John Wayne (9 page)

Aissa at one year (1957)

Aissa at six months (1956)

Aissa at age two (1958)

On her second birthday with her father (1958)

Aissa with her mother, Pilar, at home in Encino (1958)

With Pilar and a new bike, Christmas 1958

John Wayne rose every morning before five-thirty, wired by energy and caffeine – he found satisfaction in a long, hard day's work (1960)

John (clutching a cocktail) with Aissa on the grounds of their five and a half-acre estate in Encino (1961)

John, Aissa, and Pilar in 1959. He loved being surrounded by loved ones.

Aissa's seventh birthday (1963)

Aissa was rarely allowed to play outside with other children out of fear of kidnapping. Her birthday parties were the exception to this rule (1963)

Flocks of multicolored balloons, merry-go-rounds, airplane rides, and live animals were birthday highlights (1963)

John Wayne staged this photo of Aissa (with cigarette) and Pilarsita (daughter of the Waynes' housekeeper) playing chess – John's favorite pastime (1963)

As a child, Aissa felt a constant need to be near her father (1963)