All the greatest Western movie stars of television and film in one list of the best cowboy actors. Some of these top Western characters were featured in the greatest Western movies ever made, while others starred in classic TV series and mini-series. Whatever the medium, these are the best of the West(ern characters).
The TV Western series, a now almost-dead genre of entertainment that was once all the rage, attracting some of the biggest stars in Hollywood to roles where a horse was the supporting actor. These stars were some of the biggest and brightest, not only on TV, but in films as well. From Clint Eastwood (perhaps the biggest Western star of all time) to Steve McQueen (a true outlaw through and through), this list of famous old cowboys brings together the best of the genre in one Western stars list.
Who were the greatest Western movie stars? Who are the classic cowboys (and cowgirls) in Westerns? It's time to vote and find out! Vote up your favorite Western TV and movie stars, and vote down the ones you think should be run out of town. If your favorite Western movie star isn't on the list, make sure to add him or her.1
5,9211,217Clint Eastwood
Age: 90Credits (Film): Good, Unforgiven, Dirty Harry, Million Dollar Baby, Back to the Future Part II
Birthplace: California, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor, filmmaker, musician, and... more2
5,8961,260John Wayne
Dec. at 72 (1907-1979)Credits (Film): The Searchers, The Longest Day, Stagecoach, True Grit, Rio Bravo
Birthplace: Winterset, Iowa, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Marion Mitchell Morrison (born Marion Robert Morrison; May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known... more3
3,3751,023James Stewart
Dec. at 89 (1908-1997)Credits (Film): It's a Wonderful Life, Vertigo, Rear Window, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Philadelphia Story
Birthplace: Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military... more4
2,970639Sam Elliott
Age: 76Credits (Film): The Big Lebowski, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Ghost Rider, Hulk, We Were Soldiers
Birthplace: Sacramento, California, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. His lanky physique, thick... more5
2,421728Ben Johnson
Dec. at 78 (1918-1996)Credits (Film): The Wild Bunch, Shane, The Last Picture Show, Red Dawn, The Getaway
Birthplace: Foraker, Oklahoma, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Ben "Son" Johnson Jr. (June 13, 1918 – April 8, 1996) was an American stuntman, world champion... more6
3,3041,041Robert Duvall
Age: 89Credits (Film): The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Apocalypse Now, To Kill a Mockingbird, MASH
Birthplace: San Diego, California, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Robert Selden Duvall (; born January 5, 1931) is an American actor and filmmaker whose career... more7
1,766538Maureen O'Hara
Age: 100Credits (Film): Miracle on 34th Street, The Quiet Man, How Green Was My Valley, The Parent Trap, Big Jake
Birthplace: Ranelagh, Republic of Ireland
Nationality: Ireland, United States of America
Maureen O'Hara (born Maureen FitzSimons; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was an Irish and... more8
1,515398Ken Curtis
Dec. at 75 (1916-1991)Credits (Film): The Searchers, Robin Hood, How the West Was Won, The Horse Soldiers, The Alamo
Birthplace: USA, Lamar, Colorado
Nationality: United States of America
Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates, July 2, 1916 – April 28, 1991) was an American singer and... more9
2,205689Jack Elam
Dec. at 83 (1920-2003)Credits (Film): Once Upon a Time in the West, High Noon, The Cannonball Run, Kiss Me Deadly, Support Your Local Sheriff!
Birthplace: Miami, Arizona, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
William Scott "Jack" Elam (November 13, 1920 – October 20, 2003), was an American film and... more10
2,531825Randolph Scott
Dec. at 89 (1898-1987)Credits (Film): Island of Lost Souls, Ride the High Country, Jesse James, The Tall T, Follow the Fleet
Birthplace: Virginia, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor whose... more11
2,753995Lee Marvin
Dec. at 63 (1924-1987)Credits (Film): The Dirty Dozen, Cat Ballou, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, The Big Heat
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987) was an American film and television... more12
2,705939James Arness
Dec. at 88 (1923-2011)Credits (Film): The Thing from Another World, Them!, Battleground, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter
Birthplace: Minneapolis, USA, Minnesota
Nationality: United States of America
James Arness (born James King Aurness, May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor,... more13
1,894672Walter Brennan
Dec. at 80 (1894-1974)Credits (Film): Bride of Frankenstein, Rio Bravo, How the West Was Won, Red River, My Darling Clementine
Birthplace: Lynn, Massachusetts, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor. He won the... more14
2,8701,057Lee Van Cleef
Dec. at 64 (1925-1989)Credits (Film): Good, Escape from New York, For a Few Dollars More, High Noon, How the West Was Won
Birthplace: Somerville, New Jersey, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Clarence Leroy Van Cleef Jr. (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989), was an American actor best... more15
1,514486Slim Pickens
Dec. at 64 (1919-1983)Credits (Film): Blazing Saddles, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, The Howling, The Black Hole, The Getaway
Birthplace: Kingsburg, California, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Louis Burton Lindley Jr. (June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983), better known by his stage name... more16
1,693414Audie Murphy
Dec. at 46 (1925-1971)Credits (Film): To Hell and Back, The Red Badge of Courage, The Unforgiven, No Name on the Bullet, Night Passage
Birthplace: Kingston, Texas, USA
Nationality: United States of America
Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was one of the most decorated American combat... more17
1,342227Chief Dan George
Dec. at 82 (1899-1981)Credits (Film): The Outlaw Josey Wales, Harry and Tonto, Little Big Man, Americathon, Smith!
Birthplace: Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, North Vancouver, Canada
Nationality: Canada
Chief Dan George, OC (July 24, 1899 – September 23, 1981) was a chief of the Tsleil-Waututh... more18
2,470899James Garner
Dec. at 86 (1928-2014)Credits (Film): The Great Escape, The Notebook, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Maverick, Space Cowboys
Birthplace: Norman, Oklahoma, USA
Nationality: United States of America
James Garner (born April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor, producer, and voice... more19
1,874678Glenn Ford
Dec. at 90 (1916-2006)Credits (Film): Superman, Superman II, Midway, The Big Heat, Gilda
Birthplace: Sainte-Christine-d'Auvergne, Quebec, Canada
Nationality: United States of America,Canada
Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American... more20
1,353420Jack Palance
Dec. at 87 (1919-2006)Credits (Film): Batman, Shane, City Slickers, Young Guns, Tango & Cash
Birthplace: Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Jack Palance ( PAL-əns; born Volodymyr Palahniuk (Ukrainian: Володимир Палагню́к); February... more21
2,7011,086Gary Cooper
Dec. at 60 (1901-1961)Credits (Film): High Noon, Cinema Paradiso, The Pride of the Yankees, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Wings
Birthplace: Helena, Montana, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901 – May 13, 1961) was an American actor. Known... more22
1,644585Kurt Russell
Age: 69Credits (Film): Forrest Gump, The Thing, The Fox and the Hound, Escape from New York, Big Trouble in Little China
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. He began acting on television... more![Ward Bond]()
231,540539Ward Bond
Dec. at 57 (1903-1960)Credits (Film): Gone with the Wind, It's a Wonderful Life, The Maltese Falcon, The Searchers, It Happened One Night
Birthplace: Benkelman, Nebraska, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor who... more24
1,878721Robert Mitchum
Dec. at 80 (1917-1997)Credits (Film): Cape Fear, Scrooged, The Night of the Hunter, The Longest Day, Dead Man
Birthplace: Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 2, 1997) was an American film actor,... more25
1,108304Jay Silverheels
Dec. at 68 (1912-1980)Credits (Film): True Grit, Broken Arrow, The Lone Ranger, One Little Indian, Saskatchewan
Birthplace: Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation, Canada
Nationality: Canada
Jay Silverheels (born Harold Jay Smith, May 26, 1912 – March 5, 1980) was a Mohawk actor and... more
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