Tall in the Saddle
eBook - ePub

Tall in the Saddle

The Life of Ben Johnson, Hollywood’s Real Cowboy

  1. 403 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Tall in the Saddle

The Life of Ben Johnson, Hollywood’s Real Cowboy

About this book

Tall in the Saddle: The Life of Ben Johnson, Hollywood's Real Cowboy is the definitive biography of Ben Johnson (1918–1996), the only man to win both an Academy Award and a world rodeo championship. Born on a historic Oklahoma ranch, Johnson could rope cattle before he could read, and his horsemanship took him straight to Hollywood when tycoon Howard Hughes needed horses for The Outlaw in 1943. What started as a behind-the-scenes gig turned into an acting career that spanned six decades.

Discovered by legendary director John Ford, Johnson became a fixture in classic Westerns alongside John Wayne, before stepping into more complex roles with filmmakers like Sam Peckinpah, Steven Spielberg, and Peter Bogdanovich—who guided him to his Oscar-winning performance in The Last Picture Show. Though he worked with Hollywood greats like Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando, and Clint Eastwood, Johnson remained rooted in the authenticity of the American West, both on and off screen.

Drawing from a wealth of interviews with costars, directors, and rodeo companions, Kathryn Jones captures the grit, grace, and enduring legacy of a man who didn't just play a cowboy—he was one. Tall in the Saddle is a rich, cinematic portrait of a Hollywood legend whose real-life story is as unforgettable as any role he played.

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Information

Publisher
University Press of Mississippi
Year
2026
eBook ISBN
9781496861566
Subtopic
Film & Video

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Epigraph
  6. Contents
  7. Prologue
  8. Chapter 1. Big Sky and Tall Grass
  9. Chapter 2. The Cowboy Way of Life
  10. Chapter 3. Hollywood and Mr. Hughes
  11. Chapter 4. Doubling the Stars
  12. Chapter 5. Enter John Ford
  13. Chapter 6. Don’t Act, React
  14. Chapter 7. The Western Master and Wagon Master
  15. Chapter 8. In the Crosshairs
  16. Chapter 9. Playing the Bad Guy in Shane
  17. Chapter 10. Rodeo Champ
  18. Chapter 11. Back in the Hollywood Saddle
  19. Chapter 12. Black Hats and Brando
  20. Chapter 13. Grand Adventures
  21. Chapter 14. The Autumn of John Ford
  22. Chapter 15. Blood and Guts and Thunder
  23. Chapter 16. Rebranding the Western
  24. Chapter 17. The Wild Bunch’s “Traumatic Poem of Violence”
  25. Chapter 18. Back with Duke
  26. Chapter 19. A Picture Show Role of a Lifetime
  27. Chapter 20. The Best Little Rodeo Picture Ever Made
  28. Chapter 21. Getting Away with Peckinpah and McQueen
  29. Chapter 22. Oscar Acclaim
  30. Chapter 23. An Actor in Demand
  31. Chapter 24. Chasing Dillinger
  32. Chapter 25. The Spielberg Express
  33. Chapter 26. A Man to Remember
  34. Chapter 27. Westerns Ride Again
  35. Chapter 28. “A Symbol of America Past”
  36. Chapter 29. Returning to Roots
  37. Chapter 30. Arizona Son
  38. Chapter 31. “Not Bad for an Old Cowboy”
  39. Epilogue
  40. Acknowledgments
  41. Notes
  42. Bibliography
  43. Filmography
  44. Index
  45. About the Author

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