'Big Jake' cast: Know all about the characters in the 70s John Wayne movie

Actor John Wayne has been known for many roles in Western films throughout the 20th century. One of those films is Big Jake, starring Richard Boone, Maureen O'Hara, Christopher Mitchum, Bruce Cabot, Bobby Vinton and John Wayne's son Patrick Wayne among many others. The plot of the movie focused on the McCandles family living on the border of Mexico and The United States of America that consist of Maureen McCandles and her three sons, Jeff, James and Michael, running a huge ranch.

When the notorious Fain Gang attacks the ranch and kidnaps Jeff's son Little Jake, they must find a way to safely bring the child back home. Maureen seeks the help of her estranged husband Big Jake to complete the task. The movie was helmed by George Sherman and produced by Michael Wayne. It went on to become a hit among the audience who gave it a score of 7.1 out of 10 stars on IMDb and a total score of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Meet the cast of Big Jake

John Wayne as Jacob McCandles as Big Jake 

Actor John Wayne played the role of Big Jake or Jacob McCandles in the star cast of Big Jake. He is a brave and well-known gunfighter in the West. He is known to wander in the area with his rough collie mix he named "Dog". When his wife seeks to get his help in rescuing her grandson, Jake agrees. He takes his sons along with him and devises a plan to save Little Jake. 

Patrick Wayne as James McCandles

John Wayne's son, Patrick Wayne plays James McCandles in the Big Jake cast. He is the oldest son of the McCandles family. When his nephew gets kidnapped, he jumps into action to try and find him. He agrees to help his estranged father to help them in finding the child even though he does not have a good relationship with Big Jake due to his absence from home. 

Christopher Mitchum as Michael McCandles

Michael McCandles is the youngest of the McCandles brothers. He is portrayed by Christopher Mitchum in the Big Jake cast. The character is shown as having more modern views than his father Big Jake. He gets excited when he gets to meet his father and goes on a rescue mission for his nephew with Big Jake. He uses the opportunity to spend quality time with his father and show off his skills as a sharpshooter. At the end of the movie, he becomes a pivotal character in helping Big Jake rescue Little Jake. 

Maureen O'Hara as Martha McCandles

The Big Jake characters include Maureen O'Hara as Martha McCandles. She becomes the head of the family once Big Jake leaves her and the family behind. She raises her sons and uses their help to run the ranch. When her grandson Little Jake is kidnapped by the Fain Gang she enlists the help of her former husband Big Jake and gives him a million dollars locked in a safe to take as ransom money. Little to the knowledge of her children, Martha removes the money from the box before they leave and replaces it with newspaper clippings. Other Big Jake characters include Ethan Wayne as Little Jake, Richard Boone as the leader of Fain Gang, Bruce Cabot as Sam Sharpnose and others in pivotal roles. The Fain Gang members are played by Glenn Corbett as Breed, Harry Carey Jr as Pop Dawson, Gregg Palmer as John Goodfellow and many others. 

• Image: Still from Big Jake