Warning: Spoiler alert.
There's just something about a cowboy that ignites the passion of the Wild West in us. Whether it's a showdown or a saloon brawl or saving a damsel in distress, these characters are ready for a fight. Let's take a look at some classic cowboys of yesteryear.
The Man with No Name
Clint Eastwood mesmerised us in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. His character did not have a name but was full of cowboy wisdom and tricks. Eastwood's character was a bounty hunter who was given the nickname Blondie by a man named Tuco, after rescuing him. Tuco and Blondie team up to find lost gold and embark on a treachourous journey in the Wild West. Eastwood first starred as the Man with No Name in A Fistul of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the third movie in the Dollars Trilogy.
"If your friends stay out in the damp, they're liable to catch a cold ... or a bullet." – Man with No Name
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KId
Paul Newman starred as Butch Cassidy and Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid in the 1969 Western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. This dynamite duo gave us one epic Western, from high-stakes robberies to intense standoffs, the duo was unmatched. These two will certainly go down as classic cowboys.
"Well, if there aint' going to be any rules, let's get the fight started." – Butch Cassidy.
Ethan Edwards
The remarkable John Wayne stared as Ethan Edwards in the 1956 Western epic The Searchers. The movie sees Wayne's character go on a vengeance mission to track the culprits who killed his family. That makes for one ruthless and dangerous cowboy, and Wayne embodied the character exceptionally.
"That'll be the day." – Ethan Edwards
Once Upon a Time in the West
Charles Bronson starred as Harmonica in the 1968 Western Once Upon a Time in the West. He made one fierce cowboy and never backed down from a good ol' Western gun fight. He gave his rivals a run for their money. Harmonica also had a mysterious aura to him, and we never knew his next move as he always had a pocket full of cowboy tricks. That made him one heck of a cowboy.
"Instead of talking, he plays. And, when he better play, he talks." – Cheyenne
Yosemite Sam
Who could ever forget this classic Looney Tunes character always on the hunt for Bugs Bunny (and always outsmarted by him). However, despite Bugs being one step ahead, Yosemite Sam never gave up and kept trying. For the sake of pure nostalgia, Yosemite Sam has to make it onto our list, as we have fond memories of this angry little cowboy.
"I'm the meanest, roughest, toughest hombre that's ever crossed the Rio Grande – and I ain't no namby-bamby!" – Yosemite Sam
John Dutton
The patriarch of the Dutton family who rode straight into our homes and hearts. Kevin Costner certainly brought this character to life and made us adore him. Even though John Dutton is no longer part of the show, due to Costner's decision to leave, his legacy lives on. Watch John Dutton's leagacy unfold in Yellowstone on Mondays Express from the US at 20:00 on M-Net 101.
Watch Yellowstone Season 5B Express from the US on M-Net (Channel 101) every Monday from 11 November at 20:00. The series will also be available on DStv Stream and all previous seasons are available to binge on Showmax. Join the conversation on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok using #MNet101 and #Yellowstone.
Image credit: Alamy