8. John Wayne
Friends in high places will certainly get you far, and that was most definitely the case for Marion Mitchell Morrison, or should we say John Wayne. His signature walk and distinctive voice became the epitome of rugged masculinity from the 142 pictures he eventually starred in. He didn't step straight into the Academy Award ceremonies, however; in fact he'd originally wanted to play football. Unfortunately (or fortunately, in the end), he broke his collarbone, which saw him disqualified from his athletic scholarship. Without funds, he began applying for a tonne of jobs, and eventually landed a job as a prop boy at Fox studios. Over time, he became good friends with director John Ford, who got Wayne his first leading role in "Stagecoach". The rest, as they say, is history.