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.

Career: Hudson made his acting debut with one line in Fighter Squadron (1948). He continued to take acting lessons for a number of years and success came in 1954 with Magnificent Obsession. His popularity soared after appearing alongside James Dean in Giant (1956), and acclaimed film Something of Value (1957). During the late 1950s and 1960s, he appeared in a number of romantic comedies with Doris Day, including Pillow Talk (1959). He also appeared in action film Tobruk (1967), spy thriller Ice Station Zebra (1968) and western The Undefeated (1969). His big-screen appeal waned in the 1970s and he turned his attention to TV, starring in McMillan & Wife. He had a recurring role in the 1980s in Dynasty. He died from Aids-related complications on October 2, 1985 at the age of 59.