I guess you can say that I was born liking the Duke. Both of my parents loved him (especially my mother) and some of the first movies I can ever recall seeing whan I was a yonker were John Wayne movies.
The first ones I remember seeing were: Rio Lobo, Big Jake, The Longest Day, and The Alamo. I remember that every year on the anniversary of the start of the Alamo siege, that local TV stations always played The Alamo as a way to recognize th event. Sadly nowadays, they no longer make a tribute to the Duke or to special days like the one mentioned above. Instead, they play the usual stuff that they normally play from week to week.
I think that is tragic because for one, I got me interest in learning about history and the wild west, thanks to seeing these movies. Today I am hardpressed to find someone who is still in school, that knows about the Alamo, WW2 or even John Wayne.
I used to look forward to staying up late Saturday nights to see a John Wayne or Johnny Weismuller movie. Sunday afternoons and evenings about twice a month on local stations, we got old war movies, westerns, and exposure to the Duke.
I really wish that tv stations in my area would go back to the way they did things 20 or so years ago.
Yah tah hey The Ringo Kid. 
