John Wayne Learned To Make Spaghetti From His Longtime Pal Dean Martin On The Set Of This 1965 Western Film

On an arid film set back in the mid 1960s, two of Hollywood's biggest tough guys took a break for a little cooking session, and thankfully we have photographs to commemorate the heartwarming moment between friends, as seen in this Getty Images picture. Dean Martin and John Wayne shared the silver screen on more than one occasion, first in 1959's "Rio Bravo" and then five or so years later in the hit Western flick "The Sons of Katie Elder." It was when filming the latter that Martin allegedly taught Wayne a thing or two about making a proper Italian pasta dish.

The 1965 Western depicted Martin and Wayne as estranged brothers, but the on-screen drama didn't translate into their trailer. The two put their guns and cowboy hats aside and spent time in the kitchen laughing over a pot of spaghetti. Wayne was a foodie by today's standards, with a range of favorite foods like cowboy steak and chili soufflé, but he was apparently a novice when it came to certain pastas. Who better to trust than an Italian?

Before Dean Martin was Dean Martin, he was Dino Paul Crocetti, the son of Italian immigrants living a humble life in Ohio. As one would expect, Italian dishes became the standard in Martin's diet, and while his mother's pasta fagioli was arguably his favorite, he had a soft spot for spaghetti. In fact, Vegas' beloved The Golden Steer Steakhouse has a Dean Martin-inspired spaghetti and meatballs recipe honoring his Italian heritage. 

There's no way to know just how much Martin allegedly taught John Wayne about Italian cooking, but the wholesome moment is fun to imagine, especially given their different backgrounds. Wayne may have been more of a steak kind of guy — with five U.S. steakhouses that he loved in particular — but there's always room for spaghetti.

Martin and Wayne were more than just co-stars, dedicating time on set to just kick back with Wayne's son, getting chummy on "The Dean Martin Show," and even vacationing together down the line. It was rare to see genuine affection between male friends, let alone in Hollywood, so even just a quick snapshot of buddies cooking pasta together had a huge impact.