Another mason to follow family tradition, John Wayne was raised as a mason in July 1970, at Marion McDaniel Lodge 56 as his father had been before him. He was also very politically active, and at one point was asked to run for office on behalf of the Republican party. He declined, but supported his friend and fellow actor Ronald Reagan in his bid to become Governor of California. Wayne was never shy of controversy, believing in white supremacy and claiming that the American settlers had done no wrong when taking the Native Americans’ land. He was also a member of the ultra right-wing John Birch Society for a while. So he was both prominent and powerful – no wonder the masons welcomed him into their society at the end of his life.