Gregory Peck’s Shocking Hatred: The Hollywood Feuds That Shaped His Legacy

Gregory Peck, the Hollywood icon known for his portrayal of moral heroes like Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, was widely admired for his integrity, calm demeanor, and virtuous on-screen persona. However, beneath the surface of the man who symbolized virtue in an industry rife with excess and scandal, lay a boiling resentment towards some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. And it was this profound disdain that would eventually unravel his composure, pushing him to his breaking point with the industry he had once conquered.

Peck’s journey in Hollywood wasn’t all about polished charm and heroic roles. The calm, composed actor, beloved by millions, would go on to have some of the most explosive feuds the film world had ever seen. His relationships with Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Richard Burton, John Wayne, and Kirk Douglas would define a dark chapter in the golden age of cinema—one where the veneer of fame and success barely concealed the real anger simmering behind the scenes.

The Early Seeds of Resentment: Marlon Brando and the Chaos of The Missouri Breaks

The first crack in Gregory Peck’s professional armor came during the production of The Missouri Breaks, a film that nearly fell apart due to Marlon Brando’s erratic behavior. Despite assurances from the producers that Brando had matured, the method-acting legend proved otherwise upon arriving on set with a suitcase full of liquor, three snakes, and a toy piano that he claimed was his “emotional energy transfer tool.”

For Peck, a man of unwavering discipline and professionalism, Brando’s chaos was the final straw. While Peck meticulously reviewed scripts and arrived early on set, Brando would stroll in late, often well after the rest of the crew had begun working. His eccentric antics, like claiming he would act in “the color blue” or performing scenes with live pigeons, enraged the usually unflappable Peck.

But it wasn’t just Brando’s offbeat behavior—it was the complete disregard for the craft and the disruption it caused that finally pushed Peck to the edge. After a particularly disastrous day on set, during which Brando’s incomprehensible performance nearly destroyed a key scene, Peck approached the director, his voice trembling. “I need to see a psychiatrist,” he said.

Brando, unfazed by Peck’s emotional breakdown, simply laughed and smoked a cigarette, giving no sign of remorse. This moment of tension, where two vastly different approaches to acting clashed, marked the beginning of Peck’s disillusionment with Hollywood.

Frank Sinatra: The Unbearable Disrespect of Captain Newman, MD

After Brando, another storm hit Peck’s life in the form of Frank Sinatra. During the filming of Captain Newman, MD, Sinatra’s reckless attitude towards professionalism nearly pushed Peck to his breaking point. Sinatra, an iconic singer-turned-actor, often showed up late to set, reeking of alcohol, and demanding special treatment because of his fame. For a man like Gregory Peck, whose very identity was tied to discipline and focus, Sinatra’s antics were nothing short of infuriating.

In one particularly egregious moment, Sinatra disrupted a crucial scene by whistling and spitting on the floor while Peck was fully immersed in his role. Peck, the epitome of control, shot Sinatra a cold stare and replied, “This isn’t a nightclub, Frank. We’re making a movie.” Sinatra, with a smirk, shot back, “Then go make the movie yourself.” The silent war between the two stars escalated quickly, with Peck refusing to work with Sinatra again, despite their undeniable chemistry on screen.

Even years later, when asked about his experience with Sinatra, Peck’s bitterness was evident. “Frank was talented, but absolutely unbearable,” he remarked coolly.

Richard Burton: The Mockery That Cut Deep

Richard Burton, a man known for his larger-than-life persona, didn’t hold back when it came to mocking Gregory Peck’s virtuous image. At a Beverly Hills party, Burton, already a celebrated star, sneered at Peck, loudly declaring, “Gregory Peck isn’t an actor. He’s a human rights speech wrapped in an expensive suit.” To Burton, Peck’s adherence to discipline and moral righteousness was a façade that mocked his own chaotic, flawed existence.

Their rivalry was further fueled when Peck was offered a film role that Burton would also star in. Upon reading the script, Peck famously refused, citing he couldn’t work with “an arrogant fool like him.” The project was swiftly canceled, but the bitterness between the two remained. Burton later admitted in an interview, “I hate Gregory Peck to my core,” calling him a “lie” and lamenting that Peck’s image of moral purity mocked his own more anarchic approach to life.

Even after Burton’s death in 1984, when asked if Peck had any regrets, his response was chilling: “No, he deserved it.”

John Wayne: The Political Divide That Could Never Be Bridged

But the most public of Gregory Peck’s battles occurred with the ultimate American hero, John Wayne. Their feud was not just about acting but about a stark political divide. Wayne, a staunch supporter of the Vietnam War and the embodiment of rugged American patriotism, openly criticized Peck, calling him a “moralizing weakling.” Meanwhile, Peck was a vocal advocate for peace and civil rights, making their ideological differences impossible to ignore.

Their infamous exchange at a Hollywood party in 1971 cemented their rivalry. Wayne, who had been drinking heavily, mocked Peck’s principles, suggesting that if the world were full of men like him, “we’d have lost before the first shot was fired.” Peck, without missing a beat, stood up and retorted, “And if America were full of men like you, we’d never know what peace is.”

Despite their shared history in Hollywood, the two men never worked together and avoided each other at every opportunity. Even in their later years, when asked about each other, they would exchange nothing but cold, silent contempt. When Wayne passed away in 1979, Peck sent his condolences but refused to attend the funeral, sealing their feud for all time.

Kirk Douglas: The Final Silent Battle

Kirk Douglas, another giant of Hollywood, would go on to challenge Gregory Peck in a way few others could. Douglas, with his raw, defiant performances, despised Peck’s stoic morality. The two men, whose careers had run parallel but in vastly different directions, shared a deep, simmering rivalry that remained largely unspoken but deeply felt.

Douglas famously remarked that Peck was “stiff as a board,” insinuating that he was all style and no substance. In 1963, when Peck won the Oscar for To Kill a Mockingbird, Douglas could be heard muttering from the back row, “If he were really Atticus Finch, Hollywood wouldn’t be drowning in hypocrisy.” Peck’s icy response was to do nothing—simply turn and glance at Douglas, letting the silence speak volumes.

Years later, as Douglas’ career continued to be marked by defiant roles and controversial statements, Peck remained the unflappable gentleman, his reputation untarnished by scandal. Yet, even with time and age softening the edges of their rivalry, Douglas would later admit to a reporter, “Gregory was the man I resented, envied, and in the end, wished I could be.”

The Unshakable Gregory Peck: Hollywood’s Last Moral Icon

Throughout all of his feuds, Gregory Peck never deviated from the moral high ground. He remained Hollywood’s embodiment of integrity, professionalism, and composure. Yet, it was this very image that provoked such ire in the men who clashed with him. Whether it was Brando’s chaos, Sinatra’s arrogance, Burton’s mockery, Wayne’s political hostility, or Douglas’ bitter rivalry, all of them sought to tear down the statue of virtue that Gregory Peck had built around himself.

In the end, Gregory Peck stood as the last bastion of Hollywood’s golden age—a man who refused to compromise his principles, even when surrounded by chaos, alcohol, and scandal. His legacy, though defined by discipline and honor, was also shaped by the wars he fought silently behind the scenes.