Pilar Pallete facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pilar Pallete
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Pallete in 1949
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| Born |
María del Pilar Pallete Alvarado
3 September 1928 Paita, Piura, Peru
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| Other names |
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| Education | Colegio Villa María |
| Occupation | Painter |
| Years active | 1950–present |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Richard Weldy
(m. 1950; annulment 1953)Stephen Stewart
(m. 1984; div. 1997)Jesse L. Upchurch
(m. 1998; div. 2010) |
| Children | 3, including Ethan Wayne |
| Relatives |
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María del Pilar Pallete Alvarado (born September 3, 1928), known as Pilar Pallete, is a Peruvian-American painter. She is also famous for her marriage to the legendary American actor John Wayne.
Contents
Early Life in Peru
Pilar Pallete was born in Paita, Peru. Her father, Miguel Ángel Pallete Cañote, was a Peruvian senator, which is a type of lawmaker for the country. She grew up in the city of Lima and went to a private school called Collegio Villa María.
As a teenager, Pilar was very independent. She began working at a young age for different airlines at the local airport. She greeted passengers and also worked as a flight attendant for a Peruvian airline.
Career in the Arts and Business
Pilar began her career in an English-speaking theater group in Peru. In 1953, she moved to Los Angeles, California, to work on a movie. She signed a contract with a film company co-owned by her future husband, John Wayne. She even had a small, uncredited role in his famous 1960 movie, The Alamo.
In the 1960s, Pilar opened an art studio in Corona Del Mar, California. She enjoyed serving coffee and snacks to her clients. This led to her opening a popular restaurant called Pilar's.
Writing and Painting
Pilar is also a talented author. In 1983, she published a cookbook called Pilar Wayne's Favorite and Fabulous Recipes. In 1987, she wrote a book about her life with John Wayne, titled John Wayne: My Life With the Duke. She wrote the book to share the real story of their life together with her children and the world.
Today, Pilar spends much of her time painting. She can paint for up to six hours a day. Her artwork is shown on her website and has been displayed in galleries around the world.
Personal Life
Pilar Pallete has been married four times. Her first marriage was to Richard Weldy in 1950, but it was annulled (declared invalid) in 1953.
Marriage to John Wayne
Pilar met the famous actor John Wayne in 1952 while he was in Peru looking for movie locations. They met again when she moved to Los Angeles the next year. They got married in Hawaii on November 1, 1954.
Pilar and John Wayne had three children together: Aissa, Ethan, and Marisa. Pilar also became a stepmother to John's four children from his first marriage. The family traveled a lot for John's movie roles. In 1962, Pilar officially became a U.S. citizen.
The family moved to Newport Beach, California, in 1965. Pilar was a big fan of tennis and encouraged her husband to build the John Wayne Tennis Club. Although they lived separately later in their marriage, they never divorced. They were still married when John Wayne passed away on June 11, 1979.
Pilar has five grandchildren, including Jennifer Wayne, who is part of the country music group Runaway June. In 2023, she said that she keeps her memories of John Wayne alive through her painting.
Later Marriages
After John Wayne's death, Pilar married Stephen Stewart in 1984. They divorced in 1997. In 1998, she married Jesse Upchurch, and they divorced in 2010.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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| 1953 | Sabotear en la selva | Dubbed in English | |
| 1960 | The Alamo | Alamo Woman | Uncredited |
See also
In Spanish: Pilar Pallete para niños
