Summary
- Billy the Kid's captivating moral complexity makes him a legendary figure in the Old West, despite his outlaw reputation.
- From Geoffrey Deuel to Emilio Estevez, Billy the Kid has been portrayed by many actors throughout film and television history.
- Tom Blyth's recent portrayal of Billy the Kid in the MGM+ series showcases a fresh take on the notorious outlaw, capturing his lanky, disheveled look and lesser-known details.
There have been several Billy the Kid cast choices in both film and television. One of the earliest appearances of William H. Bonney on film was in a pair of silent films made in 1911, one of which was titled The Adventure of Billy the Kid, directed by filmmaking pioneer D. W. Griffith. Many generations of great directors and actors of the Western genre gravitated toward the Old American West outlaw spirit of Billy the Kid, which resulted in his portrayals in film, TV, plays, radio broadcasts, and even songs throughout the years.
Billy the Kid has become legendary because of his intriguing moral complexity. The real-life Billy the Kid was born Henry McCarty. An orphan at age 15, he died by the hand of a lawman's gun at the age of 21. Billy was a notorious outlaw who murdered at least 20 men and evaded the law for most of his brief adult life. Billy was one of the most prominent celebrity figures of the Old West era who, despite his dangerous gunslinging skills, was known to be a friendly and even charming character.
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10 Geoffrey Deuel
Chisum (1970)
Geoffrey Deuel portrayed Billy the Kid in the 1970 Western Chisum, starring John Wayne as a cattle baron who fought on Billy's side in the historic Lincoln County War. While Deuel certainly had the look of a Hollywood star, his polished appearance and relatively plain demeanor didn't exactly suit the expected ruggedness of the real-life William H. Bonney. In this movie, John Henry Tunstall (Patrick Knowles) hires Billy and offers him a chance to reform and change his way.
Billy helps John Chisum (Wayne) protect his land. While Deuel's Billy the Kid isn't necessarily the primary focus of Chisum, the character is a big reason that things go sideways when he takes matters into his own hands for revenge for his boss's murder and forces a huge battle at the end. This is also a very inaccurate retelling of Billy's life as he works with Pat Garrett and ends up gaining amnesty for his crimes.
Chisum (1970)
Chisum is a Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, released in 1970, starring John Wayne as John Simpson Chisum, a wealthy rancher in 1870s Lincoln County, New Mexico. The film follows Chisum's attempts to protect his land and livelihood from rival ranchers and outlaws, amidst the backdrop of the Lincoln County Range War.
- Director
- Andrew V. McLaglen
- Release Date
- July 29, 1970
- Cast
- John Wayne , Forrest Tucker , Christopher George , Ben Johnson , Glenn Corbett
- Runtime
- 111 Minutes
9 Kris Kristofferson
Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (1973)
Kris Kristofferson, best known for his talents as a country singer, played Billy the Kid in two separate installments, the first of which was in legendary Western director Sam Peckinpah's Pat Garret & Billy the Kid. Peckinpah, who cemented his legacy as a Western director with 1969's innovative The Wild Bunch, reimagines the rivalry between friends turned enemies Pat Garrett (James Coburn) and William H. Bonney that led to the latter's death.
Kristofferson's formidable size and chiseled figure don't exactly capture the lanky look of the real-life Billy the Kid, but the actor offers an enjoyable performance nonetheless. The movie also goes a long way to showing how the relationship made Garrett respect Billy, even after gunning him down. The film remains considered a masterpiece and picked up a Criterion Collection release in 4K in 2024.
Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid
Pat Garrett, a sheriff determined to bring order to the West, is pitted against his former friend, the infamous Billy the Kid. As Garrett hunts him, they both grapple with memories of their past camaraderie and the choices that have set them on opposing paths.
- Director
- Sam Peckinpah
- Release Date
- May 23, 1973
- Cast
- James Coburn , Kris Kristofferson , bob dylan , Jason Robards , Katy Jurado , Chill Wills
- Runtime
- 122 Minutes
8 Jack Buetel
The Outlaw (1943)
Jack Buetel played one of the first portrayals of Billy the Kid on colored film toward the end of the silent film era. Buetel is rather stiff and traditional in his performance as the notorious outlaw, although his likeness does appear more closely aligned to that of the real-life Billy the Kid. Considering Buetel made his film debut in the role of William H. Bonney, the young actor did a fairly good job of capturing some of the naivety that was inevitably a part of the real Billy's youthfully confident character.
The movie features a story about Sheriff Pat Garrett (Thomas Mitchell) dealing with both the antagonistic Billy the Kid and Pat's own friend, Doc Holliday (Walter Huston), who takes a liking to the young outlaw. Interestingly, taking top billing is Jane Russell, who plays Rio McDonald, Doc's girlfriend who wants Billy dead for killing her brother, but eventually falls in love with him. Interestingly, Garrett comes across as the villain in this movie, rather than the actual outlaw.
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