Michael Wayne

Michael Wayne, the eldest son of late actor John Wayne who co-produced his father ' s films " The Green Berets " and " Chisum, " died Wednesday. He was 68.

Mr. Wayne died of heart failure at a Burbank hospital following complications from lupus, publicist Warren Cowan said.

He was the head of Wayne Enterprises, which owns many of his father ' s films. Distributing the movies occupied much of Mr. Wayne ' s time, along with real estate, investing and other enterprises such as merchandising his father ' s image.

The Wayne family actively supports cancer research, and Michael Wayne was chairman of the board of the John Wayne Cancer Institute at St. John ' s Health Center. John Wayne died of lung cancer in 1979.

As the oldest of John Wayne ' s seven children, Mr. Wayne had been in his father ' s shadow the longest of his siblings, saying in 1991 there were both advantages and drawbacks.

" The one thing I can say is that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages, " Mr. Wayne said. " I produced ' McClintock ' when I was 25 years old. I don ' t think if I wasn ' t John Wayne ' s son, I would have had that opportunity.

" It wasn ' t all smooth, working with my father; there were a lot of bumps along the way, both for him and me. But I wish he were still around so we could get in arguments. "

Among the films Mr. Wayne produced were " Brannigan " (1975), " The Green Berets " (1968), " Big Jake " (1971), " Cahill: U.S. Marshal " and " The Train Robbers " (both 1973).

In addition to overseeing his father ' s legacy, Mr. Wayne was a vice chairman of the trustees for the Motion Picture & Television Fund and was also on the board of directors of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mr. Wayne graduated from Loyola University of California in 1956 after studying business. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Program and attained the rank of staff sergeant.

Mr. Wayne is survived by his wife of 45 years, Gretchen; mother, Josephine Alicia Saenz; brothers, Patrick and Ethan Wayne; sisters, Melinda Ann Munoz, Aissa Maria Wayne and Marisa Carmela Wayne; five children; and two grandchildren.