Throughout his career John Wayne had difficulty learning his lines. From his first movies he had a gnome hidden down his pants to prompt him when he fumbled. This, it seems, is the real reason for the Duke's famous rolling, spraddle-legged walk which until now had been attributed to horse-riding. In another interesting insight, Gaylord points to the fact that gnomes are renowned for being smelly little bastards and, cooped up all day under studio lights in John Waynes pants, we can only imagine the pungent aromas that ensued. This may be why so many of Waynes movies had to be cowboy films shot out of doors and is perhaps the real reason why he became so associated with this genre.

In this rare picture it is just possible to see his long-time gnome helper taking a welcome breath of fresh air during a break from shooting. After Waynes death, it is understood that the Gnome forged a succesful career of his own as a  producer of Bruce Willis action movies.