The Cowboys
“All they wanted was their chance to be men... and he gave it to them.”
Synopsis
When his cattlemen abandon him for the gold fields, rancher Wil Andersen is forced to take on a collection of young boys as his cowboys in order to get his herd to market in time to avoid financial disaster. The boys learn to do a man's job under Andersen's tutelage, however, neither he nor the boys know that a gang of cattle thieves is stalking them.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Original Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-07-08
Top Cast
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John Wayne
Wil Andersen
Roscoe Lee Browne
Jebediah Nightlinger
Bruce Dern
Long Hair
Colleen Dewhurst
Kate
Alfred Barker Jr.
Cowboy Fats
Nicolas Beauvy
Cowboy Dan
Steve Benedict
Cowboy Steve
Robert Carradine
Cowboy Slim Honeycutt
Norman Howell
Cowboy Weedy
Stephen R. Hudis
Cowboy Charlie Schwartz
Sean Kelly
Cowboy Stuttering Bob
A Martinez
Cowboy Cimarron
Clay O'Brien
Cowboy Hardy Fimps
Sam O'Brien
Cowboy Jimmy Phillips
Mike Pyeatt
Cowboy Homer Weems
Slim Pickens
Anse
Lonny Chapman
Homer's Father
Charles Tyner
Stonemason
Release History & Theatrical Window
January 13, 1972
Wide Cinema Exhibition
July 26, 2000
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$6M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$7.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.25x
+$1.5M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Mark Rydell
- Screenplay & Story
- Irving Ravetch, William Dale Jennings, Harriet Frank Jr.
- Original Score
- John Williams
- Original Title
- The Cowboys
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 14m
- Production Budget
- $6M
- Worldwide Gross
- $7.5M
- Production Studios
- Sanford Productions (III), Warner Bros. Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Mark Rydell
Irving Ravetch, William Dale Jennings, Harriet Frank Jr.
John Williams
Robert Surtees
Neil Travis
Mark Rydell
Department Leadership Roster
Irving Ravetch
Screenplay
Mark Rydell
Director
William Dale Jennings
Screenplay
Robert Surtees
Director of Photography
John Williams
Original Music Composer
Harriet Frank Jr.
Screenplay
Philip M. Jefferies
Production Design
Mark Rydell
Producer
Neil Travis
Editor
Anthea Sylbert
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Cowboys.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Cowboys.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Cowboys
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Cowboys about?
When his cattlemen abandon him for the gold fields, rancher Wil Andersen is forced to take on a collection of young boys as his cowboys in order to get his herd to market in time to avoid financial disaster. The boys learn to do a man's job under Andersen's tutelage, however, neither he nor the boys know that a gang of cattle thieves is stalking them.
Who directed The Cowboys?
The Cowboys was directed by Mark Rydell.
Who stars in The Cowboys?
The principal cast of The Cowboys includes John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, Bruce Dern, Colleen Dewhurst, Alfred Barker Jr..
When was The Cowboys released and how long is it?
The Cowboys was released in 1972 with a total runtime of 2h 14m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Cowboys?
The Cowboys had a reported production budget of $6M and grossed $7.5M at the worldwide box office (1.25 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for The Cowboys?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Cowboys was composed by John Williams.
Is The Cowboys based on a book or true story?
The Cowboys is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "William Dale Jennings".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Cowboys?
The Cowboys holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).