Although his character in the film is named Duke Hudkins, John Wayne got his nickname "The Duke" long before. In his early teens living in Glendale, California, Wayne had a dog named Duke. They were so inseparable that family and friends called them Little Duke and Big Duke. For Wayne, who soon entered high school theatrical productions, the name stuck.
$250,000 was spent on advertising and at that time was one of the largest budgets ever used.
Final film of Nina Quartero.