re: Was John Wayne a good actor?

As others have said he could be great when he really wanted to be. As a younger actor he took some chances on different parts and was pretty darn good in them... but the movies tanked and nearly took his career with them.

So he took roles that he was fairly certain would play to his strengths and make money (yeah, the Genghis Khan one wasn't a great choice but you'll have that if you make that many movies).

The people that worked with him said he was a tremendous actor when he needed to be and that he was a complete professional. Wayne didn't miss a mark and always knew his lines. Some of the all time greats in Hollywood have praised Wayne, even though they likely had vastly different political beliefs.