Posts by rnederhoed

I was born Nov. 1961. Thanks for asking.

My first posting:

As I read through all these posts I see a definite pattern that also directed my JW infactuation as well. John Wayne was a household star that was passed down from father/grand-father to son. My story is no different. Some of my very favorite memories is going to the theater with my dad to see a John Wayne flick.

Later in life I saw two movies on cable I had never seen before, North to Alaska and Jet Pilot. It was then I realized that I had not seen everything JW did AND that my wife was wrong. She always accused me of already seeing whatever JW movie I was watching. Not true. So I bought a book with his filmography in it and started my collection.

I first started taping movies from the TV. Later buying VHS tapes like many who have posted. Then getting DVD's. Then finding Franklin Mint stuff. And then came E-bay. Boy did my John Wayne collection explode then.

Last month was the big auction selling all of John Wayne's personal items. I really, really wanted to get something personal of his that he actually owned. My favorite item was the big oak desk from his office. I just didn't have the $50K in my back pocket to get that, even though my wife said I could. How cool would it have been to buy something that HE actually owned and touched. I am so disappointed.

Recently my wife kicked me out of the family room and I had to bring all my JW collection into a spare bedroom for display. I can't even fit it all in. Someday I will have a dedicated room in my home for JW memorbilia and to watch movies in. I keep dreamin'.

I am thankful that I was able to write a short story for Tim Lilley in his Big Trail series. It ended up it was in volume 10, the last one Tim did. It is the story of "My John Wayne Day" when I was in LA. Since then I have visited more places where JW footprints have been left. And there are so many more places to go.

Thanks for reading my story and I hope to post more.