Some accomplished pro athletes have made the jump from the playing field to the silver screen throughout the years. Here are the top 10 athletes who became western movie stars.
Who can forget former Detroit Lion Alex Karras portraying Mongo in 1974’s Blazing Saddles or NFL Hall of Fame defensive tackle Merlin Olsen in The Undefeated (1969)? Many western film fans may be surprised to learn that Karras and Olsen are just two of a number of professional athletes turned actors in westerns.
Here's our Top 10:
Victor McLaglen
Sport: Boxing (Amateur Champion)
British-born Victor McLaglen was a heavyweight boxer before becoming a prominent actor. His most famous fight was a six-round exhibition against heavyweight champion Jack Johnson in 1909. His 40-plus-year career included classic John Ford westerns like Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), and Rio Grande (1950), all starring western legend John Wayne. McLaglen became a staple in Ford’s westerns, portraying tough, authoritative characters.
Victor McLaglen (left) stared alongside western legend John Wayne in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). Photo: RKO Radio Pictures.
Jim Thorpe
Sport: Football, Baseball, and Track and Field (Olympic Gold Medalist)
Jim Thorpe (Sac and Fox) is regarded as one of the greatest athletes in history, excelling in football, baseball, and track and field. He won two Olympic gold medals in 1912 (the first Native American to do so) and played professional football and baseball in the 1910s and ’20s. His appearance in Wagon Master (1950), a classic western directed by John Ford, gave Thorpe Hollywood prominence no other Native American athlete had achieved up to that point.
Jim Thorpe (center) portrayed a Navajo elder in 1950’s Wagon Master. Photo: RKO Radio Pictures.
Chuck Connors
Sport: Baseball (MLB), Basketball (NBA)
Chuck Connors played professional baseball for the Chicago Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers in Major League Baseball and also had a brief career in the NBA with the Boston Celtics. After his athletic career, Connors transitioned into acting and became famous for his role as Lucas McCain in The Rifleman. He also starred in several westerns, among them The Big Country (1958) and Geronimo (1962).
Chuck Connors played Lucas McCain in The Rifleman alongside Johnny Crawford as son Mark. Photo: ABC.
Woody Strode
Sport: Football (NFL)
Woody Strode was one of the first African American athletes to break into Hollywood, especially westerns. He appeared in films like Sergeant Rutledge (1960), The Professionals (1966), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), and Two Rode Together (1961). His physical presence made him a pioneer in the western genre.
Woody Strode, shown here in The Professionals, was a trailblazer for African American western actors. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Jim Brown
Sport: Football (NFL)
Jim Brown is celebrated for his groundbreaking career in the NFL, where he dominated as a running back for the Cleveland Browns. After football, he moved on to acting, with roles in westerns like 100 Rifles (1969), starring Burt Reynolds and Raquel Welch, El Condor (1970), and Take a Hard Ride (1975). Brown’s acting intersected with his civil rights activism, solidifying his place as a cultural icon.
Jim Brown starred alongside Raquel Welch (pictured) and Burt Reynolds (not pictured) in 100 Rifles (1969). Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Fred Williamson
Sport: Football (NFL)
Fred Williamson made a name for himself both in the NFL and in Hollywood. After his football career, Williamson became a major figure in blaxploitation cinema, with roles in westerns like The Legend of Nigger Charley (1972) and Boss Nigger (1975). His strong, commanding presence helped redefine the western genre in the 1970s, adding the African American perspective to the traditionally White-dominated genre.
Fred Williamson became a major figure in blaxploitation films like The Legend of Nigger Charley (1972). Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Alex Karras
Sport: Football (NFL)
Although Alex Karras was an NFL Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions, his face was most recognizable as Mongo from Blazing Saddles (1974), a western satire by Mel Brooks. His comedic portrayal in Blazing Saddles became one of the most memorable roles in the western comedy genre.
Alex Karras showcased his comedic talent in 1974’s Blazing Saddles alongside Cleavon Little (left). Photo: Warner Bros.
Roman Gabriel
Sport: Football (NFL)
Roman Gabriel had a strong career as an NFL quarterback, playing for the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles. He made a transition to acting with a role in the western The Undefeated (1969), which starred John Wayne and Rock Hudson. This film remains one of his most significant acting roles in the western genre.
Roman Gabriel’s only western film credit was 1969’s The Undefeated alongside John Wayne. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Merlin Olsen
Sport: Football (NFL)
Merlin Olsen was an NFL Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams. After retiring, he took a shot at acting, starring in The Undefeated (1969) alongside John Wayne and fellow L.A. Ram Roman Gabriel. His acting career also included a role in Little House on the Prairie, where he starred in over 50 episodes.
Merlin Olsen (left) starred in over 50 episodes of the beloved television series Little House on the Prairie. Photo: NBC.
Gina Carano
Sport: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
Gina Carano is known for her MMA career, where she was a pioneer in women’s fighting. She shifted to acting, appearing in films like Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and Deadpool (2016), as well as the TV series The Mandalorian (2019–2020). She starred in her first western, Terror on the Prairie (2022), which also included MMA fighter Donald “Cowboy” Corrine.
Gina Carano headlined Terror on the Prairie (2022) alongside fellow MMA fighter Donald Cerrone (left). Photo: The Daily Wire.
HEADER: Chuck Connors played Lucas McCain in The Rifleman. Photo: ABC.
