How Did You Become A John Wayne Fan?

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  • Yes, I'd have to say that I too watched westerns with my family mostly on the weekends. I was 9 when John Wayne passed away. I always looked forward to see one of his movies on t.v.. I too never had cable t.v. until maybe 6 years ago. I live out in the sticks so it's still fascinating to me to see all of the different programs. The computer also didn't come into my home until 4years ago. I just think it is so neat to be able to communicate with other Wayne fans.
    Little Duke

  • I just remember simply growing up watching his movies on TV after Church on Sunday afternoons and stuff like that. Sometimes seeing him on Laugh In or whatever and my granddad was a big fan too. The one that sticks out in my mind as like the first one I can remeber vividly seeing was War Wagon and one of my personal favorites Eldorado and of course my names sake! Rio Bravo... :D


    ----------------------------
    "When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk..."

  • I grew up watching the Duke of the great screen. My father who was a commercial pilot wasn't home all the time. But when he did come home, if a Wayne movie was on at the theater, we HAD to go see it. I only remember seeing a few pics like "The Shootist", which we saw up at Brigaham City, Utah, where dad was stationed, when we went to visit him.


    The earliest movie I remember was "Circus World". We went to a drive-in to see that one. About an hour into the movie, I fell asleep in the back seat, after all, I was really young then.


    When the VCR came to the household, my father asked me to tape the movies for him when they come on if he wasn't home. Dad had a large collection by the time of his death in the early 90's.


    I started collecting his films for myself around the 80's. John Wayne and my father were a lot alike. Both are big and a bit weather beaten, but well loved by all. I just hope that I'm like them both.


    [SIZE=3]"Here's to you Duke, untill we meet again."[/SIZE]

  • OK, I know I "brought this to the top" recently, but we have lost any of the newest replies, and I hope some who posted will please post again (Arthur and Popol Vuh, are you hearing me :rolleyes: ?). There are many others who have joined since August of last year (Chilibill, Stumpy, SXViper . . . too many to remember again . . . :blink: . . . but you know who you are . . . ).


    So please . . . tell us how you came to be a fan of the Duke!


    Mrs. C :angel1:

  • [ATTACH]14]


    Hi Mrs C


    With the crash this week and in response your request to repeat how we became John Wayne fans here goes.


    I have been a fan of John Wayne for as long as I have been watching films and that is from the late 1940s.


    We used to go the cinema every Sunday night, to the Shaftsbury the local cheap cinema that never showed new pictures , alway ones that were a few months old, lot of Joun Wayne pictures. And during the summer holidays most of te time was spent at the cinema, with Saturday mornings at the Gaumont Saturday Cinema Club.


    My first memories of John Wayne were The Fighting Kentuckian and Wake of the Red Witch, and I still retain a very soft spot for these pictures. Then Island n the Sky, and one night going to the Troxy, which at the time, was the only cinema in town showing Cinemascope pictures, to see The High and The Mighty, I even went and bought the record of the theme music by Norrie Paramour on a 78, and up to a couple of months ago thought I still had it, but its gone.


    In the late fifties I went to the Gaumont to see a special screening of Red River and came out having seen one of my all time favourite John Wayne pictures. Then my mum told me about the fight scene in the Quiet Man, and lo and behold when it came back to the good old Shaftsbury, off I went and saw my all time favourite John Wayne picture.


    Since then with the invention of the video I have managed to see and collect many of his earlier films especially his work for Monogram.


    Later I used to write to a man in Canada whose uncle was the cowboy star Rod Cameron and he put me on to someone he knew who had John Wayne tapes.


    The amazing thing was I sent him one letter telling him I was interested, he sent back ten video tapes, that could play on English television, containing films such as Hangman's House, Salute Men Without Women, many of the three Mesquiteer series The High and the Mighty and Island in the Sky. seventeen in all, with no question of payment. There ar'nt many people like him around.


    From Bill Cameron I also got the address of the stunt man Neil Summers. I wrote to him and he sent me a couple of autographed photographs. As I opened one I realised it was a photograph of Neil standing next to John Wayne and both had been signed. Just for a brief second I thought that all my Christmas's had come at once but looking I realised that the photo including Dukes signature was a print . But Neils signature was real and I still treasure it.


    Tis pen picture is slightly different from the original but there it is.



    Regards



    Arthur

  • I cant say I was a big fan growing up...but I never turned a John Wayne movie off in the middle.
    I guess I became a fan after I saw True Grit and realized that I've become like Rooster Cogburn myself!
    "Fill your hands you son of a bitch!"
    God I love that movie! Big Jake is another one of my favorites.

  • Ok you ask for it! It was in the late 1930s in Phoenix, Arizona, and as young kids we would go to the Saturday movies at the old Fox Movie Theater in down town Phoenix. In those days there would be Two main Movies, a Serial like Flash Gordon, and the News of the day. Some times we would sit thru them at least two times. This was long before T.V. and the Computer.


    Some time in 1939 there was a Big Promo drive on a new film that was shot in Monument Valley that was about 200 miles north of Phoenix as the bird flys. The name of the Film was "Stagecoach" and was to have as one of the Stars "John Wayne" that we had seen in the B-Westerns many times before at the old Fox Theater. When the movie came we made a big thing of going to the movie because we had gone on a camping trip to Monument Valley a year before and wanted to see all the places at the movies, that we had seen before in person. Duke played The Ringo Kid and from that time on that was who I wanted to be, I was about 9 years old. That movie made John Wayne a Big Star.


    Some 10 years later I was to work in 4 of the Duke's films that were done in Northern Arizona at Sedona, Monument Valley and Moab Ut. as a Extra and Handyman. And then about 25 years later to spend 3 days with him in Northern California! So I think you could say that I have been a "Duke Fan" for about 65 years. Chilibill :cowboy::fear2: :D

  • I can't remember not being a Duke fan...for me he was always kind of there! Growing up in Texas around cattle ranches and rodeos I've always been a Western fan, and I always liked John Wayne westerns the best; I would watch his old movies on TV and got to see his last westerns, from "The Cowboys" to "The Shootist" when they were new. As a kid, all my friends were getting into Star Wars, and various action heroes. They did nothing for me; to me The Duke always was and always will be the coolest! Of course my dad had a lot to do with that... he always reminded me of The Duke...just a shorter (but tougher) version!

  • My father has taught me many things, and in some I have become even better than he. My love for John Wayne is an excellent example. I am a person who quotes movies all the time, and one of the oldest quotes I remembered was "Everything happens to me and now I've been shot by a child!" I did not realize I was quoting True Grit, so young was I when I first saw it I had forgotten all but that line. I have wanted to rewatch True Grit and see Rooster Cogburn for many moons now. I would have to say that my favorite JW movie is The Searchers, but McLintock! is a lot of fun. (I own both those.)


    -CClemens B)

    Now, what of The Good things in our lives
    About the men who love their wives,
    Who take their kids when they go fishin',
    And spend their workin' days just wishin'
    To make things better?

  • CClements,


    I'd like to welcome you to the great message board in the world that honors a great legend, John Wayne! That's a pretty good quote even though it didn't come from Rooster (Duke) Cogburn. This came from Cheney after he was shot from that child. Anyway, this is a good quote, and I hope you get to see that movie very soon. Again, welcome and glad to have you here. I see that you've been signed up for a while. That's alright. I just wanted to officially say, "Howdy Pilgrim."


    Cheers B)



    Quote

    "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it"

    - John Wayne quote

  • CClemens,


    We'd like to join Hondo in welcoming you to the John Wayne Message Board, the best of its kind on the 'Net! You find yourself among a group of friendly, highly knowledgeable folks.


    How old were you when you started watching the Duke with your Dad (is he still around)? Our youngest son was about three years old (he's eight now), and he used to strut around with an oversized Stetson, telling people, "I a cowboy, I John Wayne!"


    Anyway, we just wanted to say "Howdy!" and also thank you for letting us know a little about yourself. We hope you decide to hang around!


    Chester :newyear: and the Mrs. :angel1:

  • You don't become a John Wayne fan you are just naturally born that way don't fight it go with it . It's one hell of an experience! :jump:

    NOT THE BRANDY YOU DOPE!

  • Hi Johnwayneabe


    Welcome to the John Wayne Message Board. I guess your probably right it seems that John Wayne fans arrive early and it lasts for all their lives.
    I hope you keep posting.
    Love the signiture it's like Gone With The Wind.


    Regards


    Arthur

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • When I was a kid, the only John Wayne movie I really watched was "The Alamo." This was back when local tv stations played a movie each weeknight. I liked the movie, but wasn't what you would call a fan. I do remember sitting in front of the tv the day he died. I was surprised, even at age 8--that the legendary Duke had died. It would be fifteen years before I became hooked on the Duke's films, life and times. "El Dorado" was the movie that did it for me, and I haven't looked back. I find myself obsessed with the 1940s-1960s era in general. The time from WWII up to the late 1960s really fascinates me.

    "Day off?"
    "Off day."

  • El Dorado is one of my very favorites as well! My brother and I even went so far as to memorize the poem by Poe.


    I started watching the Duke at what must have been a young age... but I don't remember when. It wasn't that long ago time wise, maybe ten or so years. Yep, Pop's still around. We still watch the Duke together when we can.


    Yes, if you haven't figured it out, I'm still not yet twenty. :D

    Now, what of The Good things in our lives
    About the men who love their wives,
    Who take their kids when they go fishin',
    And spend their workin' days just wishin'
    To make things better?

  • Hi CClemens



    I'd like to welcome you to the John Wayne Message Board as well. I hope you will enjoy a long stay.


    El Dorado is a very good picture have you got the theme music? I know its around on a couple of CD's.


    Regards


    Arthur

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • I can't really remember not being a John Wayne fan. I can remember seeing Rio Bravo at the drive-in theater (how many years ago is that). Of course, all the excitement locally (in San Antonio) when Duke was filming "The Alamo" at Bracketville and the subsequent World Premiere here in October, 1960 remain firmly in memory. I guess his powerful screen presence and the generally high morality of his movies made a steadfast impression.


    A belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all :newyear:


    Jay

    Cheers - Jay:beer:
    "Not hardly!!!"

  • :cowboy: I'm surprised that I had not seen this topic before.


    Well here goes.....


    The first movies I can ever rememebr seeing were John Wayne movies. The first ones I remember watching (not necessarily in order) Rio Lobo, Big Jake, The Green Berets, The Alamo, Rio Bravo, Donovan's Reef, Hatari, Rooster Cogburn, The Cowboys and The Shootist..


    I never saw any of the really older ones untill we got cable TV in the lats 1970's. At that time, I got my first exposure to Stagecoach, Hondo, The Searchers, McClintock, Red River, Rio Grande, Fort Apache, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, Three Godfathers, Sands of Iwo Jima, The Flying Tigers, The Flying Leathernecks, Big Jim McClain, Jet Pilot, They Were Expendable, North To Alaska, The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Hellfighters, Brannigan, True Grit, Cahill U.S. Marshal, etc. It took about another 10 or so years before I finally got to see some of his earlier stuff. A friend of mine's Dad waas a hugh JW fan and had on tape every John Wayne film. He had friends and relatives around the country who taped movies never shown in our area. I then got to see great ones like: Alleghany Uprising, Hell Town, Haunted Gold, 'Neath Arizona Skies, Man From Utah etc.


    In about 1992, I got my first exposure to his Serials like: The Three Musketeers, The Hurricane Express etc.


    I was weened on John Wayne movies.


    Best regards--TRK.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • Just curious Ringo could you explain how you became a John Wayne fan? You told us the first movies you watched, and that you were weened, but that doesn't tell us that much about your beginnings of being a fan. Example, could your father have been a fan, and you watched movies with him? Just interested in how you started out on Duke.


    Cheers B)



    Quote

    "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it"

    - John Wayne quote