Sighting a Star at Sunrise

by Charles Chupp

from The Messenger November/December 1998

   Ticky Brown, his wife Ruthie and their two children vacationed out west back in 1960.  The Brown’s sons Larry and Billy took a friend along on that memorable trip to take in the delights of Disneyland, which was surely the eighth wonder of the world 30 years ago.

    A trip to Yosemite National Park was next on the schedule , and the party of five wound up in Lone Pine, California as daylight began to fail.  The Browns decided to call it a day, and pulled into a handy motel to spend the night.

   When Ticky went into the motel office to arrange for a room, he thought he recognized a man just outside the office.  He couldn’t put a name to him at first, but it turned out that he’d just seen Stewart Granger, the movie star.  The registration clerk made the ID for Ticky, and Ticky asked what on earth a movie star was doing  in Lone Pine, California.

     “They’re making a movie out here,” the clerk said.  “John Wayne  is here, too.  The movie will be called “North to Alaska,”I think.”

     Of course, Ticky alerted the family, but they did not spot any more stars.  They were disappointed, of course, but they bedded down and got a good night’s rest.

   Ticky was up before sunrise loading the car for the trip home when the door to the room next door opened and the Duke emerged.  His big black hat was on his head and a khaki jacket was thrown across his left shoulder. He was obviously on his way to the movie set.

   Now Ticky has always been a shy person, so he called Ruthie to come out.  She was not shy at all under most circumstances, but when she saw the familiar retreating figure, she could not speak a word.  Ticky managed.  “Mr. Wayne,” he croaked.

    John Wayne turned, smiled and came back with his hand extended.  Ruthie got her voice back.  She chattered like a magpie and John Wayne listened attentively and smiled.  She was, naturally, generous in her praise of the Duke and in awe of his stardom and willingness to stop and visit with the “little people.”

   “If I’m a star,”  Wayne reminded, “it’s because people like you have made me one.  I’m the one who should be grateful---and I am.”

    To that family, he came across as a genuinely humble man.  The visit was a good half hour long.

   The sun made its appearance and Ticky asked Wayne if he’d object to posing for a picture with the family.  The resulting response is shown here.

    This occurred 38 years ago, and Ticky Brown still consider that chance meeting a high point in his life.

    Ticky Brown, a De Leon native who played for the Bearcats and for a while after World War II operated a  tailor shop located on the south side of East Reynosa just west of the alley between Texas and Houston.  After he retired he settled back in De Leon. 

    De Leon’s then University of Texas students John Neel, Dennis Otwell, Nancy Weaver Brown, Jerry Morgan and Sheri Shelby Morgan and Phil Tate all saw John Wayne in person in September 1966 when he appeared on the sidelines of the Texas-U.S.C. game.  O.J. Simpson played in that game.

Photo of John Wayne with Billy Brown, Larry Brown Jay Gibson and Ruthie Brown.

DANCING WITH THE STARS---JOHN WAYNE