Which Character Actor Turned Up in Every TV Western?

Distinctive faces and names, like Cactus, Chill, Dabbs and Denver. Grizzled and country-accent - you could believe they lived in the Old West. Stars like Dennis Weaver, Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood got their start as TV cowboys, TV Westerns would be nothing without their cast of supporting character actors.
The 1950s and 60s were a great time to be an actor with western skills. Television was full with Westerns. There were 26 Westerns on the three major networks in 1959. There were dozens of seasoned performers and keen newcomers who showed up in these series. Did you know that just Gunsmoke had to cast 635 episodes.
Today we will take a look at some of our favorites. You can see them in just about any western show. Which one do you think was in the most?
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[@kevincolonel3070]

I have to go with Jack Elam. His career seems to span the longest, and with the greatest variety of characters. Additionally, he was an actual cowboy who grew up on a ranch and was initially hired to do westerns because of his cowboy skills.

[@gsdfan8455]

He was always a favorite of mine.

[@stevemiller1517]

Also Warren kemmerling.

[@user-so2ni3lq1x]

Don't forget jack in cannonball run. Insane.

[@TheLightbright01]

Ben Johnson was a real cowboy in many TV westerns and movies.

[@greybone777]

Ben was one of my favorite cowboys. He was a definite natural 🤠

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

​@@greybone777No he wasn't.

[@raymichael7078]

@@scarygary-qq1pj He was a cowboy. Owned his own ranch and participated in rodeos.

[@ThomasGidley-kv2uj]

Got hired because of great horsemanship.

[@johnprentice1527]

I don't know who appeared in the most TV westerns, but I'm surprised Warren Oates was left out; he was in a ton of them.

[@Ddax-td7qy]

I think he might have been just a tad later, but great nominee! Love his turn in Stripes!

[@andrewstephens2377]

A good thing for all of us lovers of Westerns, their actors & actresses is to go visit the Cowboy Hall of Fam in Oklahoma City! Go online and find out more than I can tell! I've been a Western lover since the early 50's,

[@richdorak1547]

Yes ! Warren is definitely in top 10 all time great character actors.

[@FrednDeeDee]

I think Jack Elam did a bunch of Westerns and enjoyed them all.

[@ronniebrown2517]

i thought it was kind of sad when they put jack on a tv series as a loveable, charming character

[@timbuktu8069]

Jake: Now the way this story ends... is that they get married and he goes on to become governor of the state. Never gets to Australia, but he keeps readin' a lot of books about it. I get to be sheriff of this town... and then I go on to become one of the most beloved characters in Western folklore.

[@waldoparsnip1025]

Probably one thousand , but he'll always be " Swifty Morgan " to me . R.I.P. " Swifty ".

[@lilorbielilorbie2496]

@@waldoparsnip1025 Or the "doctor" in the Cannonball Run movie.

[@lilorbielilorbie2496]

FrednDeeDee I read a story about Mr. Elam somewhere years ago. That he was an accountant for one of the studios and someone talked him into trying for a part.

[@montemasterson9588]

Lee Van Cleef and Slim Pickens did a lot of westerns too.

[@johnprentice1527]

Mostly movies, as I recall.

[@montemasterson9588]

@@johnprentice1527 Lee did more movie roles but also a lot of TV. His body of work was huge. For example, 4 episodes of Rifleman, 4 Laramie, 4 Gunsmoke, 3 Cheyenne, 2 Rawhide and dozens of others.

[@johnprentice1527]

@@montemasterson9588 Thanks for your list of Van Cleef's TV roles; he was great.The westerns you cite, although I watched all of them, were not my usual go-to shows. Have Gun Will Travel, Wanted Dead or Alive, Maverick, Bonanza, Bat Masterson, and Yancey Derringer were my faves. And I remember seeing Warren Oates in so many of those shows.

[@1956tojo]

And at least as well known as those on here if not a little more...

[@robertsansone1680]

Yes & I was going to mention Ben Johnson but that was mainly in movies rather than television shows.

[@pjoe1950]

John Dehner was everywhere in the 60's and 70's one of my favorite character actors

[@madbrowniac7871]

@pjoe1950: Also known as Doris Day's Boss "Cy" on "The Doris Day Show." And "Colonel Harvey", the sidewinder who gets "Aunt Bea" pixillated with his "elixir" on "The Andy Griffith Show." Booo!😂😡 Also participated in one of the great Hollywood inside jokes ever with his appearance in a TV Western Movie. The late great John Dehner was Cast as a wheeling and dealing Western Cardsharp known by all as "High Spade Johnny Dean!"😂🤣😂😉🎤♠️🤠📺B.W.

[@madbrowniac7871]

@pjoe1950: Getting back to Doris Day for a moment a 1970 TV Exec ginormously underestimated the strength of a Show Programmed against Her CBS Sitcom. It originated in September of 1970 on ABC and continues airing to this day. The quote (in so many words)? "How can they go up against Doris Day?" The Show of course was and is "Monday Night Football!"😂🤣😂🏈📺B.W.

[@scottmiller6495]

John Dehner terrific actor with a very powerful distinctive voice?

[@robbubba8020]

He was the voice of Paladin when it was a radio show

[@JohnAsmith-rw6uo]

The best version also.​@@robbubba8020

[@SupaSupaDave1955]

Let's not forget the ever loveable Andy Devine. (Honorable Mention)

[@rhonda7070]

And Slim Pickens! Such a great name.

[@johnprentice1527]

And Gabby Hayes.

[@danielnagle8338]

John Anderson was in everything in the 50's through the 80's

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Love this category! Anderson very busy guy, but I think Dehner wins in the category.

[@kennethjohnson2967]

Jack Elam was actually an accountant for one of the studios , with only one working eye his sight was failing even more from working with the numbers ! A doctor told him if he didn't stop he'd go completely blind ! That's when he took up acting ! Now this is just a story that i read a few years ago ! He was my favorite !

[@famouspeople63]

See my video on him in my channel.

[@catmomjewett]

Always loved Jack Elam the best. But, character actors are a special fav in general. You can keep the “handsome” leading men. 💛

[@650gringo]

You forgot the King of supporting western actors---Edgar Buchanan. Over 100 movies and 222 episodes of Petticoat Junction, plus a multitude of other TV shows. If you watch westerns from the 1950's and '60's, Edgar Buchanan will show up more than anyone.

[@1956tojo]

Edgar was ALL OVER the place...... and was GREAT at what he did.... Another legend!

[@garymckee63]

I think he was in more than anyone.

[@user-ln9ru2yq5e]

Uncle Joe

[@marcyking461]

A bit of trivia, most people don't know about Mr. Buchanan was that he was a dentist before he went into acting, and he was married to a dentist, who so far as I know maintained her profession even after Edgar became famous.

[@user-ht4gp7ku2z]

Buchanan and Glen Ford--one of my ALL TIME favorite actors--were very close friends. You'll notice they were in many, many films together. They seemed to come as a package.

[@remmymafia3889]

He's the one who infamously said to Paul Newman's character in 'Cool Hand Luke' ; "what we have here, is a failure to communicate". Strother Martin

[@SupaSupaDave1955]

Mr. Martin also appeared with Paul Newman in the spoof of professional hockey 🏒 "Slapshot"

[@remmymafia3889]

Is that the movie with the Hansen Brothers?

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Strother!

[@christyalo5244]

He was so much fun to watch. Love him ❣

[@JohnBopp-sq7io]

Yes!!! He was a very great actor -- his business with his hands just added to his characters. He started out as a diving and swimming instructor, I believe. He also went to my old high school: George Washington High School in Indianapolis.

[@bobwallace1880]

Paul Fix was THE acting coach in Los Angeles for many years. He trained classical actors as well as character actors. I read he had over 200 students over the years. This is a great post I am now a subscriber. Keep up the good work.

[@Ddax-td7qy]

I never had so much fun reading the responses. Did not know about Paul Fix as an acting coach, but he would have been very early as a star, I think? Apparently Leonard Nimoy was a respected acting coach, in between being just about everything in everything (lots of Indians, of course!)

[@AmericanActionReport]

I recognized all but one of them, and they were great. My favorite was Royal Dano, who always reminded me of my favorite uncle, Rudolph McAllister, who fought at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. I still miss Uncle Rudolph, and Royal Dano brings a glow to my heart.

[@dangeroreilly2028]

who didn't you recognize?

[@markargentine6259]

Red badge of courage.

[@AmericanActionReport]

@@dangeroreilly2028 I wasn't sure I recognized the one at the 5:44 mark. Also, I didn't hear his name clearly enough to look it up. In one photo, he reminded me of a comedy relief actor who stuttered in a movie I vaguely remember. P.S. I just now looked up "Sons of the Pioneers" and found Shug Fisher, though the photo was too generic to be useful; then I looked him up on KZbin. In Fisher's performance of "Elmer and the Bear," he displayed facial expressions I well remember. He was good.

[@tonyhemingway7980]

Another one that appeared in a lot of westerns was Sheb Wooley. For some reason, he did gain the same status as a lot of the others.

[@duke927]

I vote for Jack Elam:) “Once Upon a Time in the West” opening gunfight and his comic best alongside James Garner in “Support your Local Sheriff”

[@alpha-omega2362]

you have to remember.. this is about TV westerns, not movies... what they did in a movie doesn't count in this question...

[@sharonpeterson896]

Agree! Just watched Support Your Local Sheriff and Support Your Local Gunfighter just 2 days ago!

[@francesmeyer8478]

He was a "whore holder at Madame Orrs. " Lived that movie. Have watched it many times!.❤

[@AlanEmmons-qw6bg]

And once upon a time in the west is my favorite western! Not because of it real view of the west but because of the characters in it. And Claudia Cardinalie was a real hottie! And Jason Robard and Charles Bronson woke so well together! And the sound track. More spaghetti please!!

[@henrygonzalez8793]

It should be noted that Paul Fix, in addition to being a great character actor, was a mentor to a young John Wayne in the 1930s & 40s. Fix appeared in many Wayne films and was well known for his major supporting role in the Rifleman tv series. In addition, I believe I read that he was Harry Carey Jr.’s father-in-law.

[@user-hq4jz6lc9d]

He was even in an episode of Star Trek. 🙂

[@STEVEOMEMES]

Royal Dano Lived in Santa Monica Calif on 26th st. just above Montana Ave. I would see him drive by my house all the time as a kid. Famous People THANKS.

[@sundownsigns]

In 1964 I was in a drugstore in Neosho, Missouri with some other high school kids. Behind a counter was a photo of a very familiar actor. Someone asked about the picture. The man behind the counter said, "That's my nephew, Dabbs Greer".

[@1956tojo]

I head butted Steve McQueen in the crotch in early 1959 in St. Louis Missouri.... I was 6 years old... Tripped on a threshold coming out of a store and he was walking down the sidewalk....Evidently he was in town to make a movie... Mom saw the whole thing and said if that hadn't happened, I'd have been on the way to the hospital, because I was flying face first for the front fender of our 1950 Ford 2 door, and those were made of real metal. And yes, I was accident prone... Not one of my prouder moments...

[@hackbritton3233]

Dabbs is buried in SW Mo.

[@PolferiferusII]

This video said Dabbs Greer lived from 1901 to 1983. He actually lived from 1917 to 2007. I think they got Tom Fix's lifespan mixed up with Dabbs's. Dabbs lived in Missouri from his birthday to 1943, moving to California afterwards. Your story makes sense since Dabbs was raised in Anderson, Missouri, about 17 miles south of Neosho :)

[@francesmeyer8478]

I was in a hotel in Duncan, Oklahoma in the early 60s. Behind the desk were pictures of Opie. I said to my grandfather, "They sure are fans of Opie." He answered "They sure are. They are his grandparents!"

[@kenz1439]

An extended list would need to include John Dehner, Claude Akins Victor French, Bruce Dern and Ben Johnson to list a few more.

[@ThomasGidley-kv2uj]

Claude akins was great.

[@Snuffy03]

A little known great western character actor who was in many western movies and tv westerns, and almost always cast as the bad guy, was Lane Bradford. Once asked if he minded being cast as the heavy all the time he replied, " not really because I am always working, unlike many of my fellow actors who feel it beneath them".

[@JohnBopp-sq7io]

He did play a good guy once on TV's "Gunsmoke". He was a Dodge City citizen. I think his house was torched by a villain or villains, although I might have the event wrong; it could have been someone else whose character had his house burned down. I know Lane Bradford did play a citizen on one episode of "Gunsmoke" who was not a bad guy for once. Then again, I have long wished to see actors who normally play villains, play good guys -- at least once each. I remember that Jack Lambert, who almost always played a villain on TV and in the movies, did play a not-bad guy in an "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" episode; he played a gas station attendant in an episode that starred MacDonald Carey and co-starred Edgar Buchanan and Adam Williams, but I'm ashamed to admit: I don't remember who played the grown daughter in that episode. Leo Gordon, Bruce Gordon (who weren't related), and Mike Mazurki usually played bad guys too. It seems that Mike Mazurki played a good guy more than the others, but, if you will forgive all this digression... I will say: I appreciate people like you and the others who take the time to learn the names of those (mostly overlooked) character actors. I wish I could remember the name of the thin actress with the southern drawl who played on many shows (I especially remember she played on several "Gunsmoke" episodes) whose first name began or begins (I think she is still alive) with an "L", but her last name is also Bradford.

[@Snuffy03]

I had no seen Bradford in Gunsmoke. But from 1971-1981 I was on active duty with the Marine Corps so I missed 10 years of tv.​@@JohnBopp-sq7io

[@BladeStar-uq6xe]

LQ Jones, Clu Gulager (sp?), Strother Martin, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelly, Jack Elam, Royal Dano!

[@Ddax-td7qy]

I had just made note of Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelly! Isn't this fun! I think it was an episode of The Virginian I caught them together. Nimoy often cast as Indian. (Wagon Train) Which brings up Michael Ansara.....

[@jerryfarmer5737]

Add James Best to the list.

[@Cetok01]

This brought back a LOT of memories. Thanks.

[@baskervillebee6097]

Harry Cary Jr was in the 2 finest westerns.The Searchers and Tombstone about 37 years apart. He died in both.

[@bethhart7033]

Enjoyed this immensely thank you for giving names to those I’ve seen in every western on tv and I have seen them all!

[@roytallericoGunner]

I felt it was Struther Martin

[@user-hm4wg6sh8c]

Jack elam my favorite western actor . Had that lazy left eye.

[@lindickison3055]

He could really look mean!!!

[@scottmiller6495]

Don't forget to mention one of the best, Morgan Woodward!!!!!

[@scottmiller6495]

He was in Cool Hand Luke never said anything with those silver sunglasses!!!!!

[@eugeniaruggiero5451]

Loved Jack Elam, John Dehner too!

[@cocophillips9251]

Yes, seems like Morgan Woodward was in everything !!

[@garyfaught3769]

Mr. Woodward was in almost 20 Gunsmoke episodes alone and lived into his mid 90's

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Yay! sidekick to Wyatt Earp to start with, if I remember. Had a turn in The A Team late career, but in the middle: Star Trek. Favorite of mine.

[@ThomasGidley-kv2uj]

Know them all. Strother could steal the show.

[@soxfan]

how bout royal dano and chill wills?

[@ThomasGidley-kv2uj]

Chill wills would just bull rush his way in. He was great. Dano really good too.

[@eugeniaruggiero5451]

My favorite: Strother Martin!

[@soxfan]

@@eugeniaruggiero5451 cool hand luke, memorable.

[@ThomasGidley-kv2uj]

@@soxfan Also tommy chongs dad in UP in smoke.

[@biketech60]

A search indicates 170 western films for Bob Steele (1907-1988) who was in 198 movies from 1920-1974 . Rio Lobo , Hang 'Em High , & Shenandoah were 4 of his later major films .

[@takkmoran9770]

Don't forget " F-troop"

[@cjpreach]

John Carradine. Hands down. He acted in more movies than anyone in film history.

[@kirkdarling4120]

James Hong has Carradine beat by a considerable amount, Carrodine's 351 to Hong's 600.

[@cjpreach]

@@kirkdarling4120 I wonder why I've never heard this before.

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Had a turn on Wagon Train. (Probably everybody mentioned showed up in Wagon Train, but there's a running Svengoolie gag that they definitely all showed up on: Perry Mason!)

[@eaglerider1826]

Did anyone else notice in that first clip that the little drummer boy was actually Micky Dolenz . He later became the drummer for the T V show and band the " Monkey's " .

[@ernestcruz6316]

Yep. On that show (Circus Boy) he played Corky, but in the credits he used the stage name Micky Braddock.

[@lindickison3055]

After Circus Boy...

[@gottathinkupanewone]

John Anderson comes to mind. So does Morgan Woodward, who once played the father of a Hollywood unknown called Harrison Ford in an episode of Gunsmoke.

[@takkmoran9770]

Morgan Woodward was one of the best. He could play the good guy, but very few could play the bad guy as well as he could. Always at the top of his game whatever he played.

[@ericjohnson8571]

Good job there, I did think I’d see Ben Johnson on the list though.

[@baskervillebee6097]

Real Cowboy

[@MarlinWilliams-ts5ul]

Ben was more of a star in his own right.

[@lanicarey506]

There are dozens more actors and actresses who should have been mentioned like Dub Taylor and his son Buck Taylor, Jim Davis and so many more.

[@ThomasGidley-kv2uj]

Dub Taylor was everywhere.

[@ernestcruz6316]

​@@ThomasGidley-kv2ujYou're not kidding. He was in You Can't Take It with You, with Jimmy Stewart, Edward Arnold, Ann Miller and Jean Arthur.

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Yay Jim Davis! He died before end of his most famous role: Jock Ewing on "Dallas." But definitely a prime nominee in this category.

[@Questor-ky2fv]

Not done watching the video, I think it's John Dehner who was in the most western series, often more than once. He guested in other shows, too and was in some movies and old radio shows. Denver Pyle had a great role in a bio pic playing Galen Clark, the man who saved the redwood forests from being wiped out by the timber industry. He was also in at least some of the Wilderness Family movies.

[@ernestcruz6316]

Either Jack Elam, Victor French or Dabbs Greer. Greer was in everything, from Perry Mason to The Twilight Zone to The Brady Bunch.

[@voiceofraisin241]

I have watched hundreds and hundreds of western shows and movies. The most prolific actor of all time was Denver Pyle. The second most was Edgar Buchanan.

[@theheartoftexas]

Chill Wills got the nickname “Chill” because his middle name is Childress. Micah is pronounced with a long I. Rhymes with “bike-uh”.

[@petegregory517]

AI sucks

[@Dominos-el7qr]

My favorite was Robert Wilke, a great sneering bad guy, and he was in everything.

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Whoa. First one new to me.

[@JohnBopp-sq7io]

@@Ddax-td7qy He played one of Frank Miller's gang in High Noon (1952), and he later played the captain of the guards in the Libyan gold mines (or diggings) in Spartacus (1960) "Spartacus again, huh. Well, this time he dies," his character said near the beginning of that film. He appeared in several episodes of TV's Gunsmoke (even as a good guy a few times: He played James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok once, and he played a good guy ex-prize fighter in another episode) usually as a bad guy. He was often a bad guy in other westerns.

[@georgesouthwick7000]

John Doucette should have been on the list.

[@guyfaux3978]

The funniest thing is, Doucette had a noticeable paahk-the-caah New England accent, which was more a sea-captain characteristic than a cowboy one. Somehow Doucette bucked the odds...

[@joethaler7921]

John Doucette was a Shakespearean actor.

[@MsBenlane]

john anderson, claude akins, royal dano, robert j wilke, leo gordon, jack elam, l.q. jones. strother martin, james coburn, boy what a great wealth there was then. i feel lucky.

[@Franklin-jj4jz]

Dabbs Greer lived from 1917 to 2007, not 1901-1983. He starred in The Green Mile in 1999. It was a great performance for a guy who had allegedly been dead 16 years.

[@chrismason123]

I caught that as well.

[@madbrowniac7871]

@franklin-jj4jz: Besides his work in TV Westerns Dabbs Greer Played the part of the first person to be rescued by "Superman" in "The Adventures of Superman" in 1953.🤔B.W.

[@1956tojo]

Thanx for correcting that... Something went crooked in my head when he said that...

[@tommyjay4723]

It was Just a wee-bit of 16 yrs. And Yes he looked good in the days following his death in 83. That was just to show Great dedication to his fans, give the last good show. I totally missed that , thanks for the correction..

[@cliffhigson7581]

Re royal Dano in the bonanza clip you showed the neighbour he spoke too was James Doohan soon to be of star trek & royal Dano's wife in that episode was majel Barret also soon to be on star trek & eventually married to gene Roddenberry the creator of star trek. Amazing how many people got their start before hitting the big time.

[@sproctor1958]

Had to re-watch that segment... good catch. I knew there was something familiar about them two...

[@johngean4034]

For me it was Jack Elam ... When you saw him on the screen you knew it was going to be a good story. Another actor was Slim Pickens.

[@georgeforyan113]

Why did you leave out Claude Akins?

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Good one!

[@user-ln9ru2yq5e]

Gabby Hayes was one for sure

[@phillisrosenthal4160]

Gabby Hayes was the first one that came to mind.

[@TS-wh4ey]

I was thinking of Edgar Buchanan. But then he would of been more of a character actor in western movies I suppose instead of TV. That old coot was in more western movies than anybody else I can think of.

[@bobstark9981]

His last movie was Benji with his prior costar Higgins from Petticoat Junction

[@brianarbenz1329]

I honestly think of Edgar as being the lazy, big dreamer Uncle Joe, who snoozes on the steps of the Shady Rest hotel, ostensibly to "dream up" great business schemes.

[@markh3271]

No Lee Van Cleef (1925-1989)? Really. Over 45 movies and 44 TV shows in a Western setting. Going from small parts to star, which many listed here never accomplished.

[@alshotrodsandratrods8780]

I have to agree. Lee was killed three times by the rifleman (Chuck Conners) I've seen him in a lot of movies and TV shows. I knew him before he became famous, so I always spotted him.

[@virginia7191]

I knew all of these and have watched them many many times!

[@bravehome4276]

They were the foundation of so many memorable Westerns! I'm gonna guess that the supporting actor who appeared in the most TV Westerns was Fred McDougall, with 196 appearances (bolstered by his steady participation in Gunsmoke).

[@Justoneperson-hu3nh]

Every Sci-Fi Movie had Whitt Bissell in it!

[@bocconom]

Whit was even in Star Trek the Original Series episode The Trouble with Tribbles.

[@ernestcruz6316]

Whit was the father of Brian Forster, who was the second Chris in The Partridge Family.

[@Stuff_And_Things]

How could you do this video and not mention Gabby Hayes? LOL

[@janetmccusker9185]

And Jack Elam too they didn't mention I like Gabby Hayes too why weren't they on there

[@superfit60]

Strother Martin, Jack Elan, Dabs Greer, Denver Pyle, Kurt Russell's dad, John McIntyre ...... these are my picks before seeing your video

[@famouspeople63]

All great contenders

[@JohnBopp-sq7io]

Kurt Russell's dad was Bing Russell.

[@jnicksnewstart]

A lot of great comments here! How many of you remember Hank Worden? I loved his character in the old John Ford westerns. How could anybody forget Ol Mose Harper?

[@uriahheep6054]

Bruce Dern was in most every western series I recall and even showed in many several times.

[@charlesacker8552]

Not a "cowboy" type actor but a fixture in virtually every western TV show was Olan Soule. Who is that you might ask. Think of any hotel desk clerk, bank teller, sometimes doctor or any bit part that called for a bookish innocuous individual. If you don't recall him please look him up. His filmography goes on for pages, he was in everything.

[@ernestcruz6316]

Yup. He even did a series of commercials for the California Prune Growers.

[@jazzmandan50]

Great video I was hoping to see the great actor Morgan Woodward in this group. Maybe in another future video. Thanks

[@MadAnthonyI]

Yes. I always liked Morgan Woodward. That's what I was thinking.

[@roberttompkins9991]

All the greats in the supporting cast. None of the old westerners could’ve been done without these character actors. When I 1st read the title of this video the 1st name to come to mind was Jack Palance and uncle Jesse from the Dukes . But as I watched this video I recognized all but a few of their faces from multiple shows and movies but was familiar with only a few of their names.

[@tomgregory687]

If Dabs Greer died in 1983 how was he in The Green Mile in 1999? Royal Dano also played St. Peter in King of Kings. Denver Pyle was also famous for playing Mad Jack in Grizzly Adams.

[@edwardgoering1237]

Harry Dean Stanton Played in the Green Mile

[@janicepalesch9221]

ALL greats. They were part of our childhood and followed us into adulthood. They inhabited our age of innocence, following WWII when the Rule of Law mean something and most people followed it. That innocence is gone, along with the Rule of Law. But during their reign, the good guy always won and every problem was solved in 1/2 hour or so. Like I said, it was an age of innocence. For that reason, these people will always be precious to me.

[@hankfrankly7240]

Great video. Supporting actors made the movie stars great. I think you showed Donald O'Connor with Francis the talking mule.

[@ThomasGidley-kv2uj]

Francis voice is chill wills.

[@waynebrown5428]

That was awesome info. Thanks

[@teacup3133]

Anthony Zerbe was my favorite guest on Gunsmoke and many other TV series.

[@Ddax-td7qy]

I haven't noticed Zerbe in the older Westerns, but I knew he was a star in a couple of episodes of Mission Impossible, when i was a kid. Had a steady role as "Teaspoon" on a later Western, can't remember the title: Josh Brolin got his start there.

[@francesmeyer8478]

I always liked him too.

[@henryharvey7912]

The Young Riders

[@baskervillebee6097]

What a great episode!

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

No it wasn't.🙄Sheesh...

[@veganleigh4817]

Some of my favorite character actors. Thank you.

[@dapwearinternational3019]

EDGAR BUCHANAN DESERVES A PLACE AT THE TOP OF THIS LIST.

[@Justoneperson-hu3nh]

Don't forget Dabbs Greer either!

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

Why not forget a figment of your imagination? Never existed.

[@Justoneperson-hu3nh]

Whatever you are smoking, stop!

[@user-wo6qn3vf9n]

Hardy Jake, that great American actor.

[@anthonytripp2251]

Whit Bissell 322 acting credits, according to imdb

[@peterbailey6930]

Outstanding video

[@TamTran-vw7zm]

Thank you for this. Good memories.

[@MrPanama9red]

Jack Elam and Royal Dano were two of my favs.

[@mosinmeister25]

I'm going to say it was Strother Martin.

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

I'm going to say you're a f

[@stevemellas3087]

I'd have to say jack elam or Struther Martin both seemed to be on all the western's

[@flyingwombat59]

Micah is Mike-a (short a) Dabbs was born in 1917. Died in 2007

[@letsgobrandon6281]

Seriously

[@flyingwombat59]

@@letsgobrandon6281 Watch “the Rifleman” in episodes in which Paul Fix is in and you will here the pronunciation.

[@jamesdrynan]

Good list. Walter Brennan and Ward Bond, too.

[@letwendyin]

So forget about ward bond. Loved him

[@voiceofreason7856]

1:57 - that little boy with Noah is Mickey Dolanz who would grow up to be in The Monkees TV show in the 1960s.

[@jimvalentine2814]

Good video, but which actor appeared the most?

[@baskervillebee6097]

Jack Elam

[@user-vm8vw9fg5l]

Met him once in Tahoe. He was a nice guy. He was really versatile in the parts he played. Great and unique actor

[@brookswade5774]

Strother was the most versatile. I remember him in Gunsmoke when it was new, once a week. The continued episode where he kidnapped Festus and they went into the desert. At one point he starts yelling, Festus Hagen.

[@richardyoung2444]

Edward Buchanan , old Uncle Joe was in a lot of old westerns

[@waldoparsnip1025]

Ha ! " What we've got here ....." Strother ! I was thinking Jack Elam ... I made a joke once about MR. Elam , I said ," Can you imagine a young Jack telling his mother , " I want to be a movie star ." And her saying , " Jack , I love ya' , but you can see yourself walk into a room ." Then I felt bad because I found out his mom died when he was real young . You'll always be " Swifty Morgan " to me MR. Elam you were the best . R.I.P.

[@truthhurtswilky7785]

Myron Healey was in everything.

[@tomjoseph1444]

Showing my age, but I remember them all and many more. I sure miss the Westerns and The Sons of the Pioneers, Bob Wills, Gene Autry and many others who were in the musical Westerns as well.

[@ChefDuane]

Don't know if he was in the most but Arthur Hunnicutt was one of my favorites.

[@user-ut9gr9mn2i]

Hank Wardon who played old mose in the sharchers had I think the best line in the movie " You promised Me a rocking chair Marty"

[@famouspeople63]

Great character!

[@user-fq7vs2de8u]

Ben Johnson, Keenan Wynn, Woody Strode, James Best, and Slim Pickens should be added to this list.

[@jackbusby9602]

The most surprising guest star I ever saw in a western was Sebastian Cabot as a tobacco spittin' thug in an episode of "Gunsmoke" where he and another guy bullied Keye Luke and cut off his queue.

[@famouspeople63]

Mr French?

[@robertsansone1680]

Very interesting. Thank You. I remember them all vividly. For your information, Charlton Heston said in an interview that John Ford was terrified of horses. 😊

[@raysaunier8071]

John Dehner. I haven’t even watched this video. John Dehner was a working actor, mostly westerns. I haven’t seen a western for awhile, but when I was watching he was on movie after movie.

[@jimmywilliams554]

Tom London played in more movies than anyone....Guinness book of world records.

[@JohnBopp-sq7io]

I remember him in "High Noon"; he worked for Helen Ramirez (Katy Jurado's character).

[@veseyvonveitinghof]

...them were the days, yup...

[@Kahuna54]

You missed Bing Russel, Kurt’s dad. He was the most killed stand in in movies!

[@itt23r]

A few others they might have mentioned and that I am surprised they missed: William Schallert Ray Walston Skip Homier Arch Johnson Bruce Dern Simon Oakland Claude Akins Hank Worden Mike Kellin John Dehner James Best Dub Taylor Warren Oates Bob Herron John Anderson Ed Andrews Paul Birch Andrew Duggan J.C. Flippin James Victor John Doucette Earl Holiman Eduard Franz Vito Scotti Bob Steele John Qualen And quite a few more that deserve to be listed that I'm sure I'm forgetting. Not sure that Paul Fix belongs on this list of familiar background character actors, though, his being in the foreground as a regular (Micah, the sherrif) on THE RIFLEMAN.

[@bantumwt]

I miss the TV Westerns. They were my heroes.

[@thomasryan9639]

Another actor who played in many westerns, including a stint as a sheriff on Bonanza,, was Bing Russell. He also had many roles that he wasn't credited for. He was also the father of Kurt Russell.

[@jeffdanelek2132]

You never told us which actor was in the most westerns as promised.

[@roberthess2762]

Clickbait! You never answered the question; good video though.

[@Ddax-td7qy]

I just checked: Ricardo Montalban won an Emmy for portraying an indian chief in TV miniseries How The West Was Won, 1978. I remember I happened on his death scene, not having watched most of the series. Cried. Dude was good. In two different Daniel Boone episodes I've happened on since modern age of reruns, he played French aristocrat in one, French/First Nations breed Canadian in the other. Same accent. It's ridiculous, but the casting people were right: you just don't care, he's that good. How does a guy named "Roarke" talk that way? You just don't care. Guy named, what Nyungwin (sp) Khan? You just don't care.

[@tsr207]

My father said that Jack Elam (Toothy Thompson) was on our TV so often he was a member of our family !

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look at my videos on Elam in my channel, thanks!