Ford's four Academy Awards for Best Director (1935, 1940, 1941, 1952) are a record but he missed out in 1939 for Stagecoach. His behaviour on set angered Wayne, who said of the director "I was so f--king mad I wanted to kill him". Ford kept baiting Wayne during filming, yelling at one point: "Don't you know how to walk? You're as clumsy as a hippo. And stop slurring your dialogue and show some expression. You look like a poached egg." Privately Ford said of Wayne at the time: "He'll be the biggest star ever"

John Ford called John Wayne 'a poached egg'