Sands of Iwo Jima

About this Broadcast

A tough, embittered US marine sergeant sets out to mould a group of raw recruits into men fit for action against the Japanese in the Pacific during the Second World War. Although his training methods are often brutal, his controversial approach looks set to pay dividends when they finally see real combat. Adventure, starring John Wayne, John Agar, Adele Mara and Forrest Tucker

1949 continued

Adventure Movie/Drama War

Cast & Crew

John Wayne (Actor) .. Sgt Stryker

John Agar (Actor) .. Pte Peter Conway

Adele Mara (Actor) .. Allison Bromley

Forrest Tucker (Actor) .. Cpl Al Thomas

Wally Cassell (Actor) .. Pte Benny Ragazzi

James Brown (Actor) .. Pte Charlie Bass

Richard Webb (Actor) .. Pte Shipley

Allan Dwan (Director)

More Information

Did You Know..

John Wayne (Actor) .. Sgt Stryker

Born: May 26, 1907 in Iowa

Best Known For: Being a Hollywood icon.

Early-life: Born Marion Robert Morrison in Iowa on May 26, 1907. His family moved to California when he was young. John studied pre-law at the University of Southern California and played on the university's American football team until a broken collarbone injury put an end to his athletic career. He got a summer job in the prop department of a local film studio.

Career: Wayne began doing bit parts in westerns and adventures and appeared in about 70 movies before his breakthrough role in John Ford's Stagecoach (1939). He went on to star in more than 20 John Ford pictures, including Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950), The Searchers (1956) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Other notable films included Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), The Alamo (1960), The Green Berets (1968), True Grit (1969) and The Shootist (1976). He died of stomach cancer on June 11, 1979 at the age of 72.

Quote: 'I am an old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness, flag-waving patriot.'

Trivia: Known for his distinctive gravelly voice. He won an Academy Award for True Grit. He played the lead role in 142 films and was predominantly known for his roles in westerns.