

* DawsonCasting: Ron Howard was 21 when he played the teenager Gillom.
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* HeyItsThatGuy: given the buzz that this was going to be Wayne's final Western, a few cameos were in order. Creator/JimmyStewart and JohnCarradine, aging veterans of Westerns themselves as well as Wayne's buddies, were cast at Wayne's insistence. This would also end up being Stewart's last live-action role in a Western as well. Hugh O'Brian wanted to act opposite Wayne so much that he agreed to take no salary for his appearance.
** And over here there's [[Series/{{MASH}} Col. Potter]] as a {{jerkass}} town marshal.
** And look! It's [[TheAndyGriffithShow Opie Taylor]] as the teenaged Gillom!
*** Opie? I'm pretty sure that was [[HappyDays Richie Cunningham!]]
** It's difficult to tell given the editing, but one of the mooks who comes through Books' window in the middle of the night is Advertising/TheMostInterestingManInTheWorld.
** [[Series/HaveGunWillTravel Paladin]] (aka [[WesternAnimation/TheHobbit the voice of Smaug]]) is ticked off at Books for killing his brother.
** [[Film/TheShining Dick Holloran]] is Moses Brown, the stable hand.

* HeyItsThatGuy: given the buzz that this was going to be Wayne's final Western, a few cameos were in order. Creator/JimmyStewart and JohnCarradine, aging veterans of Westerns themselves as well as Wayne's buddies, were cast at Wayne's insistence. This would also end up being Stewart's last live-action role in a Western as well.

** [[Series/HaveGunWillTravel Paladin]] (aka [[WesternAnimation/TheHobbit the voice of Smaug]]) is ticked off at Books for killing his brother.

** It's difficult to tell given the editing, but one of the mooks who comes through Books' window in the middle of the night is TheMostInterestingManInTheWorld.

** [[Television/HaveGunWillTravel Paladin]] (aka [[WesternAnimation/TheHobbit the voice of Smaug]]) is ticked off at Books for killing his brother.

** [[WesternAnimation/TheHobbit The voice of Smaug]] is ticked off at Books for killing his brother.