Actor and filmmaker Ron Howard has reflected on the creative conflict between John Wayne and director Don Siegel during the making of The Shootist, saying the experience influenced how he has managed film sets throughout his directing career.
Ron Howard says working on The Shootist was one of the most valuable experiences of his early career, but it also exposed him to the challenges that can arise when creative differences develop on a film set.
Speaking on the Talking Pictures podcast with Ben Mankiewicz, Howard looked back at making the 1976 Western, which became John Wayne’s final film.
He praised director Don Siegel’s work, saying the movie still holds up because of its deliberate pacing, strong performances and confident direction.
Howard, who was 22 at the time and studying filmmaking at the University of Southern California, said he treated the production as a learning opportunity.
He regularly spoke with Siegel about directing and watched closely as the veteran filmmaker worked through each scene. At the same time, Howard noticed that Siegel and Wayne were not getting along.
Although he maintained a good relationship with both men, he said the disagreement between the film’s star and director created tension throughout the production.
Howard recalled that Wayne appreciated his professionalism and agreed to rehearse dialogue between takes.
Few people approached the Hollywood icon during breaks, Howard said, making those conversations especially memorable.
Watching Wayne prepare scenes also gave him a closer look at how the actor built the performances that became his trademark. However, Howard often heard Wayne express frustration with Siegel’s approach to directing.
He also remembered Siegel telling him that once filming was well underway, replacing a director was far more likely than replacing a major star.
Another incident further strained the relationship. Howard recalled walking to the set with Wayne after the actor read a Carson City newspaper interview in which Siegel joked that if Wayne “takes a bite out of me, he’s going to get indigestion.”
According to Howard, the comment upset Wayne and only made their disagreements worse. Howard said the experience influenced the way he has managed his own productions.
Rather than allowing disagreements to build over time, he believes directors and actors should address creative differences early through open discussion.
Howard said he still considers The Shootist an important film in his career. While he admired Siegel’s filmmaking and respected Wayne’s professionalism, seeing the conflict between the two taught him lessons that continued to shape his directing style for decades.
FAQ
Why did Ron Howard say John Wayne and Don Siegel disagreed during The Shootist?
Howard said the pair had ongoing creative differences during filming. He also recalled that a newspaper interview containing a quote from Siegel further strained their relationship.
How did the experience affect Ron Howard’s directing career?
Howard said observing the conflict taught him the importance of addressing creative disagreements early through open discussion instead of allowing issues to build over time.
What did Ron Howard say about working with John Wayne?
Howard described Wayne as professional and willing to rehearse scenes with him. He said watching Wayne shape performances gave him valuable insight into the veteran actor’s approach to filmmaking.
