John Wayne still ranks among today’s most popular movie stars, even though he died in 1979 at the age of 72. In a legendary screen acting career that encompasses more than 140 feature film roles and spans 50 years, Wayne was listed by movie theater owners as being among Hollywood’s 10 most bankable stars for 25 years between 1949 and 1974, the longest run of any star in history, followed by Clint Eastwood at 21, and Tom Cruise at 20.