In 1956, the film "Lust for Life," directed by Vincente Minnelli and based on the life of the painter Vincent Van Gogh, narrated in the book by Irving Stone and starring Kirk Douglas, was released. At a party, after attending a private screening, Douglas sees John Wayne approaching with two glasses in hand. Wayne looks troubled and says to him, “Christ, Kirk, how do you manage to play a part like that? A suicidal artist! There are few of us left, damn it! Tough guys like us have an obligation to maintain that image! For the audience!” Kirk is surprised but tries to defend himself: “Hey John, I’m an actor. I enjoy playing interesting roles. It’s just fiction! It’s not real! You’re not really John Wayne, you know that, right?”