Rank Them - Best Western Supporting Actor
 

Here are 5 of my favorite Western, Supporting Actors ranked from best (1) to (5). Please rank these five or add your own.

1. Ben Johnson
2. Jack Elam
3. Slim Pickens
4. Gabby Hayes
5. Ken Curtis

Honorable Mention

Walter Brennan
Eli Wallach
Chill Wills
Andy Divine

I like your choices. Personally I would put Jack Elam #1
A couple others I like are Paul Fix and Claude Akins.

I celebrate them all

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...20camptown.gif

Hank Worden , of course!

Definitely (IMO) Slim Pickens!

Paul Fix almost made my list along with Claude Akins (Doc on Gunsmoke). I had the privelege of meeting Mr. Akins in college. He came for an entire class and spoke. What a gentleman he was; smart, friendly, articulate and a class act. He said really enjoyed his time on Gunsmoke - that nobody ever argued, cursed, and always treated everyone with respect and dignity.

Probably a lot of others deserve the list also.

Western support?
 

Not a true wheelhouse for me- Lee Van Cleef, Katy Jurado, Ward Bond?

Trent King

Didn't Milburn Stone play Doc on all of the gunsmoke episodes?

not in any order but,
Charles Bronson in Once upon a time in the west
Clint Eastwood in Paint your wagon
Chief Dan George in all of them but top mention Outlaw Jose Wales and Little Big Man.
Kate Hepburn in True Grit
Maureen O"Hara in most of the Dukes movies
Lee Marvin when he is not the lead
Lastly, Tuco
and many more that I can't think of

According to the websites Claude Akins appeared on Gunsmoke ten times and was a different character each time he appeared.

My bad - I must have had a senior moment. I meant to type Milburn Stone, but typed Claude Akins instead. I have a picture somewhere of Mr. Stone and myself, but have no idea where to start looking for it. If I find it, I'll post it.

All the actors/actresses mentioned are fantastic!

Strother Martin

Small but memorable roles in True Grit, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Rooster Cogburn to name a few.

The recipient of the greatest drop kick ever executed in a Western by the Duke in The Man who shot Liberty Valance.

What talent mentioned in this thread!

He was great in his role as Doc, I love the bickering between him and Chester and him and Festus.

It would be nice to see the picture of you two if you can find it.

I don't think anyone has mentioned these two handsome fellas, Al Mulock and John Quade. Mulock committed suicide by jumping off the roof of a hotel in Spain on the set of Once Upon A Time In The West because he couldn't get a hit of heroin, as they were putting him in a vehicle to take him to a hospital Sergio Leone made sure they took off his costume because they still had scenes to shoot with Mulock's character. The next day a fill in wore Mulock's costume in the scene where Charles Bronson shoots him. Clint Eastwood took one look at Quade and hired him on the spot for High Plains Drifter and didn't care if he could act or not.

Can't help but put Gabby Hayes as my #1 Supporting Western Star--he was from just outside my hometown in WNY state and they celebrated in town every year w/ a week of fun called "Gabby Hayes Days"'

Here's a pic when he made a visit around 1953 during the height of his career--the guy w/ him owned the local sporting goods store.

Harry Carey Jr
Hank Worden

But an big Ward Bond fan too

1. Claude Akins
2. Jack Elam
3. Strother Martin
4. Bruce Dern
5. Slim Pickens

Richard Boone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBH6d-3-30E

Let's not forget another great character actor - Frank McGrath - the man who kept the Wagon Train fed. Let's hear it for Wooster!

I just watched "The Wild Bunch" last night for the 100th time. How could I have not included Warren Oates in my list! By the way, the movie has 3 of the best character actors; Ben Johnson, Warren Oates, and Strother Martin. A "must see" movie.

John Quade was really funny too.

https://youtu.be/GLcR7tPkuyc?feature=shared

All good but I agree with Slim

John Carradine belongs on the list as well.

Sidekicks
 

Dean Martin in Rio Bravo. If it's on when I am flipping channels, I always have to stop and watch the rest of the film.

Whenver I see this thread on the main page it just says "Rank Them Best Western" . . . and I'm always half expecting someone to say "The Best Western down the street from the Alburqueque airport. . . .Great free breakfast!"

Michael Landon

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...0autograph.jpg

He slipped my mind entirely, but what about Jay Silverheels?

27 post and no one mentioned Smiley Burnette or Al"Fuzzy" St John.

Richard Boone was the first to pop into my head but I had Hombre in mind.

Who was born "Harold Smith". But I guess it wouldn't have sounded as good.