The Cowboys poster

The Cowboys( 1972)

TV-MAWesternAdventureDramaAction
71%
User
Score

All they wanted was their chance to be men... and he gave it to them.

Overview

When his cattlemen abandon him for the gold fields, rancher Wil Andersen is forced to take on a collection of young boys as his cowboys in order to get his herd to market in time to avoid financial disaster. The boys learn to do a man's job under Andersen's tutelage, however, neither he nor the boys know that a gang of cattle thieves is stalking them.

    Top Billed Cast

    1. cast image

      John Wayne

      Wil Andersen

    2. cast image

      Roscoe Lee Browne

      Jebediah Nightlinger

    3. cast image

      Bruce Dern

      Long Hair

    4. cast image

      Colleen Dewhurst

      Kate

    5. cast image

      Alfred Barker Jr.

      Cowboy Fats

    6. cast image

      Nicolas Beauvy

      Cowboy Dan

    7. cast image

      Steve Benedict

      Cowboy Steve

    8. cast image

      Robert Carradine

      Cowboy Slim Honeycutt

    9. cast image

      Norman Howell

      Cowboy Weedy

    10. cast image

      Stephen R. Hudis

      Cowboy Charlie Schwartz

    11. cast image

      Sean Kelly

      Cowboy Stuttering Bob

    12. cast image

      A Martinez

      Cowboy Cimarron

    13. cast image

      Clay O'Brien

      Cowboy Hardy Fimps

    14. cast image

      Sam O'Brien

      Cowboy Jimmy Phillips

    15. cast image

      Mike Pyeatt

      Cowboy Homer Weems

    16. cast image

      Slim Pickens

      Anse

    17. cast image

      Lonny Chapman

      Homer's Father

    18. cast image

      Charles Tyner

      Stonemason

    19. cast image

      Sarah Cunningham

      Annie Andersen

    20. cast image

      Allyn Ann McLerie

      Ellen Price

    21. cast image

      Maggie Costain

      Phoebe

    22. cast image

      Matt Clark

      Smiley

    23. cast image

      Jerry Gatlin

      Howdy

    24. cast image

      Walter Scott

      Okay

    25. cast image

      Richard Farnsworth

      Henry Williams

    26. cast image

      Wallace Brooks

      Red Tucker

    27. cast image

      Charise Cullin

      Elizabeth

    28. cast image

      Collette Poeppel

      Rosemary

    29. cast image

      Rita Hudis

      Charlie's Mother

    30. cast image

      Margaret Kelly

      Bob's Mother

    31. cast image

      Larry Randles

      Ben

    32. cast image

      Larry Finley

      Jake

    33. cast image

      Jim Burk

      Pete

    34. cast image

      Norman Howell Sr.

      Jim's Father

    35. cast image

      Fred Brookfield

      Rustler

    36. cast image

      Tap Canutt

      Rustler

    37. cast image

      Chuck Courtney

      Rustler

    38. cast image

      Gary Epper

      Rustler

    39. cast image

      Tony Epper

      Rustler

    40. cast image

      Kent Hays

      Rustler

    41. cast image

      J.R. Randall

      Rustler

    42. cast image

      Henry Wills

      Rustler

    43. cast image

      Joe Yrigoyen

      Rustler

    44. cast image

      Ralph Volkie

      Ralphie (uncredited)

    45. cast image

      Ivan Brutsche

      Towns Person (uncredited)

    Social

    Review 1Discussion

    A review by John Chard

    8
    Written by John Chard on Wed May 29 2019
    The Breaking of Boys and the Making of Men. The Cowboys is directed by Mark Rydell and adapted from the novel written by William Dale Jennings; who co-writes the screenplay with Irving Ravetch & Harriet Frank Jr. It stars John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, Bruce Dern and Colleen Dewhurst. John Williams scores the music and Robert Surtees is the cinematographer. Plot sees Wayne as tough cattleman Wil Andersen, who after finding all his cowhands have fled to find their fortune elsewhere, is forced to use a bunch of green teenagers to get his beef to market. It's a journey of some distinction, for...

    Media

    Videos 2Backdrops 9Posters 24

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    Facts

    Status

    Released

    Original Language

    English

    Budget

    6000000.00

    Revenue

    7500000.00

    Keywords

    • based on novel or book
    • montana
    • ranch
    • beef
    • cattle drive
    • underage drinking
    • gun battle
    • cattle
    • schoolboy
    • cattleman
    • cattle rustling
    • kids on their own
    • cattle stampede