JOHN WAYNE SADDLES UP
U.S. Postal Service honors the “Duke” in Legends of Hollywood Commemorative Stamps Series
WASHINGTON The U.S. Postal Service has chosen Marion Michael Morrison, better-known to millions of adoring fans as John Wayne (or “Duke”), to be honored in the Legends of Hollywood commemorative stamp series this year. The full pane of stamps will be unveiled at the Odyssey Ball, a private fundraising gala for the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, on April 3, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The official first day of issue ceremony will be held later in the year.
“More than an actor, John Wayne wore lots of hats – as a humanitarian, patriot, husband, father, director and producer – and is still one of the most popular Americans of the 20th Century,” said David Failor, the Postal Service’s Executive Director Stamp Services.
“On behalf of the family, I’m grateful and pleased that the Postal Service has chosen to remember our father by issuing a prestigious Legends of Hollywood postage stamp in his honor,” said Ethan Wayne, one of John Wayne’s seven children and general partner of Wayne Enterprises. “He would be glad to know he will be visiting the homes and businesses of millions of his fans every day.”
The John Wayne stamp joins others in the Legends of Hollywood series honoring Marilyn Monroe (1995), James Dean (1996), Humphrey Bogart (1997), Alfred Hitchcock (1998), James Cagney (1999), Edward G. Robinson (2000), Lucille Ball (2001), Cary Grant (2002) and Audrey Hepburn (2003).
Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency, the Postal Service makes deliveries to more than141 million addresses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $68 billion, it is the world’s leading provider of mail and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. Moreover, today’s postage rates will remain stable until at least 2006. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 43 percent of the world’s mail volume – some 202 billion letters,
advertisements, periodicals and packages a year – and serves seven million customers each day at its 38,000 retail locations nationwide.
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#1 by charles sanders on March 1, 2004 - 5:34 pm
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I’m 13 years old and i love John Wayne. he is like my idol so if you could send me something i would be very greatful thank you
charles sanders
#2 by R. A. Faulkner on March 4, 2004 - 10:47 am
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My first J.W. movie in the theater was "The Searchers" when I was 10 years…I had a hero from that day on…he never let me down…he was an awesome actor who never really got the credit he should have for movies like "The Searchers", "Red River", "The Quiet Man", "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon", "The Cowboys" and his last movie…"The Shootist"…he deservered at least an Academy Award nomination for the powerful and wonderful performance as "J.B.Books"….The Duke was a true American, great actor and a gentleman….and still my hero…..Roe-Anne
#3 by Ray Winter on April 4, 2004 - 1:30 pm
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I’m a UK based fan of John Wayne. My family and I are visiting the States in August. My knowledge of the US Postal Service is negligible. Will I be able to buy these special stamps over the counter at a Post Office, as we would for similar issues in the UK? Or will I need to order them. Help appreciated
#4 by Elizabeth Bramon on April 7, 2004 - 4:40 pm
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My father was a huge John Wayne fan and I was introduced to his movies around the age of 10. My father passed from lung cancer in 1999 and I find great comfort in his movies, because he reminds me so much of my father and his cancer institute is a wonderful way to find a cure for this dreaded disease. I look forward to buying this commerative stamp in his honor as well as John Wayne’s
#5 by Pat Kennedy on April 8, 2004 - 9:39 am
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I am 54 years young and I have been a John Wayne fan all my life. My grandmother was an extra in one of the movies that he was in and I could have met him if my mother had not interferred. I have always been angry at her for that. I was 12 years old at the time and the movie was The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Thank you for helping to keep his memory alive.
A Fan For Life
Pat
#6 by John on April 9, 2004 - 10:48 am
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Monday I went to the post office here to pick up some sheets of this stamp and they didn’t know what I was talking about.
Two foreign ladies behind the counter, must be in their late forties, looked at me with blank expressions asking, "John Wayne?"
So I have no idea when they’ll be available in my area.
I went to http://www.usps.com and they didn’t mention them neither.
#7 by Kristy on April 13, 2004 - 1:50 pm
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I can’t remember a time when John Wayne was not a part of my every day life growing up. The first movie I remember watching was "Big Jake" when I was three or four. It was a Sunday afternoon. Ever since I’ve been a John Wayne fan. As soon as I could I learned more about him as an actor and as a father and husband. It made me admire him and he became my role model in many ways. I am fond of several of the newer actors, but John Wayne will always be number one in my heart and maybe I’ll stop going into shock every time I meet someone who doesn’t know who he is. I hope I’ll be able to collect at least one of his stamps. It’d be like living a dream.
#8 by frieda wilmes on April 14, 2004 - 4:22 pm
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i am a true fan of the duke my husband was also i have almost all of his movies a24 coll,of plates and stautes alsohis pictures hanging in every room my husband and mr. wayne looked very much alinked tnhis latter years esp the shootest my wonderful mother and the duke both passed away on the same day it was a double sadness that day this man was oldenough to be my father but didnt matter he was ok for me
#9 by Phil Burns on June 12, 2004 - 7:29 pm
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Are the stamps available at the post office ? I will add this to my collection.
pb