Batjac Productions
Encyclopedia
Batjac Productions is an independent film production company founded by John Wayne
in the early 1950s as a vehicle for Wayne to produce as well as star in movies. Its first release was Big Jim McLain
with Warner Brothers in 1952, and its final film was also with Warner Brothers, McQ
, in 1974. Today, Gretchen Wayne, wife of the actor’s late son, Michael Wayne
, who managed and owned the company for over 30 years before his death in 2003, is its owner and president.
founded Batjac in 1952 as Wayne/Fellows Productions. When Fellows left the company several years later, Wayne re-named the corporation after a fictitious trading company mentioned in the 1948
film Wake of the Red Witch
. The company name in Wake of the Red Witch
was spelled Batjak, but Wayne's secretary misspelled it as Batjac on the corporation papers, and Wayne let it stand. Having his own company gave Wayne artistic control over the films he made.
Among Batjac's productions: The Alamo
, Hondo
, Cahill U.S. Marshal
, Big Jake
, McLintock!
, The Green Berets
, Seven Men from Now
, and Brannigan
.
The most famous of all Batjac's films is Wayne's 1960 version of The Alamo, a project he had planned for several years. It was an account of the battle of the Alamo
during the Texas Revolution of 1836. A labor of love for Wayne, The Alamo cost Wayne much of his personal fortune.
and United Artists
, Batjac was allowed to retain all rights to four Wayne films: the WB-distributed The High and the Mighty
, Hondo
, and Island in the Sky
, and the UA-distributed McLintock!
. It also held full copyright ownership in several non-John Wayne movies, Seven Men From Now, Man in the Vault, Ring of Fear, Plunder of the Sun, Track of the Cat, China Doll, Escort West and Gun the Man Down.
After Wayne's death, his son Michael assumed full ownership and managed the company for over 30 years. He meticulously managed the release pattern of his films and restored Hondo and McLintock! in the early 1990s for release on VHS and television. His passion was to restore the other two films, but water damage to the original elements made it impossible during his lifetime. Taking advantage of the new digital restoration processes, Michael's widow Gretchen restored these films in 2004 and released them through a distribution deal with Paramount Pictures
in 2005.
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
in the early 1950s as a vehicle for Wayne to produce as well as star in movies. Its first release was Big Jim McLain
Big Jim McLain
Big Jim McLain is a 1952 political thriller film starring John Wayne and James Arness as HUAC investigators hunting down communists in the post-war Hawaii organized labor scene. Edward Ludwig directed....
with Warner Brothers in 1952, and its final film was also with Warner Brothers, McQ
McQ
McQ is a 1974 crime drama starring John Wayne, Eddie Albert, Diana Muldaur, and Colleen Dewhurst. The film made extensive use of actual Seattle locations. The beach scenes were filmed on the Pacific coast at Moclips.The film features a young Roger E...
, in 1974. Today, Gretchen Wayne, wife of the actor’s late son, Michael Wayne
Michael Wayne
Michael Anthony Morrison was an American film producer and actor, and the eldest son of legendary Hollywood actor John Wayne and his first wife, Josephine Alicia Saenz.-Biography:...
, who managed and owned the company for over 30 years before his death in 2003, is its owner and president.
About the company
Wayne and producer Robert FellowsRobert Fellows
Robert Fellows or Robert M. Fellows was an American film producer who was once a production partner with John Wayne and later Mickey Spillane.-Biography:...
founded Batjac in 1952 as Wayne/Fellows Productions. When Fellows left the company several years later, Wayne re-named the corporation after a fictitious trading company mentioned in the 1948
1948 in film
The year 1948 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Laurence Olivier's Hamlet becomes the first British film to win the American Academy Award for Best Picture.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :...
film Wake of the Red Witch
Wake of the Red Witch
Wake of the Red Witch is a 1948 drama film from Republic Pictures starring John Wayne and Gail Russell, produced by Edmund Grainger, and based upon the novel by Garland Roark...
. The company name in Wake of the Red Witch
Wake of the Red Witch
Wake of the Red Witch is a 1948 drama film from Republic Pictures starring John Wayne and Gail Russell, produced by Edmund Grainger, and based upon the novel by Garland Roark...
was spelled Batjak, but Wayne's secretary misspelled it as Batjac on the corporation papers, and Wayne let it stand. Having his own company gave Wayne artistic control over the films he made.
Among Batjac's productions: The Alamo
The Alamo (1960 film)
The Alamo is a 1960 American historical epic released by United Artists. The film was directed by John Wayne, who also starred as Davy Crockett. The cast also includes Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie and Laurence Harvey as William B...
, Hondo
Hondo
-Places:*Rio Hondo, the name of several locations*Hondo, Texas, a city in the United States*Hondo, New Mexico*Hondo, Kumamoto, a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan: old name for the main Japanese island of Honshū-Fiction:...
, Cahill U.S. Marshal
Cahill U.S. Marshal
Cahill U.S. Marshal is a 1973 American Western film in Technicolor. It stars John Wayne as a driven lawman in a black hat. The movie was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and filmed on location in Durango, Mexico.-Plot:...
, Big Jake
Big Jake (film)
Big Jake is a 1971 Western film, filmed on location in Durango, Mexico, starring John Wayne and directed by George Sherman.Big Jake was released to box-office success and generally-positive critical reviews, despite a mixed reaction by John Wayne fans....
, McLintock!
McLintock!
McLintock! is a 1963 comedy Western starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, and loosely based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The film is notable, perhaps even infamous, for its two spanking scenes, in which mother and daughter are each paddled with coal shovels: the daughter by her...
, The Green Berets
The Green Berets (film)
The Green Berets is a 1968 war film featuring John Wayne, George Takei, David Janssen, Jim Hutton and Aldo Ray, nominally based on the eponymous 1965 book by Robin Moore, though the screenplay has little relation to the book....
, Seven Men from Now
Seven Men from Now
Seven Men from Now is a 1956 Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and produced by John Wayne's Batjac Productions.-Plot summary:Ben Stride walks into an encampment in the desert at night during a rainstorm. He encounters two men taking shelter next to a fire and asks to join them...
, and Brannigan
Brannigan
Pages referring to Brannigan include*Brannigan - Doctor Who character from "Gridlock"*Brannigan - a 1975 film starring John Wayne*Francis Brannigan - fire service construction educator...
.
The most famous of all Batjac's films is Wayne's 1960 version of The Alamo, a project he had planned for several years. It was an account of the battle of the Alamo
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar . All but two of the Texian defenders were killed...
during the Texas Revolution of 1836. A labor of love for Wayne, The Alamo cost Wayne much of his personal fortune.
The "Lost" Wayne films
Because of a production/distribution deal with Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
, Batjac was allowed to retain all rights to four Wayne films: the WB-distributed The High and the Mighty
The High and the Mighty (film)
The High and the Mighty is a 1954 American "disaster" film directed by William A. Wellman and written by Ernest K. Gann who also wrote the novel on which his screenplay was based. The film's cast was headlined by John Wayne, who was also the project's co-producer...
, Hondo
Hondo (film)
Hondo is a movie that was made in 1953 by 3-D Warnercolor western film starring John Wayne, directed by John Farrow. The screenplay is based on the 1952 short story "The Gift of Cochise" by Louis L'Amour...
, and Island in the Sky
Island in the Sky (1953 film)
Island in The Sky is a 1953 American aviation adventure/drama film written by Ernest K. Gann based on his 1944 novel of the same name, directed by William A. Wellman, and starring and co-produced by John Wayne. It was released by Warner Bros...
, and the UA-distributed McLintock!
McLintock!
McLintock! is a 1963 comedy Western starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, and loosely based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The film is notable, perhaps even infamous, for its two spanking scenes, in which mother and daughter are each paddled with coal shovels: the daughter by her...
. It also held full copyright ownership in several non-John Wayne movies, Seven Men From Now, Man in the Vault, Ring of Fear, Plunder of the Sun, Track of the Cat, China Doll, Escort West and Gun the Man Down.
After Wayne's death, his son Michael assumed full ownership and managed the company for over 30 years. He meticulously managed the release pattern of his films and restored Hondo and McLintock! in the early 1990s for release on VHS and television. His passion was to restore the other two films, but water damage to the original elements made it impossible during his lifetime. Taking advantage of the new digital restoration processes, Michael's widow Gretchen restored these films in 2004 and released them through a distribution deal with Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
in 2005.