Wayne’s Studio
However, Josephine wasn’t the only one who wanted to keep Wayne out of the war. The studio where the star was signed to through WWII was determined to keep him out of battle. That’s why Republic Pictures intervened when he was reclassified as eligible for combat.
A Lawsuit
The studio president Herbert J. Yates had spoken to Wayne about him serving in the war. He told the actor that he would be served a lawsuit as joining the army would breach their contract. To the studio, it was a matter of national interest.