Since this subject got resurected I'll weigh in... John Wayne, like his movies from the 1930s best. Ben Johnson, was a real cowboy who started out in movies as a wrangler and stunt man. I have to mention Lee Marvin, "Montie Walsh" is a classic that can't be improved on as Tom Selleck has proven, although I do like all the Selleck movies except that one. It would be pretty tough to better that bronc ride in the original. Jimmy Stewart westerns are all classics with "Winchester 73" at the top of the list, or should it be "Rare Breed" with Maureen O'Hara,(what a woman, yikes), or the "Far Country". I'm not sure. I like all of Sam Elliot's westerns especially "Conagher" and "The Desperate Trail". Robert Duvall has become a favorite. Costner does a good western. Tommy Lee Jones, besides being good in the Dove, did one of my all time favorites, a movie called "Good Old Boys". It was a made for TV Ted Turner produced movie as I remember. Jones at his best,IMO. Another worthy mention here is Steve McQueen for "Tom Horn". History pretty much overlooked Tom Horn. As I look over this post, I seem to favor westerns that portray "cowboys" and other western types as having higher morals and values than the stereotypical movie types that spend all their time drunk in a whore house or facing off with some "dude" in a mythical quickdraw shootout. Something closer to real life. Making yet ANOTHER movie about Jessie James or Wyatt Earp or Bill Hickock is a waste as far as I'm concerned. There are some other great choices for favorite in the other posts that I like too. It's too bad there are not more actors that have the character of Wayne, Johnson, Stewart.