John Wayne Dies today in 1979

Today on 11, June in 1979, John Wayne, an iconic American film actor famous for starring in countless westerns, dies at age 72 after battling cancer for more than a decade.

The actor was born Marion Morrison on May 26, 1907, in Winterset, Iowa, and moved as a child to Glendale, California. A football star at Glendale High School, he attended the University of Southern California on a scholarship but dropped out after two years. After finding work as a movie studio laborer, Wayne befriended director John Ford, then a rising talent. His first acting jobs were bit parts in which he was credited as Duke Morrison, a childhood nickname derived from the name of his beloved pet dog.

Wayne's first starring role came in 1930 with The Big Trail, a film directed by his college buddy Raoul Walsh. It was during this time that Marion Morrison became "John Wayne," when director Walsh didn't think Marion was a good name for an actor playing a tough western hero. Despite the lead actor's new name, however, the movie flopped. Throughout the 1930s, Wayne made dozens of mediocre westerns, sometimes churning out two movies a week. In them, he played various rough-and-tumble characters and occasionally appeared as "Singing Sandy," a musical cowpoke a la Roy Rogers.

In 1939, Wayne finally had his breakthrough when his old friend John Ford cast him as Ringo Kid in the Oscar-winning Stagecoach. Wayne went on to play larger-than-life heroes in dozens of movies and came to symbolize a type of rugged, strong, straight-shooting American man. John Ford directed Wayne in some of his best-known films, including Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962).

Off-screen, Wayne came to be known for his conservative political views. He produced, directed and starred in The Alamo (1960) and The Green Berets (1968), both of which reflected his patriotic, conservative leanings. In 1969, he won an Oscar for his role as a drunken, one-eyed federal marshal named Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. Wayne's last film was The Shootist (1976), in which he played a legendary gunslinger dying of cancer. The role had particular meaning, as the actor was fighting the disease in real life.

During four decades of acting, Wayne, with his trademark drawl and good looks, appeared in over 250 films. He was married three times and had seven children.

Osama Bin Laden killed in a raid by US Special Forces & CIA

Osama Bin Laden was killed in a raid by US special forces & CIA on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad in Bilal Town. He is at the top of US most wanted persons.

Jimmy Fallon - Charlie Sheen

It takes a strong late-night host to resist doing Charlie Sheen jokes, and that man is Craig Ferguson. He announced earlier this week that he wouldn’t be doing any Sheen-is-crazy humor.

Dave Duerson Died

Former Bears safety Dave Duerson has died. He was 50.

Duerson was found dead in his Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. home near Miami on Thursday night, police said. A cause of death has not been determined. The case is under investigation by police.

The Bears made the Notre Dame All-American their third-round selection in the 1983 draft. He went on to become a key member of the team’s 1985 Super Bowl championship team before winning another Super Bowl ring with the New York Giants before retiring after an 11-year career.

“When we brought him in out of Notre Dame we knew what we were getting,” former Bears’ coach Mike Ditka said. When Todd [Bell] held out he stepped right in and took over the starter’s job. With Gary [Fencik] back there we had two of the best safeties in the league.”

Ditka also said Duerson attended the 25th anniversary celebration of the 1985 team late last year and had no apparent health problems.

Duerson ran a successful sausage company after his NFL career ended. He started his own company, Duerson Foods, in 2002 but it suffered financially and much of its assets were sold at auction in 2006.

He also served as a trustee at Notre Dame before losing that position after pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic battery for pushing his wife, Alicia, in 2006. The two filed for divorce in 2007, the same year Duerson’s Highland Park home went into foreclosure.

Most recently he was hosting an Internet radio show and working as a consultant in Florida.

“Unfortunately, he has had some financial problems,” Ditka said. “I didn’t know he was having those kinds of problems. I’m sure that was probably the biggest thing. That can put a lot of pressure on you when things are going bad financially and you’re having family problems.”

The Bears issued the following statement: “We are stunned and saddened to hear the tragic news regarding Dave Duerson. He was a great contributor to our team and the Chicago community. Today is a difficult day for all of us who loved Dave. We’ll miss him. Our prayers are with his family.”

Duerson was a two-time All-American at Notre Dame.

“Our hearts go out to the Duerson family and to all those who knew Dave,” Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said in a statement. “In addition to being a great football player, Dave represented himself and the University in so many other ways as a team captain, as well as through his work with the Monogram Club and the Board of Trustees. You couldn’t help but be impressed by him when you met Dave Duerson, and I think that was the reaction from anyone who was ever around him.”

Duerson is survived by four children.

The family released this statement: “Our family asks that you please remember Dave as a good, kind and caring man. He loved and cherished his family and friends and was extremely proud of his beloved Notre Dame and Chicago Bears. Please keep Dave and our family in your prayers.”