Robert Duvall, 86, played Augustus McCrea as the most beloved character in Lonesome Dove and his legacy is as strong as ever in the cowboy culture. Duvall, who brought the character to life in the CBS miniseries 28 years ago, visited with our editor, Bob Welch, about what the iconic role meant to his career, and also shared some behind-the-scenes stories from the set.
HOW DID YOU BECOME ATTACHED TO THE LONESOME DOVE CAST?
I read that wonderful book in 10 days. My ex-wife said it was the first book she liked better than Dostoyevsky. She said, “You must play Augustus McCrea.” I don’t see her often, but when I do, I thank her for that advice. They wanted me to play Call and I totally disagreed with that. My agent handled James Garner, too, and they wanted him to play Augustus McCrea. I told my agent, if you could get Garner to switch parts, I would do it. I would not have been ready to claim that part so intensely had my ex-wife not said that to me. My agent called back four hours later and said James Garner cannot be on a horse for 16 weeks. He declined and I took the part of Augustus McCrea. That’s the way it started.
I CAN’T IMAGINE ANYONE ELSE AS AUGUSTUS MCCREA.
At least not in that era. When we finished shooting, I said, “I can retire now, I’ve done something I can be proud of.” Playing Augustus McCrea was kind of like my Hamlet. It may be my favorite role.
WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE MADE IT SO SPECIAL FOR YOU?
[Gus is] full of contradictions—a very interesting guy. I followed the pages and it was so well-written; it just flowed. It was a part that came easy to me. I followed my instincts. Suffie it to say, I can’t ride a cutting horse like my friend Buster Welch, but I did start working.... I was in California and I’d use an English saddle, Western saddle, bareback until I could get a good seat on a horse. A seat on a horse and a hat are the most important things. All the horse work, I did myself. It was 28 years ago and I was a lot younger then.
THAT’S WHY COWBOYS LOVE THAT MOVIE—YOU AND TOMMY LEE JONES CAN RIDE. YOU STUCK THAT HORSE PRETTY WELL WHEN HE STARTED BUCKING DURING THE COMANCHERO ATTACK.
This story is from the February/March 2017 edition of American Cowboy.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February/March 2017 edition of American Cowboy.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Long Rope
For as long as people have owned cattle, other people have been stealing them. In the Old West, the consequence for anyone caught committing the crime was a tall tree and a short rope. States and territories developed various ways to discourage thievery, but as writer and photographer Carol Hutchison discovered, Texas created its own special ranger force to enforce agriculture ownership. Today, the tradition lives on, and every day, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger force tracks down cowboy criminals.
Youth Movement
Las Vegas Events Adds Junior NFR as Newest Event to Cowboy Christmas Lineup.
Cowboy Christmas Power Hours
Cowboy Christmas was once just a place to get some shopping done until the big show at the Thomas & Mack. Today, it’s a destination itself, featuring a full schedule of entertainment and events. Every afternoon, on the Rodeo Live presented by RODEO- HOUSTON® stage, jack-of-all-trades Western entertainer Flint Rasmussen and country music great Daryle Singletary host back-to-back talk shows where rodeo athletes, country music artists, and a few surprise guests get cozy with the crowd.
Trail Broke
Most cowboys rode the Chisholm Trail for adventure and money, but C.S. Robinson rode it for love.
The Last Prairie
Read deep into the journey through Oklahoma’s Osage country, where tallgrass and community are rooted in history.
Broken Barriers
Taylor Mason eases Spice into the roping box.
The Warrior Rides Again
FIVE-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO, IN JANUARY OF 2012, MARINE CORPS GUNNERY SGT. THOMAS McRAE STEPPED ON A 20-LB. IED.
Behind The Chutes
Rodeo secretaries keep the show running smoothly.
At Home With...
Charlie Daniels has a rich discography of Southern-themed, outlaw country, gospel, and patriotic albums. His latest, Night Hawk, fulfills a long-held goal of producing a record of cowboy songs.
The Grand Dame Of Cowboy Poetry
It’s Saturday morning at the 32 nd National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev., and the Ruby Mountain Ballroom is packed. The introductory applause has faded, but 91-yearold Elizabeth Ebert, “the Grand Dame of Cowboy Poetry,” in gold earrings and a navy blue pantsuit, is still pushing her way across the stage, two wrinkled hands on the walker, slightly stooped, a lariat of oxygen tubes peaking out from a small tank affied to the side. Seated behind her, fellow poets R.P. Smith and Yvonne Hollenbeck, soon to perform themselves, smile as though clued in to some inside joke.
