Rootin' tootin' cowboys have been ruling the screen for a century, all the way back to Thomas Edison (of lightbulb fame) shooting Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West show in 1894. But it's the classic offerings of the cinema and small screen we remember best, complete with the child stars who brought the youngest outlaws to life.
So giddy up and get your chaps on, we're taking a look back at the child stars who left their mark on the screen in some of cinema's best-loved westerns...
© Getty ImagesRicky Schroder starred in 'Lonesome Dove' alongside Robert Duvall
Ricky Schroder
Born on 13 April 1970, Ricky Schroder appeared in late '80s series Lonesome Dove with stars like Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones as two Texas Rangers who join a cattle drive to Montana.
He's since worked as a producer and director and most recently starred in Dolly Parton specials Coat of Many Colours and Christmas of Many Colours: Circle of Love. He was previously married to producer Andrea Bernard and is a father of four.
© Getty Images,WireImage via Getty ImagesKurt Russell is still a star today, but got his start as a '60s child actor
Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell got his start in the '60s and was cast in ABC western The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters between 1963 and 1964 at just 12 years old. He also starred in Gunsmoke, The Virginian and Laredo, and worked alongside the likes of Charles Bronson.
He's since worked on '80s hits like The Thing and 2015's The Hateful Eight, and is still working on screen todayreturning to a rural setting in The Madison and appeared in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
© Conde Nast via Getty Images,Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesBrandon De Wilde starred in 1953 western 'Shane'
Brandon De Wilde
Brandon De Wilde starred in 1889-set western Shane (1953), about an ex-gunfighter defending homesteaders in Wyoming. Born in 1942, Brandon's first role came in 1950 on Broadway in The Member of the Wedding, before appearing in 1951 on The Philco Television Playhouse.
His last project Wild in the Sky was released in 1972. He sadly passed on 6 July 1972 at the age of 30 following a traffic accident.
© Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images,Getty ImagesJohnny Crawford was best known for his role on 'The Rifleman'
Johnny Crawford
Born in 1946, Johnny Crawford became a staple of the western on screen with roles on The Lone Ranger, The Sheriff of Cochise and Courage of Black Beauty in his early career.
He's best known for his long-running role on The Rifleman between 1958 and 1963, and 1966's El Dorado. His last role marked a return to his on-screen roots in Bill Tilghman and the Outlaws. Johnny sadly passed in 2021.
© Getty ImagesJohnny Whitaker had several notable guest spots on classic westerns like 'The Virginian'
Johnny Whitaker
Johnny Whitaker guest starred on several hit westerns through the '60s and '70s. The Tom Sawyer star cameoed on The Virginian in 1969, Lancer the same year, and appeared in two-part episode 'Waste' on Gunsmoke in 1971.
He's recently appeared on TV series The Last Evangelist and guested on podcast Too Opinionated. According to his IMDb, he's due to appear in horror flick Prepper's Grove.
© Getty ImagesBetsy's short career included two memorable western roles
Betsy King Ross
Betsy King Ross didn't have a long career on screen, but she certainly made her mark on the western genre, featuring in Smoke Lightning and Fighting with Kit Carson, both released in 1933.
Born in 1921, she lived on a 10,000 acre farm with her husband and son, before moving back to California following her husband's death. Betsy sadly died on 4 October 1989.
