The 1993 Western Tombstone turned Kurt Russell into a genre icon, but he wouldn’t have been able to play Wyatt Earp if it weren’t for his previous roles in Gun smoke. Kurt Russell had a long and successful acting career, and westerns played an important role in it. From 1964 Diablo’s weapons until 2015 The Hateful EightRussell has been a fixture of the western genre for over 60 years. Despite his multiple appearances in Western films and shows, Russell did not become a true legend of the genre until appearing in Tombstone.
Before he could make a legendary name for himself Tombstonehowever, Kurt Russell needed experience acting in Westerns. Happily, Gun smoke gave him that experience and more. Gun smoke is widely considered one of the best western shows ever made and is certainly the longest running. It’s symbolic of the golden age of Westerns as a whole, which made it the perfect way for Kurt Russell to learn how to play a gunslinger protagonist. In fact, without Gun smokeRussell probably wouldn’t have been able to play Wyatt Earp as well as he did.
Kurt Russell’s Gunsmoke Roles Prepared Him for Western Films
Gunsmoke gave Russell valuable Western acting experience
Kurt Russell had a starring role in not one, but two episodes of Gun smoke. In 1964 he played Packy Kerlin in Gun smoke season 10, episode 1, “Blue Sky,” a story about a boy and a gunman trying to find the boy’s mother. In 1974, he played Buck Henry Woolfe in Gun smoke season 19, episode 21, “Trail of Bloodshed”, where Russell’s character wanted to kill his father’s killer, his own uncle. Even though he played both roles years before taking on the role of Wyatt Earp, Gun smoke prepared Kurt Russell for Tombstone.
Both by Russell Gun smoke appearances gave him great exposure to the classic era of Westerns. Tombstone is often considered a classic western made in the modern day, so Gun smoke it certainly helped him get into the mindset of a classic western hero. Buck Woolfe’s story probably also helped Russell, as Buck and Wyatt were revenge-focused characters, particularly at the end of Tombstone. Essentially, Gun smoke gave Russell the experience he needed to make the most of his chance to be a Western star, and Tombstone it was that chance.
Tombstone turned Kurt Russell into a true Western legend
Kurt Russell’s performance as Wyatt Earp is unforgettable
Although he made his Western debut as a child actor, Kurt Russell would not become a legend of the genre until 1993, when Tombstone was released. Tombstone is widely considered one of the best Western films ever made, and Russell’s performance was one of its many highlights. As Wyatt, Russell brought incredible charisma, an almost disturbing capacity for intimidation, and a clear understanding of what makes a Western hero appealing to Tombstone. While he may have been overshadowed by Val Kilmer’s Doc Holliday, it’s safe to say that Kurt Russell is one of the most iconic parts of Tombstone.
Kurt Russell Made More Great Westerns, But He Never Topped Tombstone
Bone Tomahawk and The Hateful Eight were good, but Tombstone is classic
Since TombstoneKurt Russell took on a few more Western roles, but none of them compared to Wyatt Earp. Russell’s most notable westerns since 1993 have been Tomahawk Bonewhere he played Sheriff Hunt, and The Hateful Eightwhere he played John Ruth, also known as the Executioner. Both Tomahawk Bone and The Hateful Eight were successful in their own right, but none of them managed to recapture the lightning in a bottle that Tombstone he did. Tomahawk Bone actually fared better with critics, but Tombstone was much more popular than Russell’s two later films, with a Rotten tomatoes audience score of 93%.
Even after more than 30 years, Tombstone remains the best Western film Kurt Russell ever made, and he owes much of his success to Gunsmoke.
Tombstone also won both Tomahawk Bone and The Hateful Eight in another key area: profits. Tomahawk Bone grossed less than $1 million at the box office, while Tombstone earned US$56 million in the domestic market (via Mojo Box Office). The Hateful Eight performed significantly better as it secured US$161 million worldwide, but only earned US$54 million domestically, US$2 million less than Tombstone 22 years earlier, despite having a larger budget at US$19 million. Even after more than 30 years, Tombstone remains the best western film Kurt Russell already done, and he owes much of his success to Gun smoke.
Sources: Rotten tomatoes, Mojo Box Office