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).