John Wayne Had A Famous On-Set Ritual Involving This Kitchen Item

John Wayne's legacy sometimes manifests in unexpectedly culinary ways. You'd never imagine a casserole named after the classic movie star, but it exists, and the legend himself seemingly supplied the recipe. His connection to another kitchen fixture, mugs, is perhaps an even more endearing one. At the end of a film project, he would gift each cast and crew member a ceramic mug with a striking gold handle — a keepsake to show his appreciation for the team. The ritual spanned 25 years and continued until the iconic cowboy's last project, the 1976 film "The Shootist."

The process began as each film neared wrap-up. Wayne's secretary, Mary St. John, would compile a list of everyone who was to receive the memento. Each cup got a personalized message, often the recipient's name, followed by "from Duke" (Wayne's long-standing pet name). The mugs also featured custom art commemorating the film.

Over the years, the crews of some 43 movies received these cups, resulting in repeated collaborators, like stuntman Terry Leonard, accumulating multiple pieces. "I had [the mugs] specially hooked up to the bottom of my mantle so that even if there's an earthquake, they won't fall. I want them to survive even if nothing else does," Leonard told John Wayne Enterprises. Equally precious in sentimental and monetary value, these cups have sold at film memorabilia auctions for thousands of dollars. In 2025, a mug Wayne bestowed upon the crew of his 1973 western "The Train Robbers" fetched a record-setting $57,500.

The first film whose cast and crew John Wayne gifted with commemorative mugs, "Flying Leathernecks," is the same one that inspired the ritual. The signature gold-handled pieces, emblazoned with the logo of the movie's aviation unit, "VMF 247 Wildcats," feature prominently throughout the 1951 film. Per one anecdote shared via John Wayne Mugs, the keepsakes started getting nicked on set, forcing the team to order an emergency batch of 200 pieces.

This first set of commemorative mugs the Duke distributed featured the same logo as those seen in the film. For subsequent gifts, Wayne commissioned local artists for film-inspired artwork, sometimes even sketching the initial drawings himself. This tradition of acknowledging everyone on the film's crew could stem from Wayne's humble pre-stardom roots and the time he spent working as a prop boy. Recipients deeply appreciated the recognition, with some likening the mugs to awards.

Given Wayne's long history with these items, plus the fact that cowboys in the Old West actually drank coffee, it's unsurprising that you can now enjoy a cuppa supplied by the John Wayne-inspired Gold Handle Coffee Company. You can also buy replica mugs, including official ones (when in stock), from John Wayne Stock and Supply. The eponymous aces in "Flying Leathernecks" used their golden-eared cups for everything from coffee to beer. However, we suggest you savor yours (if you can get your hands on one) as a cinematic memento and use a different mug to make your mac and cheese.