Movies and books have romanticized the life of the cowboy. To most, the heroes of countless Westerns fall into one of three categories: the strong, silent, asexual deliverer of damsels in distress; the slick and gaudy guitar-strummer; and the virile, violent drifter. In truth, real cowboys had little in common with the fictionalized characters of literature and the silver screen. The "reel" cowboys of yesteryear are recalled in Part One of this work. The make-believe West of Gene Autry, Buck Jones, Harry Carey, and many others is contrasted with the real American West. Part Two discusses the many movies based on the writings of Western writers. The works of Zane Grey, Louis L'Amour, Max Brand, Luke Short, Ernest Haycox and many others have been transformed to the silver screen, often with great success. Next examined are the movies based upon three writers of the great Northwest: James Oliver Curwood, Jack London and Rex Beach. A concluding section looks at cinema cowboys on the so-called "sawdust trail." Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Jack Hoxie were among those reel cowboys who performed in circuses and Wild West shows.

In Kate Hoefler’s realistic and poetic picture book debut about the wide open West, the myth of rowdy, rough-riding cowboys and cowgirls is remade. A timely and multifaceted portrayal reveals a lifestyle that is as diverse as it contrary to what we've come to expect.

Movies and books have romanticized the life of the cowboy. To most, the heroes of countless Westerns fall into one of three categories: the strong, silent, asexual deliverer of damsels in distress; the slick and gaudy guitar-strummer; and the virile, violent drifter. In truth, real cowboys had little in common with the fictionalized characters of literature and the silver screen. The "reel" cowboys of yesteryear are recalled in Part One of this work. The make-believe West of Gene Autry, Buck Jones, Harry Carey, and many others is contrasted with the real American West. Part Two discusses the many movies based on the writings of Western writers. The works of Zane Grey, Louis LAmour, Max Brand, Luke Short, Ernest Haycox and many others have been transformed to the silver screen, often with great success. Next examined are the movies based upon three writers of the great Northwest: James Oliver Curwood, Jack London and Rex Beach. A concluding section looks at cinema cowboys on the so-called "sawdust trail." Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Jack Hoxie were among those reel cowboys who performed in circuses and Wild West shows.

A photographic history of "B" Western movie location ranches in Chatsworth, California. More than 350 photos of scenes lensed in the Santa Susana Mountains. Come ride with author Jerry England as he takes you on a photographic tour of famous Chatsworth area movie ranches. Witness Tom Mix, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, John Wayne, Allan Lane, Bill Elliott, Charles Starrett, the Lone Ranger, Buster Crabbe, Tim McCoy, Lash LaRue, and many other six-gun heroes as they ride the pony trails of the gone, but not forgotten Iverson Movie Location Ranch, Brandeis Movie Ranch, Bell Moving Picture Ranch, Corriganville Movie Ranch, Spahn Ranch, and Burro Flats. View action scenes filmed at Chatsworth's reservoir, train depot, and railroad tunnels. Then follow your favorite Hollywood cowboy through the western streets, outlaw shacks, stagecoach stops, and ranch houses you've seen in hundreds of "B" Westerns.

Every time a cowhand dug his boot into the stirrup, he knew that the ride could carry him to trail's end. With real stories told by men who were cowboys before the 1930s, this book captures the everyday perils of the flinty hoofs and devil horns of an outlaw steer, the crush of a half-ton of fury in the guise of a saddle horse, the snap of a rope pulled taut enough to sever digits. Whether destined to be remembered or forgotten, a cowhand clung to life with all the zeal with which he approached his trade.

One of America’s unique contributions to world culture, the cowboy has captured the imagination of people everywhere. In The Cowboy: Six-Shooters, Songs, and Sex, eight renowned western writers report on what the cowboys really were like and what they are like today. Contributors detail how the cowboys lived, loved, and died, how they fared when ranchers switched from running cattle to entertaining dudes, and how the media have depicted the cowboy.