I am interested to hear from everyone on this. Other than Duke, who do you think is the best leading western actor on screen? To make this interesting, I'd like to know for the last 20 years. And A classic western actor of yesteryear? This is great! Have Fun!

Hondo :D

Hondo,

As far as new actors, I would have to say again that I really liked Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday, and I also thought that Kurt Russell was a good Wyatt!

I think I would like to see Kurt Russell in another western, I thought it fit him pretty well. I also thought that another good fit was Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolfs, again I would like to see him a western again

As far as the old westerns other then John Wayne I would go with Jimmy Stewart, Gary Cooper, Robert Mitchum, and Richard Boone.

Richard Boone difinetly makes a good bad guy!

Stacy

Hi guys!I´m new here.
I´ve been Duke-fan as far as I can remember and I really think that he`s THE BEST western actor of all time but the second best is Clint Eastwood.
I do like Gary Cooper,James Stewart,Randolph Scott and so on but Eastwood`s films for example The Unforgiven,For A Few Dollars More,Outlaw Josey Wales are so powerful westerns that there is no question about it(to me):Clint Eastwood is the second best western actor and one of the best western directors as well.

John T.

Welcome to the John Wayne Message Board :) ! I agree with you 100% that John Wayne is the BEST. But as you say, Clint Eastwood is very good. We haven't seen Unforgiven, but the other movies you mentioned are among some of my favorites.

Chester

My choice for best western actor in the last 20 years would have to be Tom Selleck. He's really tried to bring the genre into popular viewing again. It's so hard to find a really good western story on the big screen anymore, but I've been pretty pleased with his last few TNT westerns on tv.

Other than the Duke, for the older generation star, I would have to say Jimmy Stewart or Robert Mitchum.

JOHN WAYNE IS THE BEST THERE IS NO SECOND PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
B)

Robbie,

You may be right, but I do enjoy other western actors, especially those who are in westerns with Duke. If I had to pick one western star after Duke, and that's a distant second; a long distant second, it would be:

Clint Eastwood.

He was really good in Hang 'em High, and (I can't remember the other movie). I didn't really like The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly. It wasn't a bad moive, It just left me a bad taste. That's it for me on that subject. And yes, that was more than 20 years ago, so Unforgiven would qualify for that

Hondo B)

Anybody else wants to tackle this topic? I'd like to hear about other actors in westerns popular after Duke.

Hondo :rolleyes:

I am knew to this site, but not to western movies. I agree with all of you that John Wayne is easily the best. However, Sam Elliott is as close as anyone. He, Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones are all great. I think they are so authentic and believable that any modern western with one of them in it is going to be good. And put Tom Selleck in there too.

I forgot to put one in from yesteryear, so i will put two. Ben Johnson. Even though he was often a supporting actor he was great. Another good actor was Alan Ladd.

Couple more. Sam Shepard and Gregory Peck.

Originally posted by Hondo Duke Lane@Apr 29 2003, 08:34 PM
I am interested to hear from everyone on this.* Other than Duke, who do you think is the best leading western actor on screen?* To make this interesting, I'd like to know for the last 20 years.* And A classic western actor of yesteryear?* This is great!* Have Fun!

Hondo* * :D
Ofcourse John Wayne is the best but also I like: Ben Johnson, Clint Eastwood, Henry Fonda, Lee van Cleef, Glenn Ford, Robert Mitchum and ofcourse James Stewart

Pleace come to my poll! What's the best John Wayne movie

JwFan

I have to agree with Northerner. I think Robert Duvall did an awsome job as a cowboy (Ranger) in Lonesome dove. But as for a western genre actor, Clint rules after Duke. Clint was tough because of the way he handled a gun. Duke was tough because of his fists and guns. Tom Selleck is doing a great job making newer westerns and may be amoung the better of this generation. dukefan1

I agree with Dukefan1...after the Duke we have Eastwood, Selleck, but then I would toss in Harry Carey and Walter Brennen (could anyone ever play a better old coot?)

Really a second category would be for best supporting actor...

Here you would have names like
Ben Johnson
Harry Carey Jr.
Paul Fix
Bruce Cabot

Out of todays living actors I would say Sam Elliot

Brian
Tulalip Wa

Theirs alot of good western actors :)

I would go with

Robert Mitchum
Jimmy Stewart
Gary Cooper
Ben Johnson


Monique ;)

Just to throw in my 2cents I 'm glad to see Tom Selleck's name included. If I had to make a list I think it would be:
1-John Wayne
2-Tom Selleck
3-Gary Cooper
4-Clint Eastwood
5-Sam Elliott
Supporting Stars-1Ward Bond
2Ben Johnson
3Victor McLaglen
4Walter Brennen
I think it's time Selleck and Elliott get back in the saddle again in a movie.

Sam Elliott is the best of the "newer" generation.
Glenn Ford, who is largely underrated, was excellent in any genre, especially Westerns. I also think he
had the fastest draw (remember his sidearm shooting motion) of any of the Hollywood cowboys.







David

Hi I think it's got to be Walter Brennan I tell you who i thought
made good cowboys also was
would be
Buck=Cameron Mitchell
Manolito=Henry Darrow
Blue=Mark Slade as Billy Blue Cannon
Don Collier as Sam Butler
Robert F. Hoy as Joe Butler
and most of the cast apart from big John from High Chaperal
Kid Curry=Ben Murphy Alias Smith and Jones
and Ron Perlmen:D

Hello :rolleyes:

Chance then I know you've gotta love "Red River" :rolleyes:

Monique ;)

Yes love Red River one of my all time favorite Westerns :rolleyes:

On screen he demanded your attention,and his name
was RICHARD BOONE.

John Fain

GARY COOPER and JOEL MCCREA
Folks I just love those two! wub: :wub: :wub: :wub:

Going through the 1940's George Montgomery is worth a mention. Like Randolph Scott, he seemed to be in every western that was made around that time. He might not have been the best but his films were worth watching. And under his real name of George Letz appeared in a couple of the Duke's 1930's westerns.