Like you mentioned you will probably extend this to 30 or maybe 40! I think that Ward Bong, Errol Flynn, Alan Ladd, Col. Tim McCoy, Ken Maynard, William Boyd, & my favorite, Buck Jones deserve a mention. Harry Morgan’s list of westerns is quite remarkable too. This present list is excellent as you can’t please all the people all the time!! Thank you for taking the time to put together this video!! It is very much appreciated!
Jack Elam, famous villain of western films. Charles Bronson, all around tough guy, famous for many roles... including my favorite,"Once Upon A Time in the West"... a masterwork that is taught in film schools. Elam had a bit part in the classic opening gun fight of Once Upon A Time in the West.... unfortunately, Bronson killed him and 2 other baddies waiting for him to arrive at the train station. I just love Bronson's classic line, when asked the baddies said they brought only 3 horses, and Bronson calmly tells them they brought 2 too many!!
i agree with you about Elam. his lazy eye was nearly enough to put him on most lists. as i said above, spaghetti westerns are total garbage. anyone who includes them on such a list as this should be banned from contributing to or commenting on any such lists for a minimum of 500 years or more. i taught film studies in grad school. if they taught spaghetti westerns in any film department, it was probable to make fun of them. they are completely inauthentic AS CINEMATIC WORKS IN GENERAL, above and beyond their aesthetic value as westerns (which don't have a lot of artistic value in general in the first place; i just talk about them because i personally like them).
Joel McCrea After 'The Virginian' in 1946, which was a great success, McCrea made westerns exclusively for the rest of his Hollywood career, and he made many of them - no less than 25 Westerns between 1946 and 1966, the most significant being Sam Peckinpah's classic 'Ride the High Country' in 1962 with Randolph Scott.
Glad to see at least one commentor mentioned *Terence Hill* - I've enjoyed many of his films. Will also mention Eli Wallach, who had such a strong screen presence that at times he overshadowed Clint Eastwood.
Check out the top 10 and 50 lists on the channel as well as my video on Spaghetti Westerns and Eli Wallach, th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
You take up a lot of time about Pecks movies and while some are Good wish you had mentioned more of Audie Murphy’s such as Six Black Horses which is Very Good and Glenn Ford movies and Bob Steel! Thanks for finally mentioning Tom Mix He was wonderful helping children on the Oregon coast not many people came there in the middle 1920s and you don’t realize just how much that helped save my Dad from an awful life ! He was saved so were many kids that he helped at that time! Dan was in several of Audie Murphy’s movies playing likable bad guy too !😉
James Stewart, Brigadier General, US Air Force, Distinguished Flying Cross. Clark Gable, Captain Army Air Corp, Distinguished Flying Cross. Audie Leon Murphy, Field Captain, Medal of Honor and a whole fist of others.
You speak of many of these actors and their accomplishments in westerns. But dval Lancaster Mitchell mcqueen were also very accomplishments in other types of movies. Duval in the gone in 60 seconds and the mafia movies with al pacino. Burt Lancaster in field of dreams. Jimmy Stewart in a Christmas Carol. Many of these other actors were also famous for other movies
Thank you so much for taking the time to publish this. I find your choices and comments very entertaining reading. How about "favorite scenes from movies" but your readers.
Darn right. Hoot Gibson in "The Dude Bandit" is superb. And Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, Raymond Hatton, Tex Ritter, Robert Livingston (who also played Zorro). So many more. And must not forget Giuliano Gemma.
Audie Murphy When you see him in movies against over whelming odds and comes out on top. He lived it in WW2 so when he wins in the movies he could really do it. Ben Johnson was a real cowboy
Excellent, I would like to see more of Burt Lancaster's westerns, every one of them were of high quality. plus Bob Steele, and Robert Taylor, keep bringing us more.
@@HartmutJagerArt Well, I liked his demeanor, it's one of the qualities I liked about him, a bit like Clint Eastwood. i guess we all have our likes and dislikes.
Although John Wayne is the undisputed king of cowboys, Clint Eastwood is the Sultan of Swing. No one is cooler, sexier, or more badass than The Man With No Name.
clint eastwood couldn't act. he was a face and a presence, period. that's why he's so quiet in his roles. screen writers wrote limited lines for him for that reason. doesn't men i don't love some of his roles, esp. outlaw josey wales.
I once drove Richard Widmark & his wife to Heathrow airport in London. I couldn’t believe a legendary Western actor was sat at the back of my car. When the ride ended I asked him to sign me an autograph & he kindly did. I have given it to my father who is a lifelong fan.
Looking up Richard Widmark, I was surprised at the relatively few number of films he made (again, emphasis on ‘relatively’), at least compared to most of his contemporaries. I suppose that speaks well to how memorable he was as an actor.
Thanks for bringing all this information about our favourite western actors, they all contributed to we fans of cowboy movies.... The quality of westerns improved over the years, I was a dyed in the wool Audie Murphy fan, a real hero and cowboy, unfortunately the studios never saw the need to put Audie in "A" movies and he was relegated to "B" movies, Sadly, they wasted his talent in some of them, but I was always a fan.
Great job! I would have to bump somebody (Roy Rogers possibly) to make room for Joel McRea. He starred in my favorite western Ride the High Country . (either that or the original 3:10 to Yuma). He was also versatile, starring in a few Preston Sturges comedies. Unfortunately, most of his westerns were not top tier ones.
Joël is definitely one if the most important western actors in the history. Union Pacific, Buffalo Bill, Ramrod, Four Faces West, Colorado Territory, Stranger on horseback, South of Saint-Louis, Wichita, Trooper Hook, The Tall Stranger, Fort Massacre, Gunfight at Dodge City, Ride the High Country are probably his best of a very long collection
@@glennso47 Boone definitely belong to the top western villains list but you cannot put it in the list of the "heroes" such as Wayne, Cooper, Jimmy Stewart, Fonda, Ford or Scott.
Your list of these 20 actors is great. A 66-year fan of Western movies, from age 9, I appreciate your work on it, with film clips! May I suggest making it 23, adding 3 black actors, Morgan Freeman (Unforgiven), Denzel Washington (Magnificent Seven), and Roscoe Lee Browne (The Cowboys). After the end of Hollywood's separate film-making, they have starred, Freeman & Washington winning Oscars, and Browne an Emmy and Tony, as well as his compelling performance as the cook in The Cowboys.
Roscoe Lee Browne in the "Cowboys" delivers one.of the greatest line in the movie and in my opinion one of the greatest lines in film: "Forgive me for the men I have killed and those I am about too.". The line takes all the cockiness out of Bruce Derns character just as the Cowboys ride in to settle the score for him killing John Waynes character.
Despite appreciation for you mentioning these fine black actors, it's ludicrous to mention them as great in westerns. They are barely any part of the genre. Most of their work lies elsewhere. You smack of PC bias. In fact there are many better blacks better known in westerns. Woody Strode, Sidney Poitier, to name but two. You must be young to be so biased and out of touch.
@@PlanetEarth3141 Thanks for your reply. You name 2 as better than the ones i named. So, you can ask Famous People to include them in the top 23. I will support your request. Indeed, ypur reply says the 3 I name are barely part of the genre, which proves the decades of exclusion of black actors.
Why do they always say of Audie Murphy nowadays, "He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II"? He wasn't "one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II." He wasn't even "merely" the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. Audie Murphy was the most decorated American military man of WWII, encompassing all branches of the military. And how he paid for it!
Richard widmark was great in The last wagon and backlash very underrated also in the Alamo opposite John Wayne Burt Lancaster was great in unforgiven with Audie Murphy and Audrey Hepburn and Lillian Gish Steve MacQueen good in Tom horn and the magnificent seven love Anthony Fed ex lol
You are so right. Of course, in one movie his character wrongly claimed that the South started the Civil War when everybody knows it was the Damn Yankees. Still, I don't claim he wrote the script.
Rod Cameron..Charles Starrett..James Garner..John Payne..George Montgomery..Dale Robertson..Jim Davis..Ken Curtis..John Russell..James Arness..Ed Buchanan..John Dehner..just to name a few forgotten western stars..
Thank you for your review of these great actors in Westerns (because most had terrific roles outside this genre too)! Henry Fonda: You left out one of his most powerful performances, Once Upon a Time in the West -- unusual for Fonda in that he played the villain. He was also great in some lesser-known Westerns, such as A Big Hand for the Little Lady (one of my favorites), and The Tin Star. James Stewart: you highlighted films in his later Western career, but there was a terrific one from 1939 called Destry Rides Again. Gary Cooper: you mentioned several Westerns, but left out his most iconic one, High Noon.
EXCELENTE VIDEO ESTIMADO , DESDE NIÑO ME GUSTABAN MUCHOS LAS PELICULAS DE COW BOYS , SABIA MAS DE LA CULTURA DE UDS QUE LA DE MI PAIS EN ESE ENTONCES , JIJIJI, SALUDOS Y SUERTE LE DESEAM DESDE CHILE
Glenn Ford 16:58 was considered the quickest draw in Hollywood and the best cowboy of them all. Thanks for the video!!! Glenn Ford TH-cam Channel: th-cam.com/users/RobbGF
Just FYI, actor Peter Breck of the show "Big Valley" won several quick draw competitions and Henry Fonda was also very good on quick draw on single actions.
Glenn Ford was the second fastest draw in Hollywoot at .24 seconds. Ben Cooper was .23 seconds. Ben Johnson was the best cowboy of them all, actually becoming a World Champion Rodeo cowboy taking a year off from movies.. Hoot Gibson was also a star at rodeo before he started his film career.
Lee Marvin was an ex.US Marine sniper, who served in the Pacific during WW2. It was always said of him that he bought to his roles the look of a man who was thoroughly familar with handling a gun, in addition to being a great actor.
I recently saw Sam Elliot in "1883" on Paramount Plus. His performance knocked me on my ass! If any of you watching Famous People have not seen it, you will NOT be disappointed! His whole performance is awesome, but his opening scene and his closing scene give me goosebumps. One of the best western performances throughout that I have ever seen.
I loved 1883 but my son and DIL didn't care for it, I think they're crazy. They have watched Yellowstone which I haven't so that may have something to do with it.
@@debbiesims138 The wife and I plan to watch the Yellowstone series in chronological order beginning with 1883 and ending with Yellowstone. We think it will make the story better if it unfolds in a timeline.
I grew up in the 1940s watching old wester movies on a new fangled thing called television. We had the only one in our neighborhood. They played old westerns from 1932-1940. Hoot Gipson, Kermit Maynard, (Kermit was a better horseman than Ben Johnson (my father shared that name) and his brother Ken Maynard. But most of all Glenn Strange the eternal bad man who stood 6’4” tall.
Kermit was great at trick riding. A great skill, but not a skill necessary for a cowboy. Once at least, Glenn Strange played a lawman. I don't think either Roy Barcroft or John Merton ever played a good guy althouh, off the screen, Roy Barcroft was quite a decent man.
Lee Marvin gave off vibes in his movies that he could be as tough off-screen as on. When I first saw Audie in "To Hell and Back" I didn't know he was playing himself in WWII, and thought, 'Talk about a mismatched typecasting!" Looked like he belonged in a boy band.
How is James Garner not on the list???? Maverick introduced a totally new kind of western hero, and he headlined a slew of serious and comedic oater gems. Glad to see so much love for Jack Elam, who so brilliantly ripened from villainy to comedy (epitomized by his roles in Garner's two "Support Your..." movies). Terence Hill and Bud Spencer did almost as much for the Spaghetti Western chunk of the industry as Eastwood. Lee Van Cleef became an icon for his work on both sides of the Atlantic. Sam Elliot's voice and mustache should be enough to qualify him, even if he hadn't also been a fine and prolific actor to boot.
Also Ssm Elliot voice is perfect. More distinct and rugged than any actor I ever heard that does Westerner cowboy movies. And makes a great living selling products on Television, and Radio. Just using Elliots voice. And the ladies love Sam.
nobody talks about what i consider to be one of the top 10 westerns of all time, Buck and the Preacher. loosely about the black cowboys, it was written, produced, directed and stared in by Sidney Poitier, and harry belafonte should have won the best supporting award for his role.
I always was a great fan of Woody Strode. The first scene of "Once upon a time in the West" is so great. But you can chose many actors of the film. I love the performance of Aldo Sambrell - he makes every Western better. As it is with Frank Wolff.
1 Randolph Scott🌟2Joel Mcrea⭐3Burt Lancaster🌟4 Audie Murphy🌟5Alan Ladd 🌟6 Gary Cooper ⭐7Roy Rogers🌟 8John Wayne🌟9 James Stewart 🌟10 Richard widmark🌟11 Glen Ford 🌟12 Henry Fonda 🌟13 Errol Flynn 🌟 14 William holden🌟15 Gregory Peck 🌟16 Rory Calhoun 🌟17 George Montgomery 🌟18 James Garner 🌟 19 Charlton Heston 🌟20 Paul Newman🌟
for your consideration for top 30 Joel McCrea , Rory Calhoun , Kirk Douglas , Rod Cameron , Sterling Hayden , Lee Van Cleef , George Montgomery , Stewart Granger , Sam Elliott , Tom Selleck ...
They appeared together in "The Dark Command" with ClaireTrevor and Walter Pigeon, Gabby Hayes was in that one too and, of course, he was Roy's sidekick in many others. If I remember correctly, the was in "Tall in the Saddle" with Duke.
@ Gloria E. It's a list mostly based on movie, not television. And though I like Tom Selleck he belongs on no great list of anything. Especially westerns or movies.
OMG, such a great list. Of course more could be covered but that doesn't make this list lol less awesome. It means the western genre has become is a part of the American psyche thanks to many fine efforts over a long time period. I'm glad you mentioned Autry and Rodgers. Without them westerns would have been handicapped at the start. Without Tom Mix you miss the possibly oldest cowboy of Hollywood fame, but you rightly included him and he actually knew the real Wyatt Earp.
We simply cannot keep Walter Brennan off the list ... he was just a supporting actor, but participated in 49 western-themed movies and won THREE OSCARS! He was simply a top-to-bottom real cowboy and showed it on film.
Walter Brennan was the star of "The Guns of Will Sonnett". Of course that was on TV. That Will Sonnett should not be confused with the Will Sonnett played by Dick Powell on Dick Powell's Zane Grey theater.
Still don't see Joel McCrae on the list. This is an egregious omission. You also have a photo under the Gene Autry segment showing a cowboy facing the camera with his horse by his left shoulder. That cowboy is Jimmy Wakely, not Gene Autry.
Don't forget James Arness (TV), but WHERE IS ALAN LADD. Honorable mention Slim Pickens, Brando, Yul Brenner, Charles Bronson (Harmonica), entire cast of Magnificent 7 with Eli Wallach making a great villain.
While not exclusively a Western Actor Paul Newman starred in several great Westerns such as; The Left Hand Gun, Hud, Hombre, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Buffalo Bill and the Indians.
@@billyanthony88 "I would disagree. Henry Fonda in Warlock, along with Anthony Quinn and Richard Widmark." Yes! Warlock is a masterpiece, in large part thanks to Quinn and Fonda's brilliant performances. Widmark is excellent, too, but it's Quinn and Fonda's show. At the end, Fonda had a very distinctive way of flinging his fancy pistols into the sand, and the camera left no doubt he was doing that himself. Quinn, in particular, took a big risk playing a role of that kind during the 1950s. And the picture did fail at the box office.
Once upon a time is not really a western but a movie about the western as it includes most of its ingredients... Fonda's best westerns are My Darling Clementine (number 1 by far!) Ox-Bow Incident Fort Apache Warlock Tin star The Return of Frank James The Rounders Firecreek Cheyenne Social Club Once Upon a time in the west
Fonda was playing against type, so it probably was his best performance. That was true also in "Fort Apache", but he was more mature when he played Frank.
I watched with great interest; always, since a young boy, enjoying "cowboy films." I thought very much of seven-or eight- of the actors you tell of. I liked John Wayne much more after the late '60's and onward. Rio Bravo, El Dorado with Mitchum, True Grit, The Shootist are exceptionally fine films I believe...esp. "Shootist." I never, at 80 years old now, could see where some actors got such high acclaim...such as Gary Cooper or Steve McQueen. I never (perhaps) understood "acting",) but being an avid reader of many well written books, a good number of western authors as Louis L'Amour, Luke Short, etc, "The Sacketts," with the great Glenn Ford and Gilbert Roland...Oh! Sam Elliot also, they are the real, the best, maybe true westerns. I am rambling too much but the routine westerns, shooting people, shooting guns out of others hand, shooting 50 cent pieces high up in the air, 20 minute bar fights, all the usually made up foolishness-B.S. (I do think Lancaster's gun was understandable in "Lawman," and maybe Eastwoods "Unforgiven" also. Thanks for a fine, fine review though. It's done very well, brief but thorough. I liked the presentation you made.
Look in my channel, top 50 list and character videos as well as a video on Elam. Connors and Walker mentioned in several. I know for those new to my channel aren't aware of my other over 250 videos in the channel. Worth a look
Come on now, under Gary Cooper (12:46) you didn't mention High Noon. Are you so firmly entrenched in the Howard Hawks camp that you can't admit the truth?
You should've stuck with 10 best Western actors. Randolph Scott the best Cowboy ever. All great actors, but not great western actors. Why didn't you mention "Red River" in John Wayne's movies? 🤔 You also missed Joel McRae, never got a mention.
Jeff Bridges. Charles Bronson. Kevin Costner. Kirk Douglas. Sam Elliott. Errol Flynn. James Garner. Gene Hackman. Charlton Heston. Alan Ladd. Clayton Moore. Willie Nelson. Paul Newman. Robert Redford. Tex Ritter. Tom Selleck. Clint Walker.
Thanks for the video. Brought back memories.
Audie Murphy was not only “one the the most decorated hero’s of WWII”, Audie Murphy was THE MOST DECORATED hero of WWII.
That was a great line up please keep them coming.
Like you mentioned you will probably extend this to 30 or maybe 40! I think that Ward Bong, Errol Flynn, Alan Ladd, Col. Tim McCoy, Ken Maynard, William Boyd, & my favorite, Buck Jones deserve a mention. Harry Morgan’s list of westerns is quite remarkable too. This present list is excellent as you can’t please all the people all the time!! Thank you for taking the time to put together this video!! It is very much appreciated!
Jack Elam, famous villain of western films. Charles Bronson, all around tough guy, famous for many roles... including my favorite,"Once Upon A Time in the West"... a masterwork that is taught in film schools. Elam had a bit part in the classic opening gun fight of Once Upon A Time in the West.... unfortunately, Bronson killed him and 2 other baddies waiting for him to arrive at the train station. I just love Bronson's classic line, when asked the baddies said they brought only 3 horses, and Bronson calmly tells them they brought 2 too many!!
My first thought was Jack Elam.
Elam and Bronson should not have been absent here. Anyway, many other important Actors were missing here. The youtuber can still learn
i agree with you about Elam. his lazy eye was nearly enough to put him on most lists. as i said above, spaghetti westerns are total garbage. anyone who includes them on such a list as this should be banned from contributing to or commenting on any such lists for a minimum of 500 years or more. i taught film studies in grad school. if they taught spaghetti westerns in any film department, it was probable to make fun of them. they are completely inauthentic AS CINEMATIC WORKS IN GENERAL, above and beyond their aesthetic value as westerns (which don't have a lot of artistic value in general in the first place; i just talk about them because i personally like them).
Joel McCrea
After 'The Virginian' in 1946, which was a great success, McCrea made westerns exclusively for the rest of his Hollywood career, and he made many of them - no less than 25 Westerns between 1946 and 1966, the most significant being Sam Peckinpah's classic 'Ride the High Country' in 1962 with Randolph Scott.
He was great in Cattle Drive
And in "Union Pacific", by C.B. DeMille (1939).
OMAR SHARIF ALSO ACTED. IN WESTERN MC KEENAS GOLD
Glad to see at least one commentor mentioned *Terence Hill* - I've enjoyed many of his films. Will also mention Eli Wallach, who had such a strong screen presence that at times he overshadowed Clint Eastwood.
Check out the top 10 and 50 lists on the channel as well as my video on Spaghetti Westerns and Eli Wallach, th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
That is Because Eli Wallach is an ACTOR - while Clint Eastwood or John Wayne always play Copies of Themselves ! -
You take up a lot of time about Pecks movies and while some are Good wish you had mentioned more of Audie Murphy’s such as Six Black Horses which is Very Good and Glenn Ford movies and Bob Steel! Thanks for finally mentioning Tom Mix He was wonderful helping children on the Oregon coast not many people came there in the middle 1920s and you don’t realize just how much that helped save my Dad from an awful life ! He was saved so were many kids that he helped at that time! Dan was in several of Audie Murphy’s movies playing likable bad guy too !😉
Very well made . Thank you so much.)
Thanks
Charles Bronson
Jason Robards
Jack Elam
Lee Van Cleef
Eli Wallach
to not have Van Cleef in a top 20 list is absolutely disgraceful ...shocking...always liked Klaus Kinski aswell
@@terminator882Klaus Kinski , John Garko , Lee Van Cleef and so on ....
James Stewart, Brigadier General, US Air Force, Distinguished Flying Cross. Clark Gable, Captain Army Air Corp, Distinguished Flying Cross. Audie Leon Murphy, Field Captain, Medal of Honor and a whole fist of others.
Audie Murphy eventually reached the rank of Major, before leaving the Army.
Lee van Cleef got a Bronze Star during WWII
You speak of many of these actors and their accomplishments in westerns. But dval Lancaster Mitchell mcqueen were also very accomplishments in other types of movies. Duval in the gone in 60 seconds and the mafia movies with al pacino. Burt Lancaster in field of dreams. Jimmy Stewart in a Christmas Carol. Many of these other actors were also famous for other movies
@@jamesgalasso Thank you, I apologize for missing any of these soldiers and all other veterans!!!!!
what does this have to do with anything?
Interesting info on everyone. A lot of this I didn't know. Very interesting about a jonra (spelling ?) of movies that really like. Thanks
Genre my friend..
Thank you so much for taking the time to publish this. I find your choices and comments very entertaining reading. How about "favorite scenes from movies" but your readers.
I'll take a look at that, thanks
Awesome video!!!
Thanks for the visit
Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson, Bob Steele, Johnny Mack Brown, William S. Hart, William Boyd
Darn right. Hoot Gibson in "The Dude Bandit" is superb. And Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, Raymond Hatton, Tex Ritter, Robert Livingston (who also played Zorro). So many more. And must not forget Giuliano Gemma.
Audie Murphy When you see him in movies against over whelming odds and comes out on top. He lived it in WW2 so when he wins in the movies he could really do it.
Ben Johnson was a real cowboy
Ben Johnson real horseman
In real life Audie Murphy was more heroic than in all his movies !
So was Hoot Gibson.
Excellent, I would like to see more of Burt Lancaster's westerns, every one of them were of high quality. plus Bob Steele, and Robert Taylor, keep bringing us more.
Robert Taylor was a good-looking man - but a wooden actor !
@@HartmutJagerArt Well, I liked his demeanor, it's one of the qualities I liked about him, a bit like Clint Eastwood. i guess we all have our likes and dislikes.
I agree with you, Robert Taylor a very good actor, in westerns too.
Although John Wayne is the undisputed king of cowboys, Clint Eastwood is the Sultan of Swing. No one is cooler, sexier, or more badass than The Man With No Name.
Just so you know on "A Few Dollars More" his name is Mongo. Watch carefully in the movie and you will see it.
@@ronsmith7739
Alex Karras is Mongo, in Blazing Saddles.
And a draft dodger unlike Clint, audie, Henry and so many others who served your country.
clint eastwood couldn't act. he was a face and a presence, period. that's why he's so quiet in his roles. screen writers wrote limited lines for him for that reason. doesn't men i don't love some of his roles, esp. outlaw josey wales.
I once drove Richard Widmark & his wife to Heathrow airport in London. I couldn’t believe a legendary Western actor was sat at the back of my car. When the ride ended I asked him to sign me an autograph & he kindly did. I have given it to my father who is a lifelong fan.
Looking up Richard Widmark, I was surprised at the relatively few number of films he made (again, emphasis on ‘relatively’), at least compared to most of his contemporaries. I suppose that speaks well to how memorable he was as an actor.
Thanks for bringing all this information about our favourite western actors, they all contributed to we fans of cowboy movies.... The quality of westerns improved over the years, I was a dyed in the wool Audie Murphy fan, a real hero and cowboy, unfortunately the studios never saw the need to put Audie in "A" movies and he was relegated to "B" movies, Sadly, they wasted his talent in some of them, but I was always a fan.
Good observation
Great job! I would have to bump somebody (Roy Rogers possibly) to make room for Joel McRea. He starred in my favorite western Ride the High Country . (either that or the original 3:10 to Yuma). He was also versatile, starring in a few Preston Sturges comedies. Unfortunately, most of his westerns were not top tier ones.
Joël is definitely one if the most important western actors in the history.
Union Pacific, Buffalo Bill, Ramrod, Four Faces West, Colorado Territory, Stranger on horseback, South of Saint-Louis,
Wichita, Trooper Hook, The Tall Stranger, Fort Massacre, Gunfight at Dodge City, Ride the High Country are probably his best of a very long collection
Richard Boone should have been on this list
@@glennso47 Not sure who I would bump to fit him in. That's why I hate Top Ten Lists. Call it a Top Tier List and Boone's on it, that's for sure.
@@glennso47 Boone definitely belong to the top western villains list but you cannot put it in the list of the "heroes" such as Wayne, Cooper, Jimmy Stewart, Fonda, Ford or Scott.
Glenn Ford and Van Heflin are in the first Yuma not Joel...
Your list of these 20 actors is great. A 66-year fan of Western movies, from age 9, I appreciate your work on it, with film clips! May I suggest making it 23, adding 3 black actors, Morgan Freeman (Unforgiven), Denzel Washington (Magnificent Seven), and Roscoe Lee Browne (The Cowboys). After the end of Hollywood's separate film-making, they have starred, Freeman & Washington winning Oscars, and Browne an Emmy and Tony, as well as his compelling performance as the cook in The Cowboys.
@brianroesch3259 affirmative action alert!
Roscoe Lee Browne in the "Cowboys" delivers one.of the greatest line in the movie and in my opinion one of the greatest lines in film: "Forgive me for the men I have killed and those I am about too.". The line takes all the cockiness out of Bruce Derns character just as the Cowboys ride in to settle the score for him killing John Waynes character.
Despite appreciation for you mentioning these fine black actors, it's ludicrous to mention them as great in westerns. They are barely any part of the genre. Most of their work lies elsewhere. You smack of PC bias. In fact there are many better blacks better known in westerns. Woody Strode, Sidney Poitier, to name but two. You must be young to be so biased and out of touch.
In Cowboys the boys override Browne and avenge Wayne's death themselves
@@PlanetEarth3141 Thanks for your reply. You name 2 as better than the ones i named. So, you can ask Famous People to include them in the top 23. I will support your request. Indeed, ypur reply says the 3 I name are barely part of the genre, which proves the decades of exclusion of black actors.
Enjoyed very much
on cooper you forgot highnoon?
and The Virginian
GREAT VIDIO ........ LOVE YELLOW SKY AND THE LAST WAGON
Thanks, I always liked Yellow Sky also
Why do they always say of Audie Murphy nowadays, "He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II"? He wasn't "one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II." He wasn't even "merely" the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. Audie Murphy was the most decorated American military man of WWII, encompassing all branches of the military. And how he paid for it!
Yes, he suffered like most ex military, slept with a pistol under his pillow
Although they did not make as many Westerns, as others in the list, I always liked Rory Calhoun, and Jock Mahoney.
A honorable mention for George Montgomery.
Jacques O'Mahoney became Jack Mahoney in a couple of Durango Kid movies and then took off as Jock. One of ny favorite Tarzans too.
Absolutely great 2nd list ESPECIALLY AUDIE MURPHY!
Medal of Honor WW2 !!!
James Garner in 'Support your sheriff'. Fit to a 'T'!
Richard widmark was great in The last wagon and backlash very underrated also in the Alamo opposite John Wayne Burt Lancaster was great in unforgiven with Audie Murphy and Audrey Hepburn and Lillian Gish Steve MacQueen good in Tom horn and the magnificent seven love Anthony Fed ex lol
I haven't seen every movie, but in my opinion Warlock should be included for Henry Fonda and Richard Widmark... and Anthony Quinn steals the show.
Don’t forget De Forest Kelly also was in it
Dorothy Malone wasn't bad, either. And, DeForrest Kelly of Star Trek fame. Many others too numerous to mention.
A huge oversight............Joel McCrea, quite possibly the finest Western Actors of all time.
Check out Top 10 and Top 50... th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
You are so right. Of course, in one movie his character wrongly claimed that the South started the Civil War when everybody knows it was the Damn Yankees. Still, I don't claim he wrote the script.
Good job, Thanks
Check out the top 50 in my channel, thanks.
I would have thought that “High Noon” would have ranked as a movie of note for Gary Cooper 👏👏👏
Take a look at my video on Cooper in my channel. It gets mentioned in several other vids as well. See my top 50 video as well.
Rod Cameron..Charles Starrett..James Garner..John Payne..George Montgomery..Dale Robertson..Jim Davis..Ken Curtis..John Russell..James Arness..Ed Buchanan..John Dehner..just to name a few forgotten western stars..
They are not forgotten but it would be hard to put then in the top 10 list even a 10 Top 10 forgotten western actors...
It is unforgivable that you forgot Alan Ladd ; especially when he was the lead in what some consider the best Western in 'Shane' !
Check out my videos on the top 10 and 50 lists on my channel, and my video on Ladd th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
I agree with you 100%.Ladd except for Gary Cooper was my favorite western actor.
😮
SHANE!
Dan Duryea the bestest baddie ever. Loved him on Saturday mornings at the flicks. My No 1 👍🤣🤷♂️🏴🏓
Absolutely fantastic every one was brilliant ❤❤❤❤😂😂😂😂
Thank you for your review of these great actors in Westerns (because most had terrific roles outside this genre too)!
Henry Fonda: You left out one of his most powerful performances, Once Upon a Time in the West -- unusual for Fonda in that he played the villain. He was also great in some lesser-known Westerns, such as A Big Hand for the Little Lady (one of my favorites), and The Tin Star.
James Stewart: you highlighted films in his later Western career, but there was a terrific one from 1939 called Destry Rides Again.
Gary Cooper: you mentioned several Westerns, but left out his most iconic one, High Noon.
Excellent, a few more for your list. Charles Bronson, James Coburn ,Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck
Take a look at my videos top 50 in the channel. I have videos on some of these guys as well
I love the old western movies
EXCELENTE VIDEO ESTIMADO , DESDE NIÑO ME GUSTABAN MUCHOS LAS PELICULAS DE COW BOYS , SABIA MAS DE LA CULTURA DE UDS QUE LA DE MI PAIS EN ESE ENTONCES , JIJIJI, SALUDOS Y SUERTE LE DESEAM DESDE CHILE
I wasn't going to give you the thumbs up until the very end when you included Richard widmark.
All good ma man
Take a look at my channel for the top 50 list, th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
Glenn Ford 16:58 was considered the quickest draw in Hollywood and the best cowboy of them all. Thanks for the video!!! Glenn Ford TH-cam Channel: th-cam.com/users/RobbGF
Just FYI, actor Peter Breck of the show "Big Valley" won several quick draw competitions and Henry Fonda was also very good on quick draw on single actions.
FGlenn Ford in 3:10 to Yuma is not to be missed. Love his understated acting style.
Glenn Ford was the second fastest draw in Hollywoot at .24 seconds. Ben Cooper was .23 seconds.
Ben Johnson was the best cowboy of them all, actually becoming a World Champion Rodeo cowboy taking a year off from movies.. Hoot Gibson was also a star at rodeo before he started his film career.
Absolutely a list of the greatest western actors of all time
Check out my top 50 list on my channel, th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
Rio Bravo, Eldorado, My darling Clementine, The man who shot Liberty Valance,Last train from Gun Hill.
See my videos on top western movies
Very nice !
Thank you! Cheers!
Not bad but how in the world do you not include Ward Bond, Harry Carey, Harry Carey, Jr., Tim Holt and Lee Van Cleef, the "Best of the Bad".
Very good video but unfortunately Lee van cleef has been left out.
Van cleef very good in HighNoon
He's so good at being the bad guy. You just love to hate him.
It cannot be
@@birgitkornitzky1069m
I would add Dean Martin to the list. Was excellent in the westerns he did.
And usually funny, Take a look in my channel he is in several of my videos
Rio Bravo. Dean was never better
Dean Martin was magnificent in the film, The Sons of Katie Elder.
Robert Taylor , Jack Elam . Good List!
Have you looked to the top 50 list? th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
No
Lee Marvin was an ex.US Marine sniper, who served in the Pacific during WW2. It was always said of him that he bought to his roles the look of a man who was thoroughly familar with handling a gun, in addition to being a great actor.
Palimony
Lee was hysterical in Cat Baloo and so great in Paint Your Wagon too!
He also said his characters only appeal to people who take out the garbage 🗑.
DALE ROBERTSON was a wonderful actor and horseman He gave back to so many. A lot of stars got their first break guest starring on TALES OF WELLS FARGO
Alan Ladd. 'Shane' was a masterpiece.
Good video.
Thanks!
I recently saw Sam Elliot in "1883" on Paramount Plus. His performance knocked me on my ass! If any of you watching Famous People have not seen it, you will NOT be disappointed! His whole performance is awesome, but his opening scene and his closing scene give me goosebumps. One of the best western performances throughout that I have ever seen.
Thanks for the recommendation
👍❤
I loved 1883 but my son and DIL didn't care for it, I think they're crazy. They have watched Yellowstone which I haven't so that may have something to do with it.
The history of Westerns is not complete without the movie series "The Sacketts" with Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott. Both were shamefully overlooked.
@@debbiesims138 The wife and I plan to watch the Yellowstone series in chronological order beginning with 1883 and ending with Yellowstone. We think it will make the story better if it unfolds in a timeline.
Nice to see Ben Johnson. Would have included William Holden though, thanks x
Take a look in my channel top 50 list and video on Ben and much more
William Holden and Glenn Ford made a couple of films together. Holden played the good guy in one, Ford in the other.
I grew up in the 1940s watching old wester movies on a new fangled thing called television. We had the only one in our neighborhood. They played old westerns from 1932-1940. Hoot Gipson, Kermit Maynard, (Kermit was a better horseman than Ben Johnson (my father shared that name) and his brother Ken Maynard. But most of all Glenn Strange the eternal bad man who stood 6’4” tall.
Kermit was great at trick riding. A great skill, but not a skill necessary for a cowboy. Once at least, Glenn Strange played a lawman. I don't think either Roy Barcroft or John Merton ever played a good guy althouh, off the screen, Roy Barcroft was quite a decent man.
Lee Marvin gave off vibes in his movies that he could be as tough off-screen as on.
When I first saw Audie in "To Hell and Back" I didn't know he was playing himself in WWII, and thought, 'Talk about a mismatched typecasting!" Looked like he belonged in a boy band.
How is James Garner not on the list???? Maverick introduced a totally new kind of western hero, and he headlined a slew of serious and comedic oater gems.
Glad to see so much love for Jack Elam, who so brilliantly ripened from villainy to comedy (epitomized by his roles in Garner's two "Support Your..." movies).
Terence Hill and Bud Spencer did almost as much for the Spaghetti Western chunk of the industry as Eastwood.
Lee Van Cleef became an icon for his work on both sides of the Atlantic.
Sam Elliot's voice and mustache should be enough to qualify him, even if he hadn't also been a fine and prolific actor to boot.
Same reason why Clint Eastwood is only #3...volume of work.
Kirk Douglas
Rory Calhoun
Charlton Heston
Joel McCrea
Alan Ladd
Joseph Cotton
Lee Van Cleef
Yul Brunner
Sterling Hayden
Ernest Borgnine
Right, these guys were also great actors
Charles Bronson?!
James Coburn.
Also Ssm Elliot voice is perfect. More distinct and rugged than any actor I ever heard that does Westerner cowboy movies. And makes a great living selling products on Television, and Radio. Just using Elliots voice. And the ladies love Sam.
One might say Type cast?
Anthony Steffen and Lee Van Cleef are my favourite Western Stars. RIP!
Check out the top 10 and 50 lists on the channel, th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
great choice!! i like it. Yes there is Bronson missing and may be Lee van Cleve. But i agree with this choice .
See the followup video Top 50 in the channel and the videos on did on both of them as well
Brilliant ☑️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
nobody talks about what i consider to be one of the top 10 westerns of all time, Buck and the Preacher. loosely about the black cowboys, it was written, produced, directed and stared in by Sidney Poitier, and harry belafonte should have won the best supporting award for his role.
Agreed great movie !
Good show.However,you should have included Charles Bronson & Clint Walker.
See my video on Charles Bronson in the channel
I always was a great fan of Woody Strode. The first scene of "Once upon a time in the West" is so great. But you can chose many actors of the film. I love the performance of Aldo Sambrell - he makes every Western better. As it is with Frank Wolff.
Take a look at my video on him in the channel
1 Randolph Scott🌟2Joel Mcrea⭐3Burt Lancaster🌟4 Audie Murphy🌟5Alan Ladd 🌟6 Gary Cooper ⭐7Roy Rogers🌟
8John Wayne🌟9 James Stewart 🌟10 Richard widmark🌟11 Glen Ford 🌟12 Henry Fonda 🌟13 Errol Flynn 🌟
14 William holden🌟15 Gregory Peck 🌟16 Rory Calhoun 🌟17 George Montgomery 🌟18 James Garner 🌟
19 Charlton Heston 🌟20 Paul Newman🌟
Excellent list - Robert Taylor
Errol Flynn , very good
I agree with most if your list but I would replace Roy Rodgers with Robert Mitchum and Rory Calhoun with Robert Taylor.
LEE VAN CLEEF CHARLES BRONSON
i totally agree with your classification.
for your consideration for top 30 Joel McCrea , Rory Calhoun , Kirk Douglas , Rod Cameron , Sterling Hayden , Lee Van Cleef , George Montgomery , Stewart Granger , Sam Elliott , Tom Selleck ...
Check out my top 20 and 50 lists on mt channel, th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
Ward Bond
William S Hart, William Boyd (aka Hopalong Cassidy), Hoot Gibson, Johnny Mack Brown, Bob Steele, Buck Jones, Alan Ladd (Shane).
Just saw this on YT - this was an impossible task - sooooo many more not mentioned - and I'll just leave it at that :):)
Check out the top 50. th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
My Dad loved watching Roy Rogers and John Wayne so I pretty much grew up watching them both.
Two of the gooduns
They appeared together in "The Dark Command" with ClaireTrevor and Walter Pigeon, Gabby Hayes was in that one too and, of course, he was Roy's sidekick in many others. If I remember correctly, the was in "Tall in the Saddle" with Duke.
James Arness, Sam Elliot, Tom Selleck ❤❤❤
You need to see my top 50 list in my channel th-cam.com/channels/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ.html
@ Gloria E. It's a list mostly based on movie, not television. And though I like Tom Selleck he belongs on no great list of anything. Especially westerns or movies.
@@PlanetEarth3141 I would argue with you on Tom Selleck.
OMG, such a great list. Of course more could be covered but that doesn't make this list lol less awesome. It means the western genre has become is a part of the American psyche thanks to many fine efforts over a long time period. I'm glad you mentioned Autry and Rodgers. Without them westerns would have been handicapped at the start. Without Tom Mix you miss the possibly oldest cowboy of Hollywood fame, but you rightly included him and he actually knew the real Wyatt Earp.
See my channel and the top 50 list
Great music.
Thanks
We simply cannot keep Walter Brennan off the list ... he was just a supporting actor, but participated in 49 western-themed movies and won THREE OSCARS! He was simply a top-to-bottom real cowboy and showed it on film.
See my video on him and the top 50 in the channel. He's mentioned many times in my videos
Walter Brennan was the star of "The Guns of Will Sonnett". Of course that was on TV. That Will Sonnett should not be confused with the Will Sonnett played by Dick Powell on Dick Powell's Zane Grey theater.
Still don't see Joel McCrae on the list. This is an egregious omission. You also have a photo under the Gene Autry segment showing a cowboy facing the camera with his horse by his left shoulder. That cowboy is Jimmy Wakely, not Gene Autry.
Glenn Ford on top of the list , Chills Wills for supporting role .
See my videos on both these guys in my channel and top 50 list
Harry Carey Jr
Great rider
The best by far is Clint Eastwood.... With a mention to Daniel Craig in Cowboys vs Aliens...with Harrison Ford.
Interesting
Ward Bond! ❤
Take a look in my channel, I have a couple videos on him, also mentioned in several other
Enjoyable Video, much appreciated.
30 best Western actors would be good. There are so many great Western actors. 😊
Make it the 100 best.
John Wayne, Randolph Scott, GaryCooper, Glenn Ford, Gregory Peck, James Stewart, Joel Mcrea, KeirDullea,BenJohnson,SterlingHeyden, RichardBoone,GuyMadison,KARLMalden,BurtLancaster, Marlon Brando,Clint Eastwood,TerenceHill, WardBond,AlanLadd,WilliamHolden
TOM MIX..I USED TO READ HIS
COMIC BOOKS EARLY 1960'S..
AMAZING I ALWAYS THOUGHT
TOM MIX WAS HAS REAL..
I JUST FOUND HE WAS REAL
COWBOY..R.I.P.
What about Clint Walker?
What about him?
Don't forget James Arness (TV), but WHERE IS ALAN LADD. Honorable mention Slim Pickens, Brando, Yul Brenner, Charles Bronson (Harmonica), entire cast of Magnificent 7 with Eli Wallach making a great villain.
Take a look in my channel, top 50 list as well as over 200 other videos. Up to about 230 now
Joel McCrea should NEVER be left off of such a list...
While not exclusively a Western Actor Paul Newman starred in several great Westerns such as; The Left Hand Gun,
Hud, Hombre, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Buffalo Bill and the Indians.
Yes, he tried his hand in westerns. Did a pretty good job as well.
How could you not mention Once Upon A Time In The West when talking about Henry Fonda?It was his best performance!
Take a look in my channel you will find Fonda recognised in some vodeos
I would disagree. Henry Fonda in Warlock, along with Anthony Quinn and Richard Widmark.
@@billyanthony88 "I would disagree. Henry Fonda in Warlock, along with Anthony Quinn and Richard Widmark." Yes! Warlock is a masterpiece, in large part thanks to Quinn and Fonda's brilliant performances. Widmark is excellent, too, but it's Quinn and Fonda's show. At the end, Fonda had a very distinctive way of flinging his fancy pistols into the sand, and the camera left no doubt he was doing that himself. Quinn, in particular, took a big risk playing a role of that kind during the 1950s. And the picture did fail at the box office.
Once upon a time is not really a western but a movie about the western as it includes most of its ingredients... Fonda's best westerns are
My Darling Clementine (number 1 by far!)
Ox-Bow Incident
Fort Apache
Warlock
Tin star
The Return of Frank James
The Rounders
Firecreek
Cheyenne Social Club
Once Upon a time in the west
Fonda was playing against type, so it probably was his best performance. That was true also in "Fort Apache", but he was more mature when he played Frank.
I can’t believe you left out Joao Maccrea!
I watched with great interest; always, since a young boy, enjoying "cowboy films." I thought very much of seven-or eight- of the actors you tell of. I liked John Wayne much more after the late '60's and onward. Rio Bravo, El Dorado with Mitchum, True Grit, The Shootist are exceptionally fine films I believe...esp. "Shootist."
I never, at 80 years old now, could see where some actors got such high acclaim...such as Gary Cooper or Steve McQueen. I never (perhaps) understood "acting",) but being an avid reader of many well written books, a good number of western authors as Louis L'Amour, Luke Short, etc, "The Sacketts," with the great Glenn Ford and Gilbert Roland...Oh! Sam Elliot also, they are the real, the best, maybe true westerns.
I am rambling too much but the routine westerns, shooting people, shooting guns out of others hand, shooting 50 cent pieces high up in the air, 20 minute bar fights, all the usually made up foolishness-B.S. (I do think Lancaster's gun was understandable in "Lawman," and maybe Eastwoods "Unforgiven" also. Thanks for a fine, fine review though. It's done very well, brief but thorough. I liked the presentation you made.
I am just the opposite. Most of Wayne's best western were before the late sixties and early seventies!
where is Jack Elam, Chuck Connors and Clint Walker
Look in my channel, top 50 list and character videos as well as a video on Elam. Connors and Walker mentioned in several. I know for those new to my channel aren't aware of my other over 250 videos in the channel. Worth a look
Come on now, under Gary Cooper (12:46) you didn't mention High Noon. Are you so firmly entrenched in the Howard Hawks camp that you can't admit the truth?
Did it mention "The Hanging Tree"?
Not one name amongst the 20 could I disagree with.
Alan Ladd, Kirk Douglas, James Garner
Yu Briner, Franco Nero, Terence Hill
Juliano Gemma
Thank you for mentioning Giuliano Gemma. Also known as Montgomery Wood.
How about jack elam
You should've stuck with 10 best Western actors.
Randolph Scott the best Cowboy ever. All great actors, but not great western actors. Why didn't you mention "Red River" in John Wayne's movies? 🤔
You also missed Joel McRae, never got a mention.
Check out the top 50 video
Jeff Bridges.
Charles Bronson.
Kevin Costner.
Kirk Douglas.
Sam Elliott.
Errol Flynn.
James Garner.
Gene Hackman.
Charlton Heston.
Alan Ladd.
Clayton Moore.
Willie Nelson.
Paul Newman.
Robert Redford.
Tex Ritter.
Tom Selleck.
Clint Walker.
Take a look in my Channel have many videos on many of these, And building more