Brandon DeWilde (1942-1972)

Born into a theatrical family, he made a much-acclaimed Broadway debut at the age of nine in "The Member of the Wedding." He was the first child actor to win the Donaldson Award and went on to repeat his role in the film version directed by Fred Zinnemann in 1952. As the blonde, blue-eyed Joey who idolizes the strange gunman (Alan Ladd) in Shane (1953), he stole the picture and was rewarded with an Oscar nomination the following year. He starred in his own television series "Jamie" (1953) during 1953-54 and made his mark as a screen adolescent during the 1960s, playing younger brothers in All Fall Down (1962) and Hud (1963) starring Paul Newman. However, he managed to keep his career building up to his adult status. While en route to visit his wife at a hospital where she had recently undergone surgery, he was killed in a vehicle accident as the camper van he was driving struck a parked truck. He was only thirty years old. (From IMDB) He'll be forever remembered for his last line in the movie Shane (1953):

Cameron Mitchell (1918-1994)

Today also marks the death of veteran character actor Cameron Mitchell, who appeared in countless TV and big-screen Westerns. One of his best appearances was as the jaded sheriff who takes to outlawry in Paul Newman's Hombre (1967).

Roy Rogers (1912-1998)

Today in 1998 marks the death of singing cowboy and all-around nice guy Roy Rogers, born Leonard Slye in Oklahoma. Here's the opening of his 1950's TV show:

Katy Jurado (1924-2002)

Today in 2002 marks the death of actress Katy Jurado, a Mexican actress whose breakthrough role in the U.S. was as Gary Cooper's ex-mistress in High Noon (1952). She also appeared in many other classic Westerns, including One-Eyed Jacks (1961) and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973).

Rex Bell (1903-1962)

Rex Bell (October 16, 1903 – July 4, 1962), born George Francis Beldam, was Lieutenant Governor of Nevada and a western movie star. Rex was born in Chicago and married actress Clara Bow in 1931. They had two sons, Tony Beldon (born 1934, changed name to Rex Anthony Bell, Jr.) and George Beldon, Jr. (born 1938). In 1931, Rex and Clara founded the Walking Box Ranch. In 1944 Bell ran for the United States House of Representatives on the Republican ticket against Democrat Berkeley Bunker. His wife, Clara Bow, attempted suicide to avoid the public spotlight, thus dampening the zeal for Bell's campaign and contributing to the lieutenant governor's loss to Bunker. Bell was the leader of the Nevada state GOP and in 1948 was an alternate to the Republican National Convention. He was also active in the Nevada Chamber of Commerce and Boy Scouts. The ties Bell forged during those years helped him win the lieutenant governor's office in 1954. That year Charles H. Russell, the incumbent GOP governor, also won. In 1958 Democrat Grant Sawyer unseated Russell, but Bell won re-election as lieutenant governor. His final film appearance was a brief cameo as a cowboy in John Huston's film The Misfits (1961), which was shot on location in Nevada. The Rex Bell Elementary School in Las Vegas was named in honor of Bell. His grave is located in Glendale, California's Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

(From Wikipedia)

Happy Fourth, From a 1930's Western

Clint Eastwood on What Makes a Good Western