1. Pale Rider (1985)
   Johnny Guitar (1954)
2. The Searchers (1956)
   Ride Lonesome (1959)

Eastwood directs, produces and stars in "Pale Rider" as the mysterious "Preacher" with six bullet holes in his back. Eastwood was 30 years into his acting career at the time and had already received high praises for films in which he directed himself, beginning with "Play Misty for Me" (1971).

1. Junior Bonner (1972)
   Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
   The Virginian (1929)

Clint Eastwood stars in each of the Dollars Trilogy films and although his character is popularly known as the iconic Man with No Name, he does, in fact, have a name in each film. Apart from Blondie and Joe, he is also The Good in the third movie's title "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

1. Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
   The Unforgiven (1960)
2. Go West (1940)
   Shane (1953)

One of Ladd's co-stars in "Shane" is legendary actor Jack Palance, who seems like a natural fit in his many cowboy roles. Surprisingly, Palance wasn't any good with horses early in his career, when "Shane" was filmed. In fact, the one good mount he got on his horse was the one used in the film!

1. Oklahoma! (1955)
   Rio Bravo (1959)
2. For a Few Dollars More (1965)
   Hud (1963)

Many fans of the Duke know that his real name isn't John Wayne — it's Marion Morrison. Thanks to the film roles he took on, the name John Wayne has become synonymous with manliness, strength of character and unfailing courage, much like his Sheriff John T. Chance in "Rio Bravo."

1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
   The Shootist (1976)
2. Barbarosa (1982)
   Hombre (1967)

Paul Newman co-stars as Butch Cassidy alongside Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid. The film was released to rave reviews and won numerous awards, including a Best Actor BAFTA for Redford. In 1991, the United States' largest independent film festival (which Redford spearheaded) was renamed "Sundance."

1. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
   The Magnificent Seven (1960)
2. The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)
   She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

"The Magnificent Seven" is based on the Japanese film "Seven Samurai" released six years earlier, which is over an hour longer at three hours and 27 minutes. Both films are widely regarded as being among the best films ever made.

1. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
   The Alamo (1960)
2. Wyatt Earp (1994)
   Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)

John Wayne was very intent on directing "The Alamo" and retelling the story of the famous battle. Initially, he did not intend to act in the film at all. With pressure from investors, however, he decided to take a small role and then the lead. The film ended up receiving seven Oscar nominations and won one.

1. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
   Dances with Wolves (1990)
2. Fort Apache (1948)
   3:10 to Yuma (1957)

Among the many memorable quotes in "The Outlaw Josey Wales" is an exchange between Wales and a bounty hunter who explains his choice of profession by saying "A man's got to do something for a living these days." Wales calmly replies from the shadows "dyin' ain't much of a living, boy."

1. Destry Rides Again (1939)
   The Great Train Robbery (1903)
2. The Gunfighter (1950)
   Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

This film is a true classic and is credited with making the actual gunfight legendary, but some of its "facts" are a bit off. For instance, the epic gun battle depicted in the film only lasted about 30 seconds in reality. Plus, it did not take place at the O.K. Corral but down the road in a vacant lot.

1. Stagecoach (1939)
   Gunsmoke (1953)
2. Hang 'Em High (1968)
   Westworld (1973)

John Wayne credited stuntman Yakima Canutt as the role model for his iconic walk and drawling speech. You can see Canutt in "Stagecoach" performing one of movie history's most famous stunts: a jump from a galloping horse onto a fast-moving team of horses, then falling to the ground for the stagecoach to drive right over him!

1. The Man from Laramie (1955)
   The Alamo (1960)
2. Silverado (1985)
   Blazing Saddles (1974)

James Stewart's appearance in "The Man from Laramie" is just one of seven times he performs under the direction of Anthony Mann. Stewart began his illustrious six-decade acting career in 1935 in the film "The Murder Man," which starred Spencer Tracy (also in his acting debut).

1. The Lone Ranger (1956)
   The Wild Bunch (1969)
2. Broken Arrow (1950)
   Cat Ballou (1965)

True to form, Sam Peckinpah directs yet another gory epic about the end of the wild western frontier. Despite (or perhaps due to) its almost mind-numbing level of violence, "The Wild Bunch" is often labeled as a classic film. In fact, it holds sixth place on the AFI's 10 Top 10 in the Western category.

1. Tombstone (1993)
   Wyatt Earp (1994)
2. The Mask of Zorro (1998)
   True Grit (1969)

They don't come much grittier than John Wayne's portrayal of an eye-patch wearing hired gun in "True Grit." The film industry certainly thought so and Wayne ended up being named best actor at the Golden Globe and Academy Awards. Jeff Bridges was also nominated for the Oscar in 2010 but did not win.

1. The Quick and the Dead (1995)
   The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
2. Lonesome Dove (1989)
   Ride the High Country (1962)

Throughout his 30-year acting career, Randolph Scott appeared in over 60 Westerns, earning a reputation as one of the true Western heroes. In "Ride the High Country," he is again cast as a brave (though aging) lawman, a role he has taken on many times over the years.

1. For a Few Dollars More (1965)
   Cimarron (1931)
2. Pale Rider (1985)
   Broken Arrow (1950)

Lee Van Cleef had his first major roles in "For a Few Dollars More" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966). His first (non-speaking) role was in "High Noon" after he turned down a better part which would have required him to have his very distinctive nose altered.

1. Winchester '73 (1950)
   Johnny Guitar (1954)
2. The Lonely Man (1957)
   A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

"A Fistful of Dollars" is the first film in the Dollars Trilogy, but it is the events of the third film, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," which actually take place first. This fact is proven at the end of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" when Eastwood's character acquires the distinctive poncho he wears in the other two films.

1. Go West (1940)
   She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
2. True Grit (1969)
   Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)

James Garner was already well into his prolific TV and film career when he took on the role of Sheriff Jason McCullough in "Support Your Local Sheriff." The film poked fun at the traditional Western theme of a heroic sheriff cleaning up a dangerous town.

1. The Quick and the Dead (1995)
   Major Dundee (1965)
2. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
   The Horse Whisperer (1998)

Typically the hero, Fonda goes against the grain as the villain in "Once Upon a Time in the West." Among his co-stars is Charles Bronson as Harmonica, a role which Clint Eastwood had turned down. Interestingly, it was Bronson years earlier who turned down Eastwood's iconic role of the Man with No Name.

1. The Gunfighter (1950)
   The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)
2. City Slickers (1991)
   Tombstone (1993)

Kurt Russell leads a cast full of very manly mustachioed men in "Tombstone," an account of the events leading up to the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Fans of Wild West history may already know that apart from Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan, there are seven other Earp siblings who are not featured in the film.

1. Unforgiven (1992)
   My Darling Clementine (1946)
2. High Noon (1952)
   The Lonely Man (1957)

In "Unforgiven," producer, director and lead actor Clint Eastwood gave history its third Western to win the Best Picture Oscar. Only "Dances with Wolves" (1990) and "Cimarron" (1931) had earned the honor before it.

1. The Beguiled (1971)
   A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
2. Red River (1948)
   Ride Lonesome (1959)

The American Film Institute's 10 Top 10 list places "Red River" at fifth among the all-time best Westerns. The film was a promising start to Clift's career which, sadly, was cut short a few years later by a car accident. "Red River" also starred John Wayne as the father figure to Clift's character.

1. The Horse Whisperer (1998)
   Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)
2. Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
   The Virginian (1929)

Frank Butler (Howard Keel) falls in love with Annie Oakley (Betty Hutton) with music, sharpshooting and Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West show as the backdrop. It was very different in reality, however, as the two stars (Keel and Hutton) reportedly never got along!

1. McLintock! (1963)
   The Big Country (1958)
2. Fancy Pants (1950)
   Calamity Jane (1953)

Gregory Peck takes the lead role in "The Big Country" with a supporting cast which includes big names such as Jean Simmons and Burl Ives. Among the supporting actors is none other than Charlton Heston, who almost always plays a lead role as he did in "The Ten Commandments" (1956) and "Ben Hur" (1959).

1. Destry Rides Again (1939)
   Rio Bravo (1959)
2. The Plainsman (1936)
   The Beguiled (1971)

Stewart has the part of Deputy Tom Destry in "Destry Rides Again." Confusingly, there is another film which was released in 1932 with the same name but is unrelated to this one. Adding to the confusion is that the earlier show starred Tom Mix as Tom Destry.

1. Mask of Zorro (1998)
   The Lone Ranger (1956)
2. Red River (1948)
   Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

The Zorro character was created in 1919 and has since appeared in books, TV series, films, stage productions and video games. While Antonio Banderas is definitely not the first actor to portray Zorro, he was rewarded for his efforts with a Golden Globe Best Actor nomination.

1. The Searchers (1956)
   The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
2. The Man from Laramie (1955)
   Calamity Jane (1953)

In "The Searchers," John Wayne delivers what many consider to be one of his best performances ever. It is not surprising that this is under the direction of John Ford. Wayne acted in over 20 Ford films, beginning as an extra in the 1920s and then getting his big break in Ford's "Stagecoach" (1939).

1. Barbarosa (1982)
   How the West Was Won (1962)
2. The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957)
   Shane (1953)

A cast packed full of stars helps "How the West Was Won" to take on epic proportions. Apart from Stewart, other big names in the cast include John Wayne, Lee Van Cleef, Gregory Peck and Henry Fonda. Carroll Baker and Debbie Reynolds take on two of the film's lead female roles.

1. Lone Star (1996)
   The Unforgiven (1960)
2. City Slickers (1991)
   Major Dundee (1965)

Charlton Heston was already hugely popular by the time he appeared in "Major Dundee." His talents were not enough, however, to save the film from the many negative reviews it got upon release. Since then, the perception of the film has changed and it is now regarded as one of the Western classics!

1. Lonesome Dove (1989)
   Stagecoach (1939)
2. The Great Train Robbery (1903)
   The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)

Along with Dean Martin and John Wayne, the other two sons of Katie Elder are played by Earl Holliman and Michael Anderson Jr. It may surprise some fans of this classic film to learn that Wayne (born in 1907) is actually 36 years older than Anderson Jr., who was born in 1943!

1. The Big Country (1958)
   Fancy Pants (1950)
2. Hang 'Em High (1968)
   Hud (1963)

Clint Eastwood turned down an offer to lead an all-star cast in "MacKenna's Gold" (1969) to play the lead role of Jed Cooper in "Hang 'Em High." In retrospect, it was a wise decision, since "Hang 'Em High" received far greater critical acclaim and success, especially in the U.S.

1. Oklahoma! (1955)
   3:10 to Yuma (1957)
2. Ride the High Country (1962)
   The Shootist (1955)

Audiences may not have been used to seeing Ford as a villain, but they certainly loved how he played one in "3:10 to Yuma." The film opened to rave reviews, both for Ford's acting and the directing skills of Delmer Daves, who had also directed the much acclaimed "Broken Arrow" several years earlier.

1. One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
   Cat Ballou (1965)
2. The Naked Spur (1953)
   Blazing Saddles (1974)

Lee Marvin won the Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA for his unforgettable performance as the hero Kid Shellen AND the villain Tim Strawn in "Cat Ballou." The film's success was tempered by sorrow as famed singer Nat King Cole, who played the Sunrise Kid, died a few months before its release.

1. Lone Star (1996)
   Silverado (1985)
2. The Naked Spur (1953)
   One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

"One-Eyed Jacks" went through several directors and writers before Brando himself took on the role of director. It is the only film which Brando directed in his long-running career, and it often gets described as a brooding classic — very much in keeping with the brooding nature Brando regularly exhibited in his roles.

1. Cimarron (1931)
   The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
2. Dances with Wolves (1990)
   Westworld (1973)

"Cimarron" won three Oscars, including the Academy Award for Best Picture back when the category was called the Academy Award for Best Production. The film was remade in 1960 with Glenn Ford in the lead role.

1. My Darling Clementine (1946)
   Winchester '73 (1950)
2. Vera Cruz (1954)
   Unforgiven (1992)

James Stewart is already an established actor when he appears in "Winchester '73," hailed as one of the best Westerns ever made. Movie buffs with a keen eye will recognize three soon-to-be-famous actors among the cast: James Best, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis (billed as Anthony Curtis).

1. Junior Bonner (1972)
   Fort Apache (1948)
2. McLintock! (1963)
   The Wild Bunch (1969)

Legendary action star Steve McQueen and prolific director Sam Peckinpah collaborated on only two films. Both were released in 1972: "Junior Bonner" in August and "The Getaway" in December.

1. Hombre (1967)
   The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
2. Rio Grande (1950)
   The Professionals (1966)

Its grim plot makes "The Ox-Bow Incident" more of a social commentary film than a shoot-'em-up Western flick. That might explain why it was a box office failure when it was released in 1943. The film has since gone on to become one of the classics of the Western genre.

1. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
   The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957)
2. Rio Grande (1950)
   The Professionals (1966)

Many fans of classic films consider John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara to be among the best on-screen movie couples from Hollywood's Golden Age. O'Hara, who died in 2015, was more than a co-star to the Duke, however, as the two were also lifelong friends.

1. Gunsmoke (1953)
   The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
2. Vera Cruz (1954)
   The Magnificent Seven (1960)

In "Gunsmoke," Audie Murphy's character faces the timeless dilemma of being hired to kill a man whose daughter he has fallen in love with. The film bears the same name as a classic TV Western, but dedicated fans of the genre will know that the two are unrelated.

1. The Plainsman (1936)
   Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)
2. High Noon (1952)
   How the West Was Won (1962)

Gary Cooper often appeared as a straight-shooting cowboy hero, and his portrayal of Marshal Will Kane in "High Noon" is among his most heroic and well-known roles. Elegantly beautiful Grace Kelly, who stars as Cooper's wife, would go on to give up Hollywood stardom to become Princess of Monaco.