At the 1979 Oscars, John Wayne uttered five words that stunned even his harshest critics.
When the lights dimmed inside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on April 9, 1979, a hush fell over Hollywood — not the polite quiet that precedes an awards segment, but a deep, collective silence filled with nostalgia, reverence, and a hint of fear. Every person in that grand room, from up-and-coming actors to the most seasoned…