Tribute to John Wayne

Nothing was more exciting. A new John Wayne movie was playing at my local theatre in Spartanburg, SC. I couldn't wait to go. To see the Duke stand up against the odds, do the right thing and make the world a better place. To watch him turn away a group of townspeople intent on hanging the accused bank robbers without a trial, or stand alone in a meadow facing the bad guys and calling them to justice. And winning. As I watched him stand up for America on the big screen and fight for right over wrong, I grew to believe that this was what Americans did - and what I wanted to do.

In 1976, after seeing SANDS OF IWO JIMA on television, I joined the Marine Corps. After graduation from high school that summer, I entered boot camp and spent the next twenty years serving, always with a picture of Sergeant Stryker tucked inside my wallet. Thanks Duke.

When I retired from the Marines in 1996, I became a police officer for three years. Once again I often thought of what John Wayne taught me in the characters he played and the way he lived his life. He often gave me courage as I stepped from the patrol car and faced the unknown. Thanks again Duke.

In 2002, after moving to Iowa to be married, I began selling movies on ebay as a hobby. My love of John Wayne movies was the main reason for this decision, and I filled up our ebay store with classic John Wayne titles, even creating a John Wayne store category, which no other store to my knowledge had at the time, but many have since duplicated, much to my delight. Suddenly I was selling so many movies that my hobby became my full-time,very successful career. Now I had to construct a building in which to locate the growing business, and my huge John Wayne collection found a home on the walls and shelves of Movie Magic USA. Next came a web-site as a way to grow our business and share it with even more fans. Another career resulting from my admiration for the John Wayne legacy. A simple thanks is no longer enough.

May 26th, 2007 was the 100th birthday of John Wayne. Many of the movie studios released special editions of his classic films, and the John Wayne Birthplace in Winterset, Iowa broke ground on a new state-of-the art addition on that special day, with many of the Wayne family in attendance. We had a wonderful time celebrating his birthday in Winterset. Now we want to do more to advance his legacy.

John Wayne lost his battle with cancer in 1979. The John Wayne Cancer Foundation was established by the Wayne family and their many supporters to help in the fight against this deadly disease. Having lost both my parents to cancer, I feel the profound impact this disease has on millions of families. We will donate a portion of all sales of John Wayne classics to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation to help in this fight. This is the best way we know of to say thanks in a way that really makes a difference, and honors the John Wayne legacy. Perhaps you would also like to give to this noble cause - you can easily find it by typing in JOHN WAYNE CANCER FOUNDATION on most internet search engines.

In closing, I know that all John Wayne fans that view this page will recognize the picture above from Duke's Academy Award winning role in TRUE GRIT. If you click on this picture you will be taken to our JOHN WAYNE Category, which contains all the higher quality DVDs currently in release.

I have a bumper sticker at the entrance way to Movie Magic USA that reads GOD BLESS JOHN WAYNE. These words come as close as any to saying how deeply I appreciate his influence in my life.

Honor the Memory of the Duke by Donating to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. Just type in JOHN WAYNE CANCER FOUNDATION on any internet search engine.
Help fight one of the most devastating diseases in the world today.

Steven Holt
Movie Magic USA