Cowboy (1958)

A simple title for a good western from 1958...Cowboy.  It starred Jack Lemmon (1925 - 2001) as a bank teller who wanted to try his hand at being a cowboy, and Glenn Ford (1916 - 2006) as the cattle drive foreman who takes him in.

Cowboy also has quite a good supporting cast.  Brian Donlevy (1901 - 1972) has 102 titles starting in 1923.  He was the bad guy, Kent, in Destry Rides Again (1939) with James Stewart. 

For Dick York (1929 - 1992), this was his fourth feature film.  "Bewitched" made him famous in the mid 1960s, but he was also in Inherit the Wind in 1960, and he was a regular for Alfred Hitchcock on his TV shows.

Do you remember Richard Jaeckel (1926 - 1997)?  186 roles starting in 1943, many of them war movies.  His biggest role was as the sergeant in The Dirty Dozen in 1967, and he twice worked with John Wayne in Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) and Chisum (1970). 

For a change of pace, Jaeckel was in Herbie Goes Bananas in 1980 and Airplane II: The Sequel in 1982.  Then, a few more action films, Black Moon Rising (1986) with Tommy Lee Jones (b. 1946) and Delta Force 2: The Columbian Connection (1987) with Chuck Norris (b. 1940).  His final work put him squarely on top of TV in "Baywatch."  Could he keep up with Pamela Anderson (b. 1967) when he was in his 60s?

King Donovan (1918 - 1987) was a trail hand in Cowboy.  He has 115 titles listed on IMDb.  Many westerns and many TV shows, and many uncredited.  He was in Singin' in the Rain (1952) and The Seven Little Foys (1955), plus some not so greats, The Magnetic Monster and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms both in 1953.  He redeemed himself in Invasion of the Body Snatchers in 1956.

Vaugn Taylor (1910 - 1983) was famous as Janet Leigh's (1927 - 2004) boss in Psycho (1960), plus over 170 other roles.  Frank DeKova (1910 - 1981) was famous as Chief Wild Eagle in "F-Troop," plus over 130 more roles.  James Westerfield (1913 - 1971) had over 150 roles in his career, including movies such as, The Pride of the Yankees (1942), On the Waterfront (1954), The Absent Minded Professor (1961), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), Hang 'em High (1968) and True Grit (1969).

Cowboy was a very good movie.  Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon are stars.  The rest of the cast is what makes the movie great...those great Bit Actors.