How did you decide to use Ricky Nelson [for “Rio Bravo”]?

I saw Ricky Nelson on a number of TV shows, so I asked his father to send me some of his very latest stuff. I liked it and sent him a script. His father said he liked the script and that was it. We just put him in.

You gave him [Montgomery] Clift's old mannerism from Red River of rubbing the nose with his index finger.

We did anything we could to help him. For two or three days I even shot scenes I didn't need.

Just to relax him?

Yes. And after a few days I thought he did quite well. I imagine it added about a million and a half to the picture's gross. Over in Japan, Ricky Nelson's picture in the ads was in the middle—Wayne and Martin were smaller on the side. We happened to catch him just at the height of his popularity. When we went to a bullfight in Tucson during the shooting, they paid very little attention to Wayne—they just watched Rick Nelson. I think he's OK.

Not exactly Montgomery Clift, but ...

Oh, my God, no, but you can't find those around every corner.

-- Howard Hawks and Peter Bogdanovich in “Who the Devil Made It: Conversations with Legendary Film Directors.”