James Caan was 27 when cast as knife-throwing gambler Mississippi in Howard Hawks’ first remake of Rio Bravo, El Dorado.

Co-starring opposite John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in the 1966 Western was a massive deal and over the years he’s shared some shocking stories of the shenanigans and at times fiery altercations he had with Duke.

Acting opposite Wayne meant that Caan, who was the same height as Tom Cruise at 5ft 7in, had to wear three-inch lifts next to the towering Western legend. The…