Many people have remarked that James Arness could sit a horse better than most (John Wayne, etc.), and he sure could! Then I saw Stuart Whitman in Cimarron Strip, arguably THE BEST Western rider on screen. Thus far he is THE BEST that I have ever seen.
Any equestrians here, if you've seen better than Whitman please let us know.
Doug McClure in The Virginian.
Absolutely beautiful to watch--completely fluid and natural.
Re TrueBill: I love a man that can set a woman on fire and give a granny money!
All the people behind the scenes agree (according to what I've read) that Ben Johnson was the best horseman on and offscreen. Second to that was Harry Carey Jr...he was riding as soon as he walked.
Ben Johnson gave lessons to Richard Boone and other Western stars. RB was a 7 out of 10 rider but Johnson was a 10 out of 10. He won rodeos and could rope and ride bulls and do everything cowboys do. If an actor needed to know how to do something and do it onscreen properly he took lessons from Ben Johnson.
At one point during his film career Johnson took off a year from acting and stunts and did a year on the rodeo circuit, but he found he just cleared his expenses. With that realisation he returned with his horse and trailer to Hollywood and more lucrative work.
Ben Johnson was the real thing. Stuart Whitman was a California boy and a boxer. While he was a very good athlete and looked good on a horse, he wasn't a great horseman.
I have read that Glenn Ford was one of the best, if not the best.
However, Mr. Whitman was very good !
Actually there were two who are well known outside of stunt men that were reknown great riders and horse handlers. Ben Johnson and Slim Pickens were legendary.
shareregg5, you are right about Ben Johnson. I had forgot about him. I think thats what got him into films was his cowboying. Did not know about Slim.
There is a great scene in the John W. movie Yellow Ribbon showing Mr. Johnson skills !
Whitman was excellent, for someone who wasn't a rodeo rider or a stuntman.
Carpe Noctem!