"I'm walking to the set with John Wayne, and he's holding the Carson City newspaper. And he says, 'Why the...
did he have to say that?'" Howard recalled.
The published article included a provocative quote from the director regarding his working relationship with the star.
"They say John Wayne eats directors for breakfast.
If he takes a bite out of me, he's going to get indigestion," Siegel said in the newspaper.
The public comment exacerbated the ongoing fallout between both figures for the remainder of production.
"It upset Duke, and it just got worse," Howard said.
Despite the volatile environment on set, Howard credited the overall experience with teaching him crucial directorial lessons.
"Siegel made a really good film, and I learned a lot from him.
On the other hand, there were some days where he and John Wayne were really at loggerheads," Howard said.
Howard noted that he maintained positive individual ties with both Wayne and Siegel, as reported by People.
"And I was getting along with both of them separately, just fine," Howard told Ben Mankiewicz's 'Talking Pictures' podcast.
The young actor took advantage of the star's isolated routine on set, which included playing chess with a photographer friend in a small private bubble.
"He had a couple of people: a guy he would play chess with, who was the still photographer who had worked with him on a lot of films.
But it was a very closed little bubble that he was operating in," Howard said.
