The Top Forty Western Stars - Or, what a way to start a fight
Jun 7, 2022 15:12:43 #
I was over on Facebook, and on the sidebar was this link:
https://social.digitaltrends.com/s/greatest-western-actors-ranking?as=6dap23850575495320612&utm_source=fb&utm_content=23850575495050612&utm_campaign=6dap23850575495320612&utm_medium=z020573&fbclid=IwAR0f8sOi8oTqnlG82ubdU_yjsNrX2THmh8chzNDlzsYdIo_WEGod2DQwESU&bdk=0
It's a real conversation starter. Notice where John Wayne ended, and perhaps the biggest surprise was where Ward Bond was. For the fans of westerns, any of the 40 could be the number one.
For one, I really liked Ward Bond.
https://social.digitaltrends.com/s/greatest-western-actors-ranking?as=6dap23850575495320612&utm_source=fb&utm_content=23850575495050612&utm_campaign=6dap23850575495320612&utm_medium=z020573&fbclid=IwAR0f8sOi8oTqnlG82ubdU_yjsNrX2THmh8chzNDlzsYdIo_WEGod2DQwESU&bdk=0
It's a real conversation starter. Notice where John Wayne ended, and perhaps the biggest surprise was where Ward Bond was. For the fans of westerns, any of the 40 could be the number one.
For one, I really liked Ward Bond.
Jun 7, 2022 15:27:59 #
No Roy Rogers? No Ben Johnson? No Yakima Canutt? Maybe not all that 'great' but most certainly prolific.
Jun 7, 2022 16:45:53 #
You're correct. The people who put this list together must have been smoking something
Thanks for posting. It was fun going through
Thanks for posting. It was fun going through
Jun 7, 2022 17:15:30 #
Surprised to see James Arness not listed. They could have listed the top 60 because there were many of them.
Jun 7, 2022 17:41:41 #
I have never heard of a few of these, but I think they sort have the others in the incorrect order.
Jun 7, 2022 18:31:12 #
I didn't recognize many of them. I've never been a fan of Kevin Costner, cowboy or anything he does. I was sure Roy Rogers would be on the list. What about Chuck Connors, the Rifleman?
Jun 7, 2022 19:13:40 #
JRiepe wrote:
Surprised to see James Arness not listed. They could have listed the top 60 because there were many of them.
Yeah- especially since 3 other Gun Smoke actors were listed!
Jun 7, 2022 19:43:27 #
Beowulf
Loc: Aquidneck Island, RI
While the order of western stars in the piece may be questionable, I can say that all were familiar to me. I would like to add a few of my early boyhood cinema favorites: Tim McCoy, Ken Maynard, Tom Mix, Buster Crabbe, Hoot Gibson, Lash LaRue, Rex Allen, Gabby Hayes among many others.
While we are on the subject, many of these earlier westerners can be found in the Amazon Prime Video series.
Also, I would like to enlist the aid of anyone who remembers a 40's western starring, I believe, Roy Rogers or Gene Autry and Gabby Hayes, in which the star is able to unmask a group of fifth columnist Nazis by suddenly calling out the Nazi salute to which they robotically respond, giving themselves away at the end. Does any older UHHer perhaps know the title and star?
While we are on the subject, many of these earlier westerners can be found in the Amazon Prime Video series.
Also, I would like to enlist the aid of anyone who remembers a 40's western starring, I believe, Roy Rogers or Gene Autry and Gabby Hayes, in which the star is able to unmask a group of fifth columnist Nazis by suddenly calling out the Nazi salute to which they robotically respond, giving themselves away at the end. Does any older UHHer perhaps know the title and star?
Jun 7, 2022 20:40:37 #
twowindsbear wrote:
No Roy Rogers? No Ben Johnson? No Yakima Canutt? Maybe not all that 'great' but most certainly prolific.
I'm with you. Absolutely no list should be complete without Ben Johnson. He was one of my favorite actors. Neither he, nor Ward Bond would win any "handsome man" contests, but they were both my idea of what a cowboy should be. Mr. Johnson was great in both "Fort Apache", and "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon".
Jun 7, 2022 21:35:14 #
... and no Gene Autry, Clayton Moore, or Hopalong Cassidy? The King of the Cowboys gets no mention? Gabby Hayes. Need a longer list.
Jun 8, 2022 05:43:00 #
JRD3
Loc: Richmond, VA
Interesting exercise. BTW Ward Bond appeared in more movies on the American Film Institute's list of Top 100 films more than any other actor. But this is all like looking at photographs.. it's all in the eye of the beholder
Jun 8, 2022 07:19:04 #
JRiepe wrote:
Surprised to see James Arness not listed. They could have listed the top 60 because there were many of them.
Absolutely -- James Arness was one of the best! And Richard Boone, as Paladin, in Have Gun - Will Travel!
The radio show Gunsmoke was the pioneer in "authentic" sound effects; William Conrad was a brilliant Matt Dillon. It was said that the reason he didn't get the TV part was his appearance - he was only 5' 9", and not the western hero type. (James Arness was 6' 6".) But Conrad was the very best!
An aside - I was working at the Lobero Hotel in Santa Barbara part of the time I was attending UCSB, and one year met a young actor who was in summer stock at the Lobero Theatre (the actors were staying at the hotel). His name was Hugh O'Brien.
Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City
Jun 8, 2022 08:43:32 #
lxu532 wrote:
I didn't recognize many of them. I've never been a fan of Kevin Costner, cowboy or anything he does. I was sure Roy Rogers would be on the list. What about Chuck Connors, the Rifleman?
Chuck Connors.
Jun 8, 2022 08:49:06 #
I'd like to know who was polled for this cockeyed survey. No Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Audie Murphy (plus a myriad of others) ? There are a lot of good ones here so don't get me wrong. But "Harry Morgan" and no Roy Rogers. Garbage list!!
Jun 8, 2022 09:06:38 #
Seems like any actor who ever had a western movie role, even if it was just once, made the list. I agree with the missed names others here listed and I might even add Steve McQueen from "Wanted, Dead or Alive," Nick Adams from "The Rebel" and although listed, Chuck Connors played for many years in "The Rifleman" and "Branded."
How many great theme songs accompanied these TV shows. Remember "Have gun will travel reads the card of a man..." "What can you do when you're branded? Can you live with a lie..." and "Johnny Yuma was a rebel..."?
How many great theme songs accompanied these TV shows. Remember "Have gun will travel reads the card of a man..." "What can you do when you're branded? Can you live with a lie..." and "Johnny Yuma was a rebel..."?
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