The Cowboys backdrop

The Cowboys 1972 Directed by Mark Rydell

All they wanted was their chance to be men... and he gave it to them.

When his cattlemen abandon him for the gold fields, rancher Wil Andersen is forced to take on a collection of young boys as his cowboys in order to get his herd to market in time to avoid financial disaster. The boys learn to do a man's job under Andersen's tutelage, however, neither he nor the boys know that a gang of cattle thieves is stalking them.

Country USA
Production Country USA
Language English
Spoken Language English
Budget $6,000,000
Revenue $7,500,000
Release Date 13 January 1972
134 mins
Cast
John Wayne Wil Andersen
Roscoe Lee Browne Jebediah Nightlinger
Bruce Dern Long Hair
Alfred Barker Jr. Cowboy Fats
Nicolas Beauvy Cowboy Dan
Steve Benedict Cowboy Steve
Robert Carradine Cowboy Slim Honeycutt
Norman Howell Cowboy Weedy
Stephen R. Hudis Cowboy Charlie Schwartz
Sean Kelly Cowboy Stuttering Bob
A Martinez Cowboy Cimarron
Clay O'Brien Cowboy Hardy Fimps
Sam O'Brien Cowboy Jimmy Phillips
Mike Pyeatt Cowboy Homer Weems
Lonny Chapman Homer's Father
Charles Tyner Stonemason
Sarah Cunningham Annie Andersen
Allyn Ann McLerie Ellen Price
Matt Clark Smiley
Richard Farnsworth Henry Williams
Wallace Brooks Red Tucker
Charise Cullin Elizabeth
Rita Hudis Charlie's Mother
Margaret Kelly Bob's Mother
Jim Burk Pete
Norman Howell Sr. Jim's Father
Tap Canutt Rustler
Gary Epper Rustler
Tony Epper Rustler
Kent Hays Rustler
J.R. Randall Rustler
Henry Wills Rustler
Joe Yrigoyen Rustler
Ralph Volkie Ralphie (uncredited)
Ivan Brutsche Towns Person (uncredited)