The 10 Greatest Western Movie Characters of All Time, Ranked

When it comes to Westerns, it’s the characters who make or break the genre. A good Western hero is the type of figure you can get behind — a lawman, an outlaw, a bounty hunter, or a gunslinger who will do whatever it takes to see the task through. From John Wayne and Clint Eastwood to Kurt Russelland Gary Cooper, many of the genre’s greats have established themselves as impressive leading men worthy of the badge, gun, and spurs. But which Western characters are the very best? That’s what we sought to solve.

While there are undoubtedly far too many characters to choose from for a definitive list of the greatest Western characters, these are some that continue to stand out after decades. It’s characters like these who best represent the genre in all of its forms. If your favorite character didn’t make it onto this list, share with us your additions below. For the best 10 Western movie characters, here is where you should start.

10

Rooster Cogburn

John Wayne & Jeff Bridges, ‘True Grit’

Made later on in the Duke’s career, True Grit is a Western masterpiece that continues to delight even all these years later, and that’s largely due to John Wayne’s larger-than-life performance as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn. One of the few characters Wayne played more than once, Rooster is an honorable (yet deeply flawed) lawman who kept his single eye razor-focused on the task at hand. No matter what challenges come his way, he proves himself reliable, even if he doesn’t appear to be on the surface.

While Wayne’s version of Rooster is iconic, the character returned to the big screen in 2010 with Jeff Bridges in the role. Although many have complained that his mumbling is hard to make out (and perhaps there’s some truth to that), he likewise embodies the “true grit” of the film’s leading hero with a memorable display of action, violence, and compassion that sets him apart. And that’s not to mention that he’s just got a cool name to begin with.

9

Harmonica

Charles Bronson, ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’

When it comes to silent-but-deadly gunslingers, few are as resourceful and effective as Charles Bronson‘s Harmonica. While the character himself has no real name, the Once Upon a Time in the West legend has long been associated with the musical instrument he carries around, haunting his opponents with a few stray notes. Indeed, Harmonica is the type of Western protagonist who doesn’t mince words and finds himself coming out on top even when it’s three against one.

With some great one-liners and plenty of quick-drawing action, Harmonica is the type of hero you can’t help but get behind, even if he is a bit more forceful than most. With an air of mystery to him that is simply unparalleled, Once Upon a Time in the West‘s leading man is both honorable and vengeful, with a ruthless side that makes him quite the formidable opponent. He’s easily Bronson’s best Western hero.

8

Django Freeman

Jamie Foxx, ‘Django Unchained’

Few Western heroes are as charismatic and complex as Jamie Foxx‘s Django Freeman. The leading man in Quentin Tarantino‘s Django Unchained, the titular gunslinger was a slave before he was liberated, eventually becoming one of the most proficient gunslingers in the American West. Loyal, romantic, and unable to fully curb his violence, Django fights for those he loves even when he’s unsure if he can win. No matter the opponent, he always has something to say that’ll likely get him into more trouble.

Foxx plays Django like many Tarantino characters, but there’s something about him that we can’t just overlook. His constant jabbering sets him apart from the traditional Western gunslinger, giving him a charisma unrivaled by most. He may not be your typical genre staple, but he stands out as one of the most creative. It’s too bad we never got more.

7

Wyatt Earp

Kurt Russell, ‘Tombstone’

It’s long been said that Kurt Russell is the reason that Tombstone was made in the first place, but his behind-the-scenes contributions shouldn’t outshine his impeccable performance as Wyatt Earp. Another Western gun with loads of charisma, Wyatt exudes a confidence and rebellious spirit that makes him quite dangerous — whether he’s wearing a badge or not. While traditional lawmen are notable for their upright and moral character, Wyatt is far more complex, willing to roll with wherever the wind takes him.

Fiercely loyal to his brothers and armed with a desire to strike it rich, the Wyatt Earp of Tombstone looks very little like the pacified take from, say, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. Nevertheless, we can’t help but be drawn to Wyatt despite his clear lapses in moral judgment and vengeful hatred for the Cowboys gang. Russell plays the part perfectly, defining his career in more ways than one.

6

William Munny

Clint Eastwood, ‘Unforgiven’

When Clint Eastwood decides to make a Western to say farewell to the genre, you know it’s going to be good. More than that, you know that its leading man (in this case, Eastwood’s William Munny) is the type of Western hero you’ll want to follow until the end. That’s exactly the type of picture that Unforgiven paints from the start, as Munny is a widower with two small children who must do what it takes to ensure their survival, even if it means picking up his guns again after many years.

Though a bit older than other gunmen in his filmography, Eastwood tells the tale of what happens when a gunslinger lives too long and how age can affect one’s ability to take on the world. Unforgiven is a phenomenal picture, but it’s made better by Eastwood’s remarkable performance, showing the intricacies of what years behind a gun will do to a man who’s trying to leave it all behind. It’s no wonder this film is considered one of the genre’s best.

5

Will Kane

Gary Cooper, ‘High Noon’

When it comes to Western characters, few are as brave and strong-willed as Gary Cooper’s Marshall Will Kane from High Noon. Not only is Kane the type of man who won’t back down from a fight, but he refuses to shirk the responsibility that comes with his badge, even after having been newly married. Understanding the value of seeing things through, Kane marches around Hadleyville with no friends or allies in his corner, yet that doesn’t stop him from handling the man who has come to kill him.

Cooper plays the part with a stoic determination, imparting to Kane an uncompromising will that gives him an edge above his opponents. While High Noon was controversial in its day, its leading man is a bold figure who became the symbol of one nation’s freedom and remains a stalwart picture of the type of Western hero we all strive to be. Of all Cooper’s Western protagonists, Will Kane is easily his most important work.

4

Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid

Paul Newman & Robert Redford, ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’

Okay, this is sort of a cheat, but how exactly does one divorce Paul Newman‘s Butch Cassidy from Robert Redford‘s Sundance Kid? It’s impossible! These two are all but joined at the hip for the majority of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, quipping back and forth as they go on the run from some of the most notorious lawmen in the business. Butch and Sundance are a plucky pair of outlaws who manage to outsmart just about everyone who comes across their path, and those they can’t outsmart, they can at least outrun — for a time.

Newman’s sideshow charm and Redford’s gruff frankness come together masterfully in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The film wouldn’t work with anyone else in the leading roles, as the camaraderie between them truly makes the whole picture. Not only are these outlaws witty, funny, and full of innovative spirit, but they’re just plain enjoyable to watch bicker on the screen.

3

Ethan Edwards

John Wayne, ‘The Searchers’

While one might argue that Alan Ladd‘s Shane or James Stewart‘s Tom Jeffords are the quintessential Western protagonists, it’s really John Wayne’s Ethan Edwards from The Searchers who lays claim to that title. A veteran of the American Civil War, Ethan looks for a fight wherever he goes, with whomever gets into his path. He’s a capable gunslinger, masterful warrior, and proud hero of a bygone era that has nothing left in him but the fight. He’s truly a Western character who continues to inspire many others.

Edwards’ battle with prejudice and violence is one that could easily sum up the Western as a whole. His distinct worldview is a cautionary tale to those around him, and he sees the gun as not only the great equalizer but the solution to most of life’s problems. There isn’t a better Duke role than Ethan Edwards, and even the Western star himself knew it — it’s no wonder he named his own son Ethan after the role.

2

The Man With No Name

Clint Eastwood, ‘The Dollars Trilogy’

We couldn’t put Clint Eastwood on this list without discussing the Man With No Name. Eastwood’s trademark character — who appeared in A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly — has gone by many names over the years, including “Joe,” “Manco,” and “Blondie,” but this deadly action hero could never settle on which one was truly his own. The Man With No Name stands as not just a symbol of the Spaghetti Western, but of the new direction the genre would take in the late ’60s, emphasizing the gritty realism of the West and mixing it with an over-the-top violence that characterized Eastwood’s early pictures.

But no matter which order you watch Eastwood’s Dollars Trilogy in, the Man With No Name is consistent in them all. A drifter who wanders into town only to get involved in whatever conflict arises, he is a man who wants to do the right thing even if he pretends otherwise. Proficient with a gun and able to withstand immense physical turmoil, the Man With No Name will see things through no matter the personal cost, and that’s part of why we love him.

1

Doc Holliday

Val Kilmer, ‘Tombstone’

Was there ever any doubt that the best Western character of them all would be Val Kilmer‘s Doc Holliday? A fictional depiction of a real-life dentist-turned-gambling gunslinger, Tombstone presents one of the most dynamic characters in the genre, full of witty one-liners, fast gunplay, and a fierce loyalty to his friend Wyatt that few could possibly emulate in practice. Kilmer knocks it out of the park as Doc here, delivering a career-defining performance that shows a man at the very top of his game. It’s no wonder everyone knows that he, not Kurt Russell, is Tombstone‘s true shining star.

Although Doc is a man of contradictions and barks more often than he bites, he can certainly bite when he has to. No matter if he’s drunk as a skunk or coughing up a lung or two, Doc will stand tall and face even the murderous Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn) before putting a bullet between his eyes. While perhaps not the most honorable Western character, he’s certainly the most memorable.