Driving the Western Range

When one speaks of the Western range he is not referring to a brand of electric stove but rather the vast expanse of land that the West emcompasses. One of the most common themes in western literature of course is the trail drive. Whether cattle or horses (almost never sheep) the trail drive allows the author or screen writer several advantages.
The first is that the drive easily creates an adventurous journey that will test and thus identify the hero. By participating in a trail drive the hero is taken to far away places where he can perform deeds that might not be possible by staying at home. This theme of the "hero's journey" is as old as the written word. Nearly everyone for example is familiar with the mythology of the travels and the twelve labors of Hercules. From Jason and the Argonauts to Gullivers Travels, from Red River to Lonesome Dove, for a hero to be recognized as such he must undertake a long and dangerous journey. Usually this drive is necessary in order to supply needed beef for settlers or soldiers (as in Alvarez Kelly or Broken Trail) In my novel Trail Hand the herd owner must take his horses north to California where the market is better so he can use the money to pay the bills for his sister's ranch.
Another advantage to the drive is the opportunity to introduce new characters or adventures along the way. This is the Wagon Train theme which has proven so effective that Gene Roddenberry eventually referred to Star Trek as a Wagon Train to the Stars. In other words, people travel from one distination to another having adventures at each stop. From indian attacks to rustlers, from to wildfires and floods to stampedes, one never knows what will come next on a western trail drive. Lonesome Dove elevated this to its highest level. The excuse given here for the drive is to allow two old Texas Rangers the opportunity for one more crack at greatness by blazing a trail where no one else has gone, and doing what no other has done, namely driving cattle from the town of Lonesome Dove in Texas all the way to Montana.
My personal favorite novel of this sort is The Cowboy and the Cossack by Clair Huffaker. This novel deals with a rather unique trail drive. Instead of herding cattle in the old west, cowboys are shipped to Siberia to help deliver beef to a remote village. The cowboys are paired with Russian Cossacks and along the way their inital animosity and rivalries become a bond of brotherhood after they face unbelievable obstacles.
A sense of urgency is also an integral part of the theme of the trail drive. The horses or cattle must be delivered in time due to some immediate need. The deal will be broken is not delivered on time, the market will close, the settlers will starve, weather will not allow travel after a certain date or some tragedy will occur if the money from the sale of the herd doesn't reach the needy in time.
Finally the drive allows an easy format fore describing the interactions of the people participating in the journey and how they face adversity individually and as a group. It is a great way to describe intimate bonds and to establish character growth. The campfire scene is the most common place to discuss the dangers and fears that the members of the group have. Who can forget the various campfire discussions in Red River, when Montgomery Clift worries about when Mr. Dunston (John Wayne) will arrive to reclaim his stolen herd. His discussions with Walter Brennon and Noah Beery Jr. not only set the stage, but heighten the suspense. When Matt talks with his new girlfriend it gives background to the relationship between Matt ('clift) and Dunston (Wayne).
The theme of the trail drive is as old as the hills and as reused as the tires from a 57 Chevy, but at the same time this subject offers such an infinite variety of options for the author that readers will never tire of it. Every westerner around is more than willing to sign up for a new drive.

Western Sidekicks in Film and Fiction

What would a western novel or movie be with out a sidekick. They are instantly recognizable and by now, stereotypical. Their numbers are legion but only a few truly stand out. Without a doubt the most famous of the sidekicks would have to be George "Gabby" Hayes. In real life he was a well groomed, and intelligent man, but in films was always was cast as a grizzled old codger, who made famous phrases like "consarn it", "yer durn tootin", and "young whippersnapper".
Hayes and his wife played vaudeville from 1914 until 1929 when he tried his luck in films.
He played the part of Windy, the sidekick to Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd), from 1935 to 1939. In 1939, Hayes left Paramount Pictures and moved to Republic Pictures. Paramount held the rights to the name Windy Halliday, so a new nickname was created for Hayes' character; that of Gabby. Hayes appeared in more than 40 pictures between 1939 and 1946, usually with Roy Rogers but also with Gene Autry or Wild Bill Elliot.
Hayes was also repeatedly cast as a sidekick to western icons Randolph Scott and John Wayne.
At one point he had his own televison show (1952-1956) and is forever remembered by a star on the Hollywood Walk and honors in the Western Performers Hall of Fame.

Other legendary sidekicks are Walter Brennan, Smiley Burnette who always played the goofy, roly-poly singing sidekick (usually to Gene Autry) Pat Buttram, and Andy Devine, who was most noted for his high-pitched gravely voice and his overly abundant girth.

Sidekicks are an integral part of western lore, not only for their entertainment value, but also because they offer an easy way for the author or director to make a point. For one thing, they provide an easy physical contrast to the hero. When the hero is tall the sidekick is often stooped over with age or short. They are confused when the hero is astute, and they are
usually physically challenged either by age (kids or old men), weight. Often they have some disability, such as the legendary Chester's (Dennis Weaver) lamness on the show "Gunsmoke". The hero by contrast is usually super fit and handsome.

While they often are goofy, confused or argumentative, the sidekicks by definition are also honest, brave, loyal, and on occasion abilities that are better than those of the hero. The Cisco Kid's sidekick Pancho for example was supposedly a better shot. Manytimes sidekicks portrayed old prospectors or ranchers who had a more intimate knowledge of the land and manytimes they would unwittingly blurt out some save-the- day plan without even realizing it until the hero explains things to them. Usually in spite of their bravery or cleverness, the sidekick always seems to be amazed at his friend's abilities and courage while denying any extraordinary abilities of his own .
The sidekick character also offers the hero an opportunity to explain to the audience his reasoning or his opinions. By listening or reading while the hero discusses things with the ever present and ever curious sidekick, the audience gets an insight into how the hero thinks. In my novel "Trail Hand" for example, the protaganist meets up with his old friend "Sonora Mason". During one leg of the trip that they later make they begin discussing the right to keep and bear arms. I am strong supporter of the second ammendment and wanted to express my own views though the hero of the novel. Having a sidekick to bounce things off of allows the audience to get my point without anyone having to step out of character.
Personally I feel anyone who wants to get the real feel for what a sidekick is like must watch two western satire movies. The first is "Rustler's Rhapsody". By now a western cult favorite, it is one of my personal favorite comedies. The relationship between the hero and his unprepared and helpess sidekick-want-to-be is hysterical. Finally who could ever forget Jack Elam's performance as the unwilling sidekick to James Garner's character in Support Your Local Sheriff. If you have not seen this movie you are missing one of lifes truly great belly laughs.
One final note. As I'm sure many of you have also discovered in your own lives, I entered marriage to my beautiful wife convinced that I was a dashing romantic hero type. Sixteen years of marriage has convinced me that I was wrong. It turns out I was the goofy sidekick type all along.

Western Men in Black

Somewhere along the line the stereotype of the good guy in the white hat and the bad guy in the black hat took root as a standard in western lore. A review of western screen heroes tends to debunk this myth however, and that poses an interesting point. Aren't we then using fictional sterotypical actors to disprove a sterotypical myth built on Hollywood fictional actors? Oh well enough of the brain teasers, here goes:

The list I came up with of western heroes who in fact wore black hats is actually more extensive than even I thought. Without hardly trying I found several who actually preferred them.
The most famous cowboy hero in a black hat is undoubtably William "Hopalong Cassidy" Boyd. Bill wore a large black stetson in all his Cassidy films. It was a trademark to accompany his engraved pistols, fancy holster and black shirt.
Some other old time western heroes who sported a black top were Ken Maynard, Bob Steele and Buck Jones. Together they made dozens of movies portraying Texas rangers, cowboys and the like. None were more heroic either.
Believe it or not, at various times in their careers Randolph Scott, Wild Bill Elliot, Gregory Peck and even John Wayne were men in black. That's right, even the Duke donned a black hat.
Two of the more heroic, most recognized and obviously good guy sidekicks also sported a black cap. I'm referring to Gabby Hayes and Smiley Burnett. While they might be a little toothless, addled or overweight, their characters were clearly good true blue and brave sidekicks. Admittedly though, their caps were a little tattered and worn.
While he was a bit of a scoundrel nobody will argue that one of the truly great western television heroes was Maverick and of course James Garner was famous for his black hat.
Finally what list would be complete without mentioning Gary Cooper, especially in "High Noon". The lone sheriff, brave enough to take on a murderous gang all alone, wore nothing other than a black hat.
Moral: Never judge a gunslinger by the clothes he wears, only by who's left standing after his guns stop smoking.

Western Novels...Where to Start

With the recent win at the Emmys of "Broken Trail" for best miniseries and the release to good reviews of Russel Crowe's movie "3:10 to Yuma" many are taking a renewed interest in all things western. Interestingly my novel Trail Hand competed with Broken Trail for the Golden Spur award for 2006 in the category of best novel by a first time author. Oh well, like they said at the Emmys, it's an honor just to be nominated.

I have often been asked my opinion on the best place to start when it comes to western fiction novels. What I suggest is an entirely personal opinion. After all, there are literally thousands of titles to chose from and hundreds of top authors. Then again, there is the personality of the reader to take into account. Some prefer more detail, others more action or historical accuracy. So here goes. Hondo.

I entered the western genre relatively late in life and somewhat by chance. I was scheduled to fly cross country about 15 years ago and stopped at one of the airport bookstores looking for an easy read for the long trip. The store wsn't particularly well stocked and I had little interest in political boks and less interest in romance novels. Then I noticed a copy of Louis L'Amour's "Hondo" on the shelf. I had seen the movie as a boy and thoroughly enjoyed it. I can still remember the scene where Hondo (Wayne) walks out of the desert with a saddle slung over his shoulder and a rifle in his other hand.

That flight went by incredibly fast as I was captivated by L'Amours straight forward and easy going style. The story had some twists and plenty of action but more importantly it was fun to read and held my attention. From that point on I read all the westerns I could find.

Other novels of note to start with are Shane, Hombre, The Cowboy and the Cossack, and of course Trail Hand (shameless self promotion.) For those who prefer a bigger epic style long read Lonesome Dove lately seems to be everyone's favorite big western book.

Western Fast and Fancy Pistol Draws

While almost every westen movie or television show at some point has a showdown with a fast draw, the truth of the matter is that in the old west such face-to-face draw and shoot scenes were few and far between. That's not to say that shootists were not talented or fast. Quite the contrary, the shooting skills of Hickcock and Cody are proof enough of that. Hickcock could walk a can down the street shooting it from the hip with a pistol in each hand and Buffalo Bill Cody spent half his life putting on exhibitions of pistol and riflecraft all over the world.

The fast draw however requires the right type of weapon and the right type of holster. Enter the Colt Peacemaker (or at very least the earlier 1860's Army and Navy Colts and Remingtons) and the Hollywood fast draw rigs. That's not to say that the older Slim Jims or Santa Fe holsters weren't fast, it's just that they were not as efficient as Hollywood has led us to believe. In fact, in order to gain extra speed, instead of using a holster Western shootists often resorted to tricks such as installing a bolt on their pistol which slipped into a bracket on a belt. The pistol could then be swiveled from this bracket arrangement and fanned from the belt without even drawing. They didn't even use a holster for this rig. Some pistoleros carried pocket guns and shot right through their clothing

Anyone who has ever seen the opening segment of Gunsmoke will immediate remember the fast- draw -in the-street made legendary by Hollywood directors. Every movie and television star who ever strapped on a holster from Tom Mix to Sharon Stone all had their gimmicks and their fast draw scene. I once heard Michael Landon who while talking about his early days on Bonanza described how the studio's cafeteria often had "shootouts" where the actors from different westerns would call each other out to see who was fastest.

There are three classic Hollywood Western fast draws that to this day still impress me. While I'm sure there are hundreds of other scenes and thousands who will disagree with my selection of favorites the following are my choices.



Number one has to be from the movie "The Magnificent Seven". No, it's not the Yul Bryner scene, that comes later. The fast draw scene I refer to happens when Steve McQeen is sneaking back into the little Mexican town towards the end of the film. After checking his pistols he slowly starts walking along an old adobe wall until he comes to a doorway. Suddenly an outlaw appears to his left in the doorway and McQeen wheels and draws with unbelieveable speed. I have replayed this scene hundreds of times and am convinced it was not edited for speed. The draw, even for an actor who knows it is coming is as fast as greased lightning.

I have since learned that when Steve McQueen was filming the "Wanted Dead or Alive" television series he took things so seriously that he practiced with both pistol and with that cut down Mare's Leg rifle of his until his hands bled. The 7.5 inch Colt that he used in the "Magnificent Seven" was a rental gun from the Stembridge Gun Rental collection. It had a missing front sight for speed and was carried in a Walk and Draw Rig by Andy Anderson which had a steel lined hip plate on the backside of the holster shank which locked the holster barrel forward and in in a butt back position. It was made for the shorter 5.5 inch Colt and so McQueen's pistol barrel stuck out the bottom which added to the visual effect.



The second scene I remember best was Yul Bryner's moment when he was interviewing pistoleros for a job protecting a small Mexican village from outlaws. He tests a young and overeager boy by having him clap hands and then beating the handclap with a fast draw. This scene is one of the most memorable in western folklore and everyone instantly remembers it. (I still think McQueen was faster however.)



The last one on my top three list is from another Steve McQueen film "Nevada Smith". Before you think I am too big a fan of McQueen's this time the award goes to Brian Keith, a true westerner. The scene I refer to occurs after Keith has finished spending months teaching the Smith boy all about gunplay. Keith plays a western firearms salesman and pistol expert. After the lessons are finished and McQueen's cocky character feels he has learned everything he needs Keith says goodbye and walks away. With his back to McQueen Brian Keith tilts his holster backwards and fires off a shot right at McQueen's feet as if to say "there's always someone a little faster or a little wiser so watch out." It was a priceless trick and clever moment. A picture says a thousand words.

Review of the Western Novel "Trail Hand"

From Booklist: About Trail Hand by R.W.Stone

Owen Burke is an itinerant cowpoke scuffling by in south-of-the-border San Rafael when he learns of work at Enrique Allende's horse ranch. He secures a job as a scout to lead a herd of horses to California. Before the drive begins, though, he earns the enmity of Chavez, the ranch ramrod, when Chavez sees him speaking with Allende's daughter, Rosa Maria. Soon after the drive is underway--with Chavez and Burke's feud simmering below the surface--rustlers make off with the herd. Chavez convinces the Allende crew it was an inside job, and Burke was the insider. In short order, Burke is convinced he must catch the rustlers and recover the herd before Chavez's ad hoc posse catches him. In his first published novel, Stone, a medical professional by trade, bursts onto the western scene with a suspenseful yarn replete with action, a chaste romance, and a very likable narrator in Burke. Western genre fiction is in need of some fresh voices.

Stone and Burke fill the bill nicely.

Wes LukowskyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Springfield Trapdoor Rifle

Every western afficionado has their favorite firearm. When it come to pistols the Colt .45 Peacemaker usually wins hands down. While I will admit that the Winchester lever action 1873 rifle is the usual choice for western favorite (especially since Jimmy Stewart's classic movie) I must vote for the Springfield Trapdoor .45-70.
Before all you firearms experts rise up and lynch me I must explain why it is my favorite.
When I was about 10 years of age my parents took my sister and me on a cross country trip to view civil war sites. Of course one of the stopovers was Gettysburg.
During the fifties and sixties television and movies contantly portrayed Early American characters such as Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and Kit Carson. Consequently I became enamored or the musket and nagged my father to buy me one on the trip. Everywhere we went such Revolutionary and Civil War era flintlocks and percussion cap muskets were far too expensive for our budget. Consequently as a ten year old child I was very disappointed.
Then, in of all places a barber shop, my father found a Trapdoor rifle hanging on the wall with a 35 dollar price tag on it. It was a real antique rifle and the closest thing to a musket he could afford. For the last forty years that rifle has hung on my wall at home and now represents not only fond memories of my childhood trip but of my now deceased father.
The Springfield Trapdoor was introduced in 1873 and was produced by the Springfiled Armory for the US Military. It was originally conceived as a conversion for the thousands of Model 1861 muskets left over from the Civil War. This conversion consisted of cutting away a portion of the musket's breech and replacing it with a new trapdoor breechblock that worked by lifting the trap upward using a thumb lever that was located just above the lock plate. A blackpowder cartridge was then inserted and the trap closed and locked down before firing.
There was a lot of controversy in having the military adopt the Trapdoor since there were other models competing for the contract that were more accurate or easy to load. Models such as the Remington breechblock or the Sharps were probably better in many respects, but at the time the govenment considered the cheaper price more important than the usefulness of the weapon or the safety of the soldiers. Many experts, in fact, attribute part of the later massacre of Custer's men to the fact that the Trapdoors the troopers carried were slow to reload as opposed to the enemy's lever actions. The blackpowder shells also tended to jam in the breech until later models developed a better extractor.
That said, the Trapdoor is now a long distance competition favorite since it is inherently an accurate and solid military rifle. Furthermore it is a collector's dream since the Springfield is rapidly appreciating in value even while many can still be found for under a thousand dollars.
The Winchester and Henry clearly deserve their place in history (and the movies) but I still love to clean and shoot my Trapdoor. Someday I hope to pass it down to my grandson or daughter. Meanwhile it looks great over the mantle.

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Popular Western Fiction

Recently I read a commentrary regarding western literature. According to this source there are two principle divisions in fiction which are classified as "Literary Fiction" and "Popular Fiction."
To qualify as "high literature" apparently there must be an overabundance of realism. From what I have read lately in today's market, this translates into describing the West in strictly corrupt terms, degrading women, filling one's novel with massacres, murders, and rapes, and adding lying, swindling characters with little if any moral fiber.
I'm sorry, but I think I will stick with the "Popular fiction" category. For one thing I don't think the West was as bloody awful as some would have us believe, and more importantly I don't agree that writing about heroism, loyalty and patriotism deminishes the quality of a work of fiction.
I will readily admit that my novels were witten as a form of escapism. I never could understand why someone would want to read a fictional acoount of depravation, corruption and hopelessness. We get enough of that in reality. For accounts of terror, murder and betrayal I would much rather read the truth in non-fiction form or simply turn on television news.
Others may disagree but I believe the function of fiction is entertainment. Fiction provides a mental escape to a different and hopefully better or at very least more interesting place, and to provide a lesson of some sort.
I wrote Trail Hand after watching the movie "The Unforgiven" with Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman. I grew up watching western role models like Hopalong Cassidy, John Wayne, The Lone Ranger and The Cisco Kid. In the 1990's when I saw The Unforgiven, a movie whose most redeeming character is the local prostitute I had to cringe. The sheriff as portrayed by one of my favorite actors , Gene Hackworth, was a sadistic killer, while the Eastwood character was a murdering ex- drunk who enters the movie after taking a contract to revenge- kill for pay in order to fund his failing ranch. He abandons his two young kids alone on the ranch in order to ride out and kill a cowboy he had never even met.
I felt that if this movie, negative as it was, could win an award, then surely western readers must be desparate for more traditional alternatives. I reasoned that others such as myself would rather read about and watch characters who are placed in situations just as dangerous but who choose to act with integrity and courage. Maybe the real west wasn't filled with colorful shirts and fancy studded holsters but again, if you want stark reality you can always watch a Bin Laden tape. You can also reread Bury My Heat at Wounded Knee (which I actually do recommend.) but for fiction, I will stick to L'Amour, and others of his ilk.
That's how my novel Trail Hand came into being. I was honored when the publisher,
Thomson Gale, nominated it for a Golden Spur award (from the Western Writers of America).
Sadly it ended up in the same category as Broken Trail which was released at the same time as its movie, which then received much fanfare. Broken Trail had great cinematography and costumes but I lost count of all the rapes, murders, slave trading, lies and deceit it had. I couldn't find a redeeming character in the whole movie. In the catergory of modern "High Literature" other throwbacks to the feel good high adventures of the forties and fifties never had a chance.

Slim Jim Western Holster

After reading Trail Hand one of my clients asked my about the "Slim Jim" holster used by the hero Owen Burke. Apparently my client hadn't come across that term before in his readings.

Well since the book took place just after the Civil War which ended in 1865 the pistols carried by Burke were Navy Colts. The classic Colt Peacemaker or the usual cowboy gun of the movies wasn't invented until about 1873 and the low slung holsters that everyone is used to seeing on television were not really in use until that time.

Originally, in fact, holsters were merely the cut off tops of cowboy boots that had the bottom part sewn shut to make a pocket for the pistol in order to protect it from dust and mud. This was either shoved into a belt or perhaps a belt loop was sew on.

The earlier Colt and Remington black powder pistols were longer and thinner than the average Peacemaker. A "Slim Jim" holster was the name used for a long thin holster which was sewn to match the curves of the pistol. It was contoured, a little more elegant and hung straight down.

I chose the Navy Colt as the weapon of choice for my novel because it was Wild Bill Hickock's favorite and he was reputed to be able to walk a can down the street with bullets firing from two pistols at once.

From New Western Novel "Trail Hand" comes new Blog

Since my first western novel Trail Hand was released in December I've been thinking about starting this blog to discuss Western fiction and old Western movies. I sppose the best way to start will be with a quick introduction.


My name is RW. Stone and I inherited my love for western adventure from my father, a former Army Air Corps armaments officer and horse enthusiast. After the war he taught me to both ride and shoot at an early age. Those of us who grew up in the 1950's and early 1960's remember it as a time before urban sprawl when Western adventure dominated both television and the cinema.


I later began writing in the early 1990's in an attempt to recapture some of the past spirit and excitement I had enjoyed as a youth. Currently I am the Chief of Staff of the Veterinary Trauma Center in Groveland, Florida, a small animal advanced level care and surgical center.


As a veterinarian I have written over 70 scientific articles and have lectured internationally, but it wasn't until the birth of my two daughters that I began to write westerns as a hobby. After all, one can only work so much before the need to relax the brain kicks in.


I currently live in Central Florida with my wife, two daughters, three dogs, one horse and a particularly nasty parrot named Carmen. I still collect firearms and ride when I can find a spare moment, as well as practice the martial arts. I hold a second degree black belt in both Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido, as well as a brown belt in Judo.


Trail Hand started out as a hobby until my wife commented that she doubted anyone would ever read it. I always loved a challenge and the look on her face when I finally showed her the first published copy of my book was priceless. It was well worth every crumpled up piece of paper and all of the time spent trying to find an agent willing to read a western novel.


Published by Five Star, a subsidiary of Thomson Gale the novel was released to glowing reviews.

Trail Hand is a highly suspensful western in the classic style of the thirties and forties. The first person writing reminds one of Louis L'Amour, Max Brand and Luke Short.The hero is a down-on-his-luck loner who has traveled far and is now on the Tex Mex border. He hires on to guide a herd of horses to California for a Mexican rancher. After falling in love with the rancher's daughter he incurs the anger of her protector, the outfit's ramrod. When the herd is rustled by other "gringos" the Mexicans falsely blame the hero, Owen Burke. To clear his name and win back his girl he must play a dangerous game of cat and mouse with murderous outlaws one side and angry vaqueros behind him.Trail Hand is action packed yet it is a clean enjoyable read.

In upcoming posts I hope to discuss Trail Hand as well as to give you a glimpse of my upcoming next novel Back For Vengeance also from Five Star Westerns. We will also discuss older western movies, other novels, and hopefully have some insight into old west firearms and
western customs.