Which Tough Guy Actor is Really the Toughest?

[EarlJam]

Who was/is tougher in real life? Wayne or Eastwood?

Another way to look at this. You are going into a real battle (guns and all) with one of them. Who do you choose to lead you?

-EarlJam

[YmoBeThere]

Neither, Charles Bronson was meaner than either one...

[EarlJam]

Neither, Charles Bronson was meaner than either one...

I agree with that.

But that's pretty widely known. But I see a lot of similarities in Wayne and Eastwood. Both their generation's tough guys, but neither with a really tough reputation in real life.

I give the nod to Eastwood though because I think he is a more passionate man than Wayne. Passionate in the "I'd have your back all the way" way.

-EJ

[YmoBeThere]

I would agree with you...The Cowboys kind of ruined any tough guy image I had of Wayne. Not that he was (insert word here), just not as tough leading a pack of kids.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

The Duke. How could any of us vote any other way?

[killerleft]

The Duke, I seem to recollect, would be more likely to be inebriated. Could he shoot straight?

[SupaDave]

I'll take Bruce Lee. And if I can't have him - Chuck Norris then!

[2535Miles]

I tend to think of The Duke as more of the quiet, reserved, smack you in the face and put you in your place gentlemen. Sure he could shoot, ride a horse, command his troops, storm the ridge, and throw a great punch but come on... Dirty Harry
Gunny Highway
Josey Wales
The Stranger

And need I remind you all that Philo Beddoe used to roll with Clyde.

[throatybeard]

Wayne was just an insane hysterical anti-communist nut. Eastwood is a real libertarian.

Oh, and Eastwood was in good films. All the really good Westerns were revisionist Westerns. Wayne's only really good film was his last, The Shootist. If you have any real appreciation of the art of film, Wayne isn't even close to Eastwood.

[EarlJam]

Wayne was just an insane hysterical anti-communist nut. Eastwood is a real libertarian.

Oh, and Eastwood was in good films. All the really good Westerns were revisionist Westerns. Wayne's only really good film was his last, The Shootist. If you have any real appreciation of the art of film, Wayne isn't even close to Eastwood.

I second that!

And along those lines, The Longest Day? Come on. Wayne made D-Day look like a picnic.

Still a good film, but Saving Private Ryan corrected the "joke" that was "The Longest Day."

-EJ

[hc5duke]

And if I can't have him - Chuck Norris then!

I just can't take this guy seriously

[Cavlaw]

Chuck Norris's tears may cure cancer. Gravity be located the center of planets to hide from him. His beard may ricochet bullets.

But I will always have an affinity for Clint. We share a name, after all. Eastwood. No, not really, it's Clint. But if we shared Eastwood then I, too, would be Clint Eastwood that would be too cool for anyone to handle.

Chandler: From now on, I have no first name.
Joey: So -- you're just Bing?
Chandler: I have no name.
Phoebe: All right, so what are we supposed to call you?
Chandler: Okay, for now, temporarily, you can call me... Clint.
Joey: No way are you cool enough to pull off Clint.
Chandler: Okay, so what name am I cool enough to pull off?
Phoebe: Um... Gene.
Chandler: It's Clint. It's Clint!
Joey: See ya later, Gene.
Phoebe: Bye, Gene.
Chandler: It's Clint! Clint!
Joey: What's up with Gene?

[SupaDave]

I've gotta go with any man that says this in a movie...

Marshall J.D. Cahill (Cahill, U.S. Marshall):
"Cause even grown men need understanding."

[Jim3k]

Here's the appropriate bio info from Wiki:

Wayne applied to the U.S. Naval Academy, but was not accepted. He instead attended the University of Southern California (USC), majoring in pre-law. He was a member of the Trojan Knights and joined the Sigma Chi fraternity. Wayne also played on the USC football team under legendary coach Howard Jones. An injury curtailed his athletic career; Wayne later noted he was too terrified of Jones' reaction to reveal the actual cause of his injury, which was bodysurfing at the “Wedge” at the tip of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. He lost his athletic scholarship and without funds had to leave the university

Morrison lka Wayne played college football and Clint (who played tougher and better and had more general talent in all phases of his life) didn't.

However, at one point Eastwood was a firefighter and once survived a plane crash while in the army. Not exactly weak stuff. (also from wiki)

On balance, my vote goes, reluctantly, to Wayne.

On the other hand, if you want a tough guy movie star in real life, how about Audie Murphy? Wiki says:

In 27 months of combat action in World War II, Murphy became one of the most decorated United States combat soldiers of World War II. He received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest award for valor, along with 32 additional U.S. medals, five from France, and one from Belgium

[Master Shake]

Sterling Hayden-- professional sailor, OSS officer, Commie (though he named names), repeatedly told Hollywood to take job and shove it
Christopher Lee-- SOE; on the set of Man with Golden Gun, I think the director was trying to tell someone how to slit a throat and Lee tells him to step aside and shows the cast how he used to do it

[2535Miles]

I just can't take this guy seriously

What about this guy?



Anyone that can roll with Bruce Lee is good in my book.

[micah75]

I'd pick Norris if he were included. Professional Middleweight Karate champion for 6 straight years with an estimated tournament record of 183-10-2. And he looks pretty darn fit for someone 68 years of age.

It's kind of a tossup for me between Wayne and Eastwood. Wayne smoked 4 packs a day, so I would question his endurance in an extended battle. Eastwood on the hand, is a health conscious vegan.

But if I needed a bodyguard, I'd probably go with Wayne, who once stood up to Sinatra and his henchmen in a hotel scuffle:

The evening before a shoot he was trying to get some sleep in a Las Vegas hotel. The suite directly below his was that of Frank Sinatra (never a good friend of Wayne), who was having a party. The noise kept Wayne awake, and each time he made a complaining phone call it quieted temporarily but each time eventually grew louder. Wayne at last appeared at Sinatra's door and told Frank to stop the noise. A Sinatra bodyguard of Wayne's size approached saying, Nobody talks to Mr. Sinatra that way. Wayne looked at the man, turned as though to leave, then backhanded the bodyguard, who fell to the floor, where Wayne knocked him out by crashing a chair on top of him. The party noise stopped.

[Tommac]

Wayne was just an insane hysterical anti-communist nut. Eastwood is a real libertarian.

What does their politics have to do with their ability to kick butt? John Wayne was the DUKE!!!

[aimo]

John Wayne would have NEVER done Bridges of Madison County.

[UVaAmbassador]

John Wayne would have NEVER done Bridges of Madison County.

I was leaning toward Eastwood, but jeez. Game. Set. Match.