John Wayne – 72 – Cancer

The quintessential “tough guy” of 20th-century cinema, John Wayne was born in Iowa and had a prominent college football career at USC before an injury ended his athletic prospects. His injury led him to the perfect career for him though! Starting with Stagecoach, Wayne appeared in over 80 Westerns and more than 142 movies in total. John Wayne (who was also known by the nickname Duke), spent his later years in a deluxe house in Newport Beach, California. He died of cancer at age 72 in 1979, with a net worth of $50 million, according to sources.