It’s common for actors to have a Western film on their resume. For some, it’s one-and-done when playing characters from the Old West. For others, it becomes what they’re known for. A few, male and female, end up building a legacy in this genre alone.
Whether talking about “The Duke” himself or actors who have taken on more recent roles, the Wild West provides a backdrop for tales about drama, romance, and comedy. As a famous cowboy (turned award-winning director) once said, “I tried being reasonable, I didn’t like it.”
John Wayne
It might not be surprising that John Wayne started as a stuntman. It almost seems he was destined to become the man most synonymous with the action-packed Western genre. His first lead role came in The Big Trail in 1930. By 1939, Wayne had gained attention for his part in Stagecoach.
For three decades, “The Duke” ruled the box office and became known for his roles in Western and war movies. Besides winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1969 for his role in True Gritas Rooster Cogburn, he was in memorable Westerns, including Red River, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and The Longest Day. It sure seems fitting that for John Wayne’s final role, he played an aging gunfighter in The Shootist.
Clint Eastwood
With his solemn squint and calm confidence, Clint Eastwood has been a top choice for many Western roles. The successful Western show, Rawhide, helped get him recognized. However, he gained worldwide fame (despite playing the “Man With No Name”) in a series of Spaghetti Westerns called Dollars Trilogy.
Starring in Westerns like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Pale Rider, and Unforgiven(he won Best Director and Best Picture for the movie) could be enough to cement his legacy in film. He has gone on to direct over 30 projects, including Academy Award-winning Million Dollar Babyand Letters from Iwo Jima.
Claire Trevor
Appearing before John Wayne in the credits of a Western? That’s one way to get on the list of actors known for their frontier life portrayals. Set in 1880, Stagecoach tells the tale of Dallas, played by Claire Trevor, meeting Ringo Kid (Wayne) and getting her happily ever after. Not before dealing with some turmoil and near-death experiences, however.
Claire Trevor won an Academy Award for her role in Key Largo and starred in popular movies like Murder, My Sweet,and The High and the Mighty. With decades of success across all film genres, top billing on the popular 1939 Western is one of many career highlights for the beautiful and talented actor.
Gary Cooper
Another actor who entered Hollywood as a stuntman, Gary Cooper, soon became a star after his success in Westerns. Transitioning from silent films about the Old West to Westerns with sound, The Virginian was the movie that gave him star status.
With his portrayals of the common American, he gained notoriety as a folk hero. Starring alongside Jean Arthur, The Plainsman focuses on the (fabricated) relationship and adventures of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. The 1936 film earned rave reviews and helped solidify Cooper as a memorable Western stud.
James Stewart
Before becoming an actor known for his drawl and charisma, James Stewart was a student at Princeton University. He became recognized for his many successful films, including It’s a Wonderful Life, The Philadelphia Story, and Rear Window.
In the 1960s, James Stewart had a streak of popular Western films. He made a name for himself in the Western world with audience-approved movies like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valanceand How the West Was Won. Years after his death, Stewart continues to be remembered for his acting chops (including his many Westerns), his military service, and his role as a real-life husband and father.
Katy Jurado
Katy Jurado went from being a popular actress in Mexico to becoming a well-known star featured in many movies from the 1950s and 1960s. She appeared in films with Charlton Heston, Spencer Tracy, Kirk Douglas, and Lloyd Bridges.
With key roles in Westerns like High Noon, Arrowhead, and Man From Del Rio, the talented performer was the first Mexican woman to win a Golden Globe and to be nominated for an Academy Award. Another important achievement? Winning the Golden Boot Award. Ths fierce talent has made major contributions to the Old West genre.
Robert Duvall
One of three featured actors having a part in a True Grit film adaptation, Robert Duvall has long been recognized as one of the all-time acting greats. Starring in iconic Westerns spanning across the decades, the actor has also done theater, played Boo Radley, and had key roles in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now.
Already having enough critically acclaimed credits to hang his cowboy hat on, Robert Duvall went on to star in many memorable and well-done Westerns, including Tender Mercies, Open Range, Crazy Heart,and the frontier miniseries Broken Trails.
Sam Elliott
With a deep voice, distinguished mustache, and that classic cowboy attitude, Sam Elliott is a non-negotiable on any list involving actors portraying life in the Old West. He started with minor roles in Westerns and became a favorite in some of the genre’s most beloved flicks and shows.
Married in real life to a well-known Western woman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid‘s Katharine Ross), Sam Elliott has made a name for himself playing memorable and authentic characters in projects like The Quick and the Dead, Tombstone and The Hi-Lo Country. Sam has remained close to his Western roots, recently producing and starring in The Ranch, playing the older brother and manager of a country musician in A Star is Born,and being involved in the Yellowstone prequel, 1883.
Maureen O’Hara
As an Irish native, the red-haired star Maureen O’Hara made her mark in Hollywood. She is known for playing sultry yet sensible characters and effortlessly portraying women from the Old West era. Director John Ford and close friend John Wayne were Maureen’s frequent collaborators.
In 1950, Maureen O’Hara played the lead role (uncommon for women in Westerns) in Comanche Territory. In the film, Katie Howard is a saloon owner, unafraid to stick up for herself when necessary. She went on to star in more classics like Rio Grande and The Quiet Man. Although O’Hara moved away from Westerns and adventure flicks as she got older, her technicolor movies and frontier characters are significant to her career and legacy.
Jeff Bridges
This “dude” has been in all types of films. He does have that cowboy look, though, and he’s been smart enough to use it while starring in some of the genre’s relatively recent box-office hits. Jeff Bridges seems to have that winning combination of tough guy looks and a genuinely soft heart.
Viewers could say these traits describe one of his characters, Rooster Cogburn (in True Grit), fairly accurately. He also played an aging country singer trying to turn his life around in Crazy Heart. Hell or High Water, a 2016 neo-Western, is another movie Bridges has done that shows his believability as a Texas Ranger type. He has been recognized for his Old West ways by being nominated for several awards for his movies and parts within the genre.
