The Top 20 Western Actors of all times

The top 20 western actors of all time
For over a century, the silver screen has offered up more than its fair share of western movies. And the actors that came with them, perhaps hundreds. I’m limiting this list to lead actors.
I'm offering up these 20 as what I think is a fair representation of the tippy top 20.
Let me know what you think. Who is missing and who should shuffle down the list?
I’m ready to make a sequel to this video based on your comments.
Here are what I think are the top 10 best western actors, lets mozy on now…
Starting with…
Lee Marvin
Born Lamont Waltman Marvin Jr.; otherwise known as Lee Marvin, was an American actor. Famous for his deep voice and premature white hair, best remembered for playing "tough guy" characters. Initially typecast as the "heavy", he gained fame for portraying anti-heroes. Lee played in 25 western movies in his career.
Gene Autry
Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall, born in 1931, is an American actor and filmmaker. His career spans more than seven decades and he is considered one of the greatest American actors of all time. The recipient of many awards. A natural in the saddle and western movies. He has made his mark on this genre.
Tom Mix
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen Lancaster (1913 - 1994) was an American actor and producer. Known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he achieved success with complex and challenging roles over a 45-year career in film. Winner of many awards. Very comfortable in the western genre, having spent some time here.
Audie Murphy
Steve McQueen
Born Terrence Stephen McQueen (1930 - 1980). His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 60s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 50s, 60s, and 70s. Nicknamed the "King of Cool".
No stranger to many genres of film. Very comfortable in westerns, thankfully for us.
Roy Rogers
Robert Mitchum
Born Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (1917 - 1997). He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for The Story of G.I. Joe (1945), starring in several classic film noirs. His acting is generally considered a forerunner of the antiheroes prevalent in film during the 1950s and 1960s. Mitchum probably wouldn't have gone as far as he did without his work in the western genre.
A few notable movies…
Pursued (1947)
El Dorado (1966)
The Way West (1967)
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969)
Walter Brennan
Henry Fonda
This remarkable, soft-spoken American began in films as a difficult juvenile. With passing years, he matured into a star character actor who exemplified not only integrity and strength, but an ideal of the common man fighting against social injustice and oppression. Perfect for a Western movie.
A few notable movies…
The Ox-Bow Incident (1942)
Fort Apache (1948)
How the West Was Won (1962)
The Cheyenne Social Club (1970)
My Name Is Nobody (1973)
Randolph Scott
James Stewart
Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality he portrayed both on and off screen, he epitomized the "American ideal" in the mid-twentieth century. He brought a sincere honesty to his western movies.
A few notable movies…
Broken Arrow (1950)
The Man from Laramie (1955)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
The Shootist (1976)
Ben Johnson
Gary Cooper
An stoic American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He was one of the top 10 film personalities for 23 consecutive years and one of the top money-making stars for 18 years. A natural in westerns.
A few notable movies…
The Westerner (1940)
Unconquered (1947)
Vera Cruz (1954)
The Hanging Tree (1959)
Gregory Peck
Clint Eastwood
An iconic actor, film director, producer and composer. Achieving success in the Western TV series Rawhide, rose to fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "Dollars Trilogy" of Spaghetti Westerns during the mid-1960s and as antihero cop Harry Callahan in the five Dirty Harry films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Eastwood is an enduring cultural icon of masculinity.
A few notable movies…
A Fistful of Dollars (1964),
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966),
Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970),
High Plains Drifter (1973),
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976),
Unforgiven (1992).
Glenn Ford
John Wayne
Nicknamed The Duke, a name adopted from his dog, an actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Golden Age, especially in Western movies. He appeared in a total of 179 film and TV shows. Consistently in the top box-office for three decades, he shared the screen with many other Hollywood stars of his era.
A few notable movies…
The Big Trail (1930)
Stagecoach (1939)
Rio Grande (1950)
The Searchers (1956)
Rio Bravo (1959)
The Alamo (1960)
The Comancheros (1961)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
True Grit (1969)
The Shootist (1976)
Richard Widmark

[@Western24]

Charles Bronson Jason Robards Jack Elam Lee Van Cleef Eli Wallach

[@terminator882]

to not have Van Cleef in a top 20 list is absolutely disgraceful ...shocking...always liked Klaus Kinski aswell

[@AnetaMihaylova-d6f]

​@@terminator882Klaus Kinski , John Garko , Lee Van Cleef and so on ....

[@dcjohnson2208]

Audie Murphy was not only “one the the most decorated hero’s of WWII”, Audie Murphy was THE MOST DECORATED hero of WWII.

[@pawnslinger1]

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!!

[@mariehernandez5878]

My first thought was Jack Elam.

[@marcelmuller8572]

Elam and Bronson should not have been absent here. Anyway, many other important Actors were missing here. The youtuber can still learn

[@davidabraxas3757]

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).

[@raywillcox8622]

I love the old western movies

[@mikz9]

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.

[@nathaniellathy6559]

He was great in Cattle Drive

[@sorenlilienthal1368]

And in "Union Pacific", by C.B. DeMille (1939).

[@SyedZorro50-cp6mm]

OMAR SHARIF ALSO ACTED. IN WESTERN MC KEENAS GOLD

[@robertcrompton2733]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

Check out the top 10 and 50 lists on the channel as well as my video on Spaghetti Westerns and Eli Wallach, kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@HartmutJagerArt]

That is Because Eli Wallach is an ACTOR - while Clint Eastwood or John Wayne always play Copies of Themselves ! -

[@ronsmith7739]

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.

[@davidtaylor8002]

Audie Murphy eventually reached the rank of Major, before leaving the Army.

[@TracySmith-xy9tq]

Lee van Cleef got a Bronze Star during WWII

[@jamesgalasso]

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

[@ronsmith7739]

@@jamesgalasso Thank you, I apologize for missing any of these soldiers and all other veterans!!!!!

[@davidabraxas3757]

what does this have to do with anything?

[@platoon1026]

Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson, Bob Steele, Johnny Mack Brown, William S. Hart, William Boyd

[@j.sumner6999]

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.

[@010bobby]

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..

[@marco-dn7kd]

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...

[@drjprice]

Thanks for the video. Brought back memories.

[@HartmutJagerArt]

It is unforgivable that you forgot Alan Ladd ; especially when he was the lead in what some consider the best Western in 'Shane' !

[@famouspeople63]

Check out my videos on the top 10 and 50 lists on my channel, and my video on Ladd kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@davidbrown386]

I agree with you 100%.Ladd except for Gary Cooper was my favorite western actor.

[@AlexanderDuplooy-df2wk]

😮

[@richardschulman8821]

SHANE!

[@barryhunt8527]

Dan Duryea the bestest baddie ever. Loved him on Saturday mornings at the flicks. My No 1 👍🤣🤷‍♂️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏓

[@ange9663]

Nice to see Ben Johnson. Would have included William Holden though, thanks x

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look in my channel top 50 list and video on Ben and much more

[@j.sumner6999]

William Holden and Glenn Ford made a couple of films together. Holden played the good guy in one, Ford in the other.

[@BuckJones1909]

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!

[@Milestonemonger]

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.

[@ronsmith7739]

Just so you know on "A Few Dollars More" his name is Mongo. Watch carefully in the movie and you will see it.

[@loilt5091]

@@ronsmith7739 Alex Karras is Mongo, in Blazing Saddles.

[@lawrenceeytcheson1317]

And a draft dodger unlike Clint, audie, Henry and so many others who served your country.

[@davidabraxas3757]

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.

[@lelonfurr1200]

on cooper you forgot highnoon?

[@michaelpacheco6916]

and The Virginian

[@nassermj7671]

James Garner in 'Support your sheriff'. Fit to a 'T'!

[@lorimcquinn3966]

A huge oversight............Joel McCrea, quite possibly the finest Western Actors of all time.

[@famouspeople63]

Check out Top 10 and Top 50... kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@j.sumner6999]

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.

[@leoperidot482]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look in my Channel have many videos on many of these, And building more

[@thescarletandgrey2505]

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.

[@toinimoore3463]

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 !😉

[@richardschulman8821]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look in my channel, top 50 list as well as over 200 other videos. Up to about 230 now

[@nstix2009xitsn]

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!

[@famouspeople63]

Yes, he suffered like most ex military, slept with a pistol under his pillow

[@brianjones7907]

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 ...

[@famouspeople63]

Check out my top 20 and 50 lists on mt channel, kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@remstaler3444]

Ward Bond

[@ddfelix4829]

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.

[@richelliott9320]

Don’t forget De Forest Kelly also was in it

[@j.sumner6999]

Dorothy Malone wasn't bad, either. And, DeForrest Kelly of Star Trek fame. Many others too numerous to mention.

[@LoneStarLawman]

Although they did not make as many Westerns, as others in the list, I always liked Rory Calhoun, and Jock Mahoney.

[@JCVD1998]

A honorable mention for George Montgomery.

[@j.sumner6999]

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.

[@hayzeuscrust4517]

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".

[@Doug5524]

That was a great line up please keep them coming.

[@Eskimo8888]

Harry Carey Jr

[@nathaniellathy6559]

Great rider

[@brianroesch3259]

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.

[@nstix2009xitsn]

@brianroesch3259 affirmative action alert!

[@actionjackson1stIDF]

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.

[@PlanetEarth3141]

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.

[@nathaniellathy6559]

In Cowboys the boys override Browne and avenge Wayne's death themselves

[@brianroesch3259]

@@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.

[@virginiadumitrescu7100]

Rio Bravo, Eldorado, My darling Clementine, The man who shot Liberty Valance,Last train from Gun Hill.

[@famouspeople63]

See my videos on top western movies

[@garygrange7281]

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.

[@barrygioportmorien1]

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]

Robert Taylor was a good-looking man - but a wooden actor !

[@barrygioportmorien1]

@@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.

[@tizianamorandi5381]

I agree with you, Robert Taylor a very good actor, in westerns too.

[@martobatelang1283]

Very good video but unfortunately Lee van cleef has been left out.

[@birgitkornitzky1069]

Van cleef very good in HighNoon

[@carlaaustin6054]

He's so good at being the bad guy. You just love to hate him.

[@moestrei]

It cannot be

[@martinschultz9194]

​@@birgitkornitzky1069m

[@RobbGF]

Glenn Ford 16:58 was considered the quickest draw in Hollywood and the best cowboy of them all. Thanks for the video!!! Glenn Ford KZbin Channel: kzbin.info

[@ronsmith7739]

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.

[@frankbolger3969]

FGlenn Ford in 3:10 to Yuma is not to be missed. Love his understated acting style.

[@j.sumner6999]

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.

[@najibsouds]

Glenn Ford on top of the list , Chills Wills for supporting role .

[@famouspeople63]

See my videos on both these guys in my channel and top 50 list

[@hammer2421]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

One might say Type cast?

[@anthonymensingh1989]

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

[@melvinhunt6976]

Robert Taylor , Jack Elam . Good List!

[@famouspeople63]

Have you looked to the top 50 list? kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@melvinhunt6976]

No

[@hansroth2793]

Kirk Douglas Rory Calhoun Charlton Heston Joel McCrea Alan Ladd Joseph Cotton Lee Van Cleef Yul Brunner Sterling Hayden Ernest Borgnine

[@lrachiele]

Right, these guys were also great actors

[@naserbaby4537]

Charles Bronson?!

[@j.sumner6999]

James Coburn.

[@DeansPalley]

I would add Dean Martin to the list. Was excellent in the westerns he did.

[@famouspeople63]

And usually funny, Take a look in my channel he is in several of my videos

[@nathaniellathy6559]

Rio Bravo. Dean was never better

[@GeminiladyJackson-xq6hc]

Dean Martin was magnificent in the film, The Sons of Katie Elder.

[@roberthilson6327]

I wasn't going to give you the thumbs up until the very end when you included Richard widmark. All good ma man

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look at my channel for the top 50 list, kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@paoloedoardomazzoni8921]

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

[@jacquelinekeeling495]

I would have thought that “High Noon” would have ranked as a movie of note for Gary Cooper 👏👏👏

[@famouspeople63]

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.

[@nevadadesertrat267]

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

[@lindadechiazza2924]

Ben Johnson real horseman

[@HartmutJagerArt]

In real life Audie Murphy was more heroic than in all his movies !

[@j.sumner6999]

So was Hoot Gibson.

[@ebriggs3498]

Ward Bond! ❤

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look in my channel, I have a couple videos on him, also mentioned in several other

[@SuperBuckwheat11]

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.

[@robertbutler8041]

Alan Ladd. 'Shane' was a masterpiece.

[@franknicholson6108]

Interesting info on everyone. A lot of this I didn't know. Very interesting about a jonra (spelling ?) of movies that really like. Thanks

[@jonathanwilkinson1461]

Genre my friend..

[@keithbeverley1636]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

I'll take a look at that, thanks

[@kevinbergin9971]

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?

[@j.sumner6999]

Did it mention "The Hanging Tree"?

[@charylliss1721]

Absolutely great 2nd list ESPECIALLY AUDIE MURPHY!

[@ronsmith7739]

Medal of Honor WW2 !!!

[@davidabraxas3757]

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.

[@Sunny_ro9ve]

Agreed great movie !

[@AllanDeneen-g1v]

Absolutely fantastic every one was brilliant ❤❤❤❤😂😂😂😂

[@USERID412-k7n]

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.

[@KasFromMass]

Same reason why Clint Eastwood is only #3...volume of work.

[@juanaliaga4907]

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

[@lizdoyle7158]

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🌟

[@beevee4445]

Excellent list - Robert Taylor

[@ilarikokko8052]

Errol Flynn , very good

[@actionjackson1stIDF]

I agree with most if your list but I would replace Roy Rodgers with Robert Mitchum and Rory Calhoun with Robert Taylor.

[@amadorvalentin9586]

LEE VAN CLEEF CHARLES BRONSON

[@hectorordonezcruz3414]

i totally agree with your classification.

[@dcjohnson2208]

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.

[@j.sumner6999]

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.

[@ronaldrose7593]

30 best Western actors would be good. There are so many great Western actors. 😊

[@j.sumner6999]

Make it the 100 best.

[@frankbolger3969]

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.

[@marco-dn7kd]

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]

Richard Boone should have been on this list

[@frankbolger3969]

@@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.

[@marco-dn7kd]

@@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.

[@marco-dn7kd]

Glenn Ford and Van Heflin are in the first Yuma not Joel...

[@sadiqabdi2716]

Anthony Steffen and Lee Van Cleef are my favourite Western Stars. RIP!

[@famouspeople63]

Check out the top 10 and 50 lists on the channel, kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@johnlevy3305]

How about jack elam

[@barrygioportmorien1]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

Good observation

[@cmr7854]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

Thanks for the recommendation

[@brianjones7907]

👍❤

[@debbiesims138]

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.

[@richardclifford003]

The history of Westerns is not complete without the movie series "The Sacketts" with Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott. Both were shamefully overlooked.

[@richardclifford003]

@@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.

[@grannydyess]

Absolutely a list of the greatest western actors of all time

[@famouspeople63]

Check out my top 50 list on my channel, kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@bravehome4276]

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.

[@fabienlamour3644]

The best by far is Clint Eastwood.... With a mention to Daniel Craig in Cowboys vs Aliens...with Harrison Ford.

[@famouspeople63]

Interesting

[@stevemcnary7963]

How could you not mention Once Upon A Time In The West when talking about Henry Fonda?It was his best performance!

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look in my channel you will find Fonda recognised in some vodeos

[@billyanthony88]

I would disagree. Henry Fonda in Warlock, along with Anthony Quinn and Richard Widmark.

[@nstix2009xitsn]

@@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.

[@marco-dn7kd]

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

[@j.sumner6999]

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.

[@amtmannb.4627]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look at my video on him in the channel

[@terryjacob8169]

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.

[@lindadechiazza2924]

Palimony

[@ebriggs3498]

Lee was hysterical in Cat Baloo and so great in Paint Your Wagon too!

[@nathaniellathy6559]

He also said his characters only appeal to people who take out the garbage 🗑.

[@karlmaier6788]

GREAT VIDIO ........ LOVE YELLOW SKY AND THE LAST WAGON

[@famouspeople63]

Thanks, I always liked Yellow Sky also

[@sbose7638]

Very well made . Thank you so much.)

[@famouspeople63]

Thanks

[@alvaropelayo8084]

1 John Wayne, 2 Clark Gable, 3 Robert Taylor, 4 Alan Ladd, 5 Jeff Chandler, 6 Burt Lancaster, 7 Robert Mitchum, 8 Charlton Heston, 9 Lex Barker, 10 Audie Murphy, 11 John Ireland, 12 Ward Bond, 13 Randolph Scott, 14 Gary Cooper, 15 James Stewart

[@loilt5091]

James Stewart at #15❓️ With your #'s 2-5, some obvious bias, especially considering their limited resumes in the western genre...I won't even get into the rest of your list & some glaring omisions.

[@nathaniellathy6559]

James Stewart good be placed higher in other genres or overall. Stewart was brilliant in political movies.

[@gloriae9717]

James Arness, Sam Elliot, Tom Selleck ❤❤❤

[@famouspeople63]

You need to see my top 50 list in my channel kzbin.info/door/rtQI0rT8Ur4KhMFLlcSrrQ

[@PlanetEarth3141]

@ 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.

[@j.sumner6999]

@@PlanetEarth3141 I would argue with you on Tom Selleck.

[@buzzmessinger4510]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

Check out the top 50 video

[@pedrosikes]

Excellent, a few more for your list. Charles Bronson, James Coburn ,Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck

[@famouspeople63]

Take a look at my videos top 50 in the channel. I have videos on some of these guys as well

[@Russia-bullies]

Good show.However,you should have included Charles Bronson & Clint Walker.

[@famouspeople63]

See my video on Charles Bronson in the channel

[@michaeldennison-j7d]

Enjoyable Video, much appreciated.

[@electronwave4551]

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.

[@debbiesims138]

My Dad loved watching Roy Rogers and John Wayne so I pretty much grew up watching them both.

[@famouspeople63]

Two of the gooduns

[@j.sumner6999]

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.

[@Wally-m9y]

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.

[@jondeere5638]

William S Hart, William Boyd (aka Hopalong Cassidy), Hoot Gibson, Johnny Mack Brown, Bob Steele, Buck Jones, Alan Ladd (Shane).

[@charlestemple634]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

See my video on him and the top 50 in the channel. He's mentioned many times in my videos

[@j.sumner6999]

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.

[@haroldpayne2527]

I can’t believe you left out Joao Maccrea!

[@marilynjones1403]

Dale Robertson

[@noelpotter3604]

What about Clint Walker?

[@lucytupper69]

What about him?

[@김길동-j9z]

Alan Ladd, Kirk Douglas, James Garner Yu Briner, Franco Nero, Terence Hill Juliano Gemma

[@j.sumner6999]

Thank you for mentioning Giuliano Gemma. Also known as Montgomery Wood.

[@jean-pierrechoquet2909]

Very nice !

[@famouspeople63]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@elviradevis9330]

What about Dale Robertson???

[@nathaniellathy6559]

Tales of Wells Fargo. A brilliant show. Good idea to put him on Death Valley Days the last season

[@davidkimmel4216]

Enjoyed very much

[@briannewman6306]

Not one name amongst the 20 could I disagree with.

[@theresataylor7028]

A fab, Robert Duvall

[@mikegodwin6584]

you forgot William Boyd the iconic hopalong casidy he made over 100 films many famous actors got their start in hoppy films. Robert Mitchum, George Reeves, and lee j Cobb

[@Robert-lg2bl]

Awesome video!!!

[@famouspeople63]

Thanks for the visit

[@marco-dn7kd]

To me, according to their leading roles in major westerns of all times (feature films and some TV) and their rank in the genre's history (William Hart and Tom Mix being hors concours for the non talking westerns as well as William Boyd, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Don ‘Red’ Barry and other serials and singing actors surely important in the history but more on the side) I have not listed either character actors, villains or henchmen nor actresses... 10 first : John Wayne Gary Cooper James Stewart Henry Fonda Gregory Peck Glenn Ford William Holden Randolph Scott Joel McCrea Richard Widmark + Robert Mitchum Burt Lancaster Kirk Douglas Clint Eastwood Charlton Heston Errol Flynn Robert Taylor Steve McQueen John Payne Audie Murphy + Robert Ryan Victor Mature Alan Ladd Anthony Quinn Rory Calhoun Rock Hudson Paul Newman James Garner Robert Duvall Tommy Lee Jones + Fred Mc Murray Dale Robertson Dana Andrews Clint Walker Chuck Connors Kevin Costner Yul Brynner Jeff Chandler Rod Cameron Hugh Marlowe To be continued one day...

[@marco-dn7kd]

Damned, I have forgotten Sterling Hayden somewhere in the top 20...!

[@famouspeople63]

Tale a look in my channel, top 50 and many more videos

[@actionjackson1stIDF]

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.

[@famouspeople63]

Yes, he tried his hand in westerns. Did a pretty good job as well.

[@keithnaylor1981]

As you show so many in the first 33 seconds I couldn’t think of a reason to watch the remaining 19 mins.

[@mehmeterkan2652]

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.

[@harlanabraham7772]

Good video.

[@famouspeople63]

Thanks!

[@dakotajack3627]

great choice!! i like it. Yes there is Bronson missing and may be Lee van Cleve. But i agree with this choice .

[@famouspeople63]

See the followup video Top 50 in the channel and the videos on did on both of them as well

[@randyacuna5643]

Are you kidding me? Way more then 20 actors who left their mark in westerners. Just read the feedback!