Only Two Actors From True Grit (1969) Are Still Alive
It's been 56 years since True Grit hit theaters and became one of the defining Westerns of its era.
The 1969 film earned John Wayne his first and only Oscar and cemented the legacy of Charles Portis' novel on the big screen. But over half a century later, only two cast members from that original film are still with us.
And both of them left their mark.
Kim Darby
Kim Darby, now 77, was just 21 when she played Mattie Ross — the sharp, relentless teenager who hires Rooster Cogburn to hunt down her father's killer. Her performance helped anchor the entire movie. Darby went on to appear in Norwood, The Grissom Gang, and The Strawberry Statement, and scored a Primetime Emmy nomination for her role in the 1976 miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man.
She later popped up in a string of offbeat '80s comedies — Better Off Dead, Teen Wolf Too — and even played Laurie Strode's adoptive mom in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. Her last film credit was The Evil Within, released in 2017, though it had been filmed years earlier. These days, she lives quietly away from the spotlight.
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall, age 94, played outlaw Ned Pepper — a relatively brief role, but one that gave him an early showcase before his career took off like a rocket. After True Grit, Duvall appeared in MASH*, The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and dozens more. He's been nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning Best Actor for Tender Mercies in 1984.
His TV work in Lonesome Dove earned critical acclaim, and his roles in The Apostle and The Judge reminded everyone he wasn't slowing down. His most recent screen appearance was in the 2022 gothic mystery The Pale Blue Eye.
Here's a look back at some of the True Grit cast we've lost over the years:
- John Wayne (Rooster Cogburn) – Died June 11, 1979, age 72, from stomach cancer.
- Glen Campbell (La Boeuf) – Died August 8, 2017, age 81, after a long battle with Alzheimer's.
- Dennis Hopper (Moon) – Died May 29, 2010, age 74, from prostate cancer.
- Jeremy Slate (Emmett Quincy) – Died November 19, 2006, age 80, from complications after surgery for esophageal cancer.
While most of the cast has passed on, the legacy of True Grit lives through its influence — and through the two performers who are still here to remember it firsthand.