NEWS COPY
By Gemma Francis
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid has been named the most iconic Western movie of all time.
The 1969 Oscar-winning film starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, follows outlaws Butch and the Sundance Kid as they go on the run in Bolivia.
It took the top spot with almost half of the vote, beating The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and The Magnificent Seven.
A Fistful of Dollars and the 1969 version of True Grit completed the top five.
The study, commissioned by TV channel HISTORY to mark the launch of Robert Redford’s The West, which premieres tonight (Tuesday 27th) at 10pm, also found two thirds of adults enjoy watching Western films.
A spokesman for HISTORY channel said: “Western movies have been popular for decades with many of the old classics still winning over new fans today.
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a film many will have enjoyed, and now the stories of some of the real stars of the Wild West will be available to explore in Robert Redford’s The West."
Robert Redford added; “The West’ will transport audiences back to the days of the Wild West to meet the famous outlaws and lawmen that shaped American history and culture.
"This series is an opportunity to revisit an era of memorable events that were part of making the United States what it is today.” (credit AMC)
The poll of 2,000 adults saw the 1962 favourite High Noon, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly in sixth place, followed by For a Few Dollars More and The Alamo.
John Wayne’s 1939 film Stagecoach and 1992 film Unforgiven, featuring Clint Eastwood completed the top ten.
Other movies to feature in the list include Once Upon a Time in the West, Young Guns and the 2010 version of True Grit. The Gunfighter, Red River and Bad Day at Bad Rock also made the top 25.
Researchers also found that Clint Eastwood is the most popular Western star, thanks to his hit films which include For A Few Dollars More, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly and Unforgiven.
John Wayne came second, followed by Robert Redford, Lee Van Cleef and Steve McQueen.
Other Western favourites include Gary Cooper, Kirk Douglas, Burt Reynolds and Kiefer Sutherland.
Katherine Ross’ performance in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid saw her named the best female star of the Western genre along with 100 Rifles’ Raquel Welch and The Outlaw’s Jane Russell.
But half of those polled would like to see more women take the lead roles in Western movies, with Emma Watson, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lawrence among the most popular choices.
Clint Eastwood was voted the sexiest on-screen cowboy, with Robert Redford a close second, followed by Steve McQueen, Paul Newman and Brit Tom Hardy.
It also emerged that while half of Brits think it’s important to know and understand the history of the real Wild West, just 56 per cent are aware Billy the Kid is a real historical figure.
But more than one in twenty believe the Milky Bar Kid is real rather than fictional while another seven per cent thought Colonel Mustard is a person from the Wild West.
A spokesman for HISTORY channel said: “We are delighted to be bringing Robert Redford’s The West to the UK.
"Not only is Robert Redford one of the classic stars of Western films, but he is also a lifelong fan of the American West.
"As executive producer, his knowledge and passion of the Wild West is brought to life through this insightful new docu-drama series, which chronicles the lives of some of the real Cowboys and Indians of the American West, such as Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp and Crazy Horse, that so many of these great films took inspiration from.”
From executive producer Robert Redford, Robert Redford’s The West explores the dramatic evolution of the American West, when cowboys, Indians, outlaws and sheriffs populated the land.
The series also features exclusive interviews from infamous film cowboys, including James Caan, Burt Reynolds, Tom Selleck, Kiefer Sutherland, Kris Kristofferson, Mark Harmon and Ed Harris.
Robert Redford’s The West starts on Tuesday 27th June at 10pm on HISTORY, available on Sky 529, Virgin 270, BT 327 and TalkTalk 327
Find out when you can watch Robert Redford’s The West and more at history.co.uk
http://www.history.co.uk/shows/robert-redfords-the-west
Top 25 most iconic Western movies
1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
3. The Magnificent Seven (1960)
4. A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
5. True Grit (1969)
6. High Noon (1952)
7. For a Few Dollars More (1965)
8. The Alamo (1960)
9. Stagecoach (1939)
10. Unforgiven (1992)
11. Rio Bravo (1959)
12. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
13. Wyatt Earp (1994)
14. Shane (1953)
15. El Dorado (1967)
16. The Searchers (1956)
17. Young Guns (1988)
18. The Wild Bunch (1969)
19. True Grit (2010)
20. Winchester '73 (1950)
21. The Gunfighter (1950)
22. My Darling Clementine (1946)
23. Red River (1948)
24. Gone with the West (1975)
25. Bad Day at Bad Rock (1955)
Top 20 Western stars
1. Clint Eastwood
2. John Wayne
3. Robert Redford
4. Lee Van Cleef
5. Steve McQueen
6. Gary Cooper
7. Burt Lancaster
8. Charles Bronson
9. Kirk Douglas
10. Robert Mitchum
11. Henry Fonda
12. Glenn Ford
13. Charlton Heston
14. Gregory Peck
15. Burt Reynolds
16. Andie Murphy
17. Kiefer Sutherland
18. Jack Elam
19. James Caan
20. Sam Elliott
ENDS
