John Wayne’s bizarre advice for when Michael Caine became a star
Michael Caine is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated actors of our time, renowned for his iconic performances in films such as Dressed to Kill and The Dark Knight Trilogy, among countless others. Even in his later years, Caine continued to grace the screen with roles in films like Tenet. While his announced retirement has left fans feeling bittersweet, it’s impossible to deny that the veteran actor has more than earned his time to relax. With a career as diverse as it is storied, Caine has enjoyed one of the most remarkable journeys in Hollywood history.
Born in London, Caine belonged to a working-class background. He began acting when he was 20 and got by largely on his ability to operate as both a high-fluting member of the upper class and strip things back to his cockney past. Although his birth name was different, he decided to change it to a proper showbiz name after noticing that The Caine Mutiny was in cinemas then. Entering the world of cinema through the 1956 film A Hill in Korea, Caine went on to star in more prominent projects and developed his signature style.
Due to his socio-economic background and his subsequent rise, Caine’s political views have remained conservative even though he describes himself as a “left-wing Tory” and claimed that he had communist sympathies before serving in the Korean War. As a child, he was deeply influenced by Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, which regularly appeals to libertarians and conservatives. It’s an interesting dichotomy and offers up a view of an actor who has always operated in his own field. Never possessing leading man looks at a time when they were essential, Caine’s charisma and to-the-bone acting ability gained him the majority of his roles.
The actor was devoted to his craft, too, which gained him traction when working on theatre productions. Others around him also recognised Caine’s undeniable talent and knew that he would be a big name in the film industry. One interesting encounter took place when Caine visited America for the first time to promote his hit film Alfie, which established him as a prominent acting star in the US.
As his career progressed, Caine went on to receive his first Academy Award nomination and would later cite Alfie as his favourite film from his career, as it afforded him the first stepping stone on what would be an incredible career. Still, he mostly cherishes the experience because of a conversation with iconic star John Wayne. According to Caine, Wayne congratulated the burgeoning actor and gave him some crucial advice.
Wayne told him: “You’re gonna be a star, kid. But if you wanna stay one, remember this: Talk low, talk slow and don’t say too much.” While that might seem like a relatively tame thing to say to an up-and-coming star, Wayne’s other piece of advice is truly bizarre even though Caine considers it to be the best advice he ever received.
Caine recalled: “John Wayne said, ‘Never wear suede shoes,’ pointing at my shoes. I said, ‘Why not?’ He said, ‘Cause you’re gonna be famous, and you’re gonna be in the toilet taking a piss, and the guy next door to you is going to turn and recognise you and piss all over your shoes, kid.’ I gave all my suede shoes away to people who were unknown.”
It might not be the ultimate acting advice or a tip on how to stay in the business for decades, but Wayne’s bizarre advice did come with one specific gold standard mark. After the conversation, it would appear, that Caine had well and truly ‘made it’.
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