In Streets of Laredo we see mainly3 standard rifles – plus a couple of oddities. There are others long guns, but their appearance is too brief to mention.
Firstly we have the Winchester 73′ rifle – ‘the rifle that won the West’? Combined with the Colt 45 pistol, these are backbone of many a Western Film and probably a good chunk of Old West history as well.
James Garner (Captain F. Woodrow Call) carries two rifles (not sure why .. but Why Not?): a Winchester 73′ and a 1860 Henry Rifle Brass Frame .45 LC.
Woodrow / Garner with his HenryGarner using the Henry – folding sight.
Ned Beatty (Judge Roy Bean) and his Winchester 73‘
Between drinking and hanging people the Judge shoots things.
George Carlin gets ready to demonstrate the ‘Yellow Boy‘.
Hang on to your ears.
The 2 Unusual Weapons
Smith and Cannon
Charles Martin Smith and Cannon? Sounds like a Law Firm. And he’s got the guns to back it up.
The first of the 2 unusual weapons that I spoke of, is the The Holland & Holland Paradox shotgun (well named).
“The Holland & Holland Paradox was an interesting design. It was a smoothbore until the end of the bores where there was rifling … The 8 and 10 gauge shotguns were considered to be the most effective against Elephant, Cape Buffalo ect, but lacked the accuracy and range of a rifle. The Paradox design was a compromise which offered improved performance from the smoothbore design … “
In other words, Charles Martin Smith is carrying an elephant gun. Sheesh.
This weapon eventually contributes to the demise of our main antagonist.
Thanks to my brother Richard for finding this information.
Don’t ask me what the pistols are though … he never pulled ’em.
Charles Martin Smith seems to have a fondness for shotguns:
Charles Martin Smith with shotgun in The Untouchables – 1987
That other weapon is claimed to be a Model 1889 Schmidt-Rubin rifle with Scope.
Model 1889 Schmidt-Rubin rifle – without scope
Apology: I lost my sources for this reference. I do recall the the individual who recognized this rifle said that this weapon did not exist in the era of Streets of Laredo. I would not be surprised as we find this quite often in Westerns (and other movies) where technology from the future is imported to the past. Most often nobody cares or notices, but some Gun and Western history fans/experts do take note.
The only thing I can say for sure it that if Joey Garza (Alexis Cruz) takes a liking to your gun, you better just give it to him. And run away. Fast.
Streets of Laredo contains most your standard Western gunfare: Yer Colt 45, Yer Winchester ’73, and Yer double barrel shotgun ….
But it also has 2 unique weapons – plus another that’s fairly uncommon.
I was not able to locate any resources that specifically itemized the Guns in Streets of Laredo. It took considerable detective work to discover the identity of at least 2 of the firearms. A Thank You goes to my brother Richard who identified the mysterious and unusual shotgun carried by Charles Martin Smith.
The Handguns:
Most of the main characters use handguns at some point Streets of Laredo – including Sissy Spacek and Sonja Baca.
The handgun of choice appears to be the famous Colt 45 – either long or short barrel.
Alexis Cruz
Sonja Baca
Ned Beatty
A Colt Refused
Near the beginning Episode 1 (of 3) of Streets of Laredo, James Garner (Captain Woodrow Call) is offered a pearl handled Colt by his employer – which he refuses – upon advice there may ‘strings attached’.
Uncommon Gun Number One
Randy Quaid, who plays the very surly John Wesley Hardin in Streets of Laredo, brandishes anickel plated handgun that looks almost too grand to be a ‘shootin’ iron’ of the Old West.
But there it is. This gun was not easy to for me to identify and I’m still not certain I have it right, but I’m going with a:
Smith & Wesson Schofield
Subsequent editions of a successful weapon design often remain or appear almost identical to the original – even over years of production – with only minor refinements. Or can be copied by other Manufacturers.
In other words, they aren’t easy to identify. So this is just a guess on my part.
Randy Quaid
Top Breaking handguns.
When you consider that the ‘top breaking’ feature (similar to double barrel shotgun) of this handgun appears to be make loading and unloading quicker and easier, you’d think they would have been more popular, but it seems the side loading style of the Colts was more common. I do not know who originally invented this design, but it was clearly used by other manufacturers as well – including Colt.
Casting Director, Lynn Kressel won Casting Awards for Streets of Laredo. Let’s see why …
James Garner
Nothing much needs to be said about James Garner as a Western Film Actor He’s an icon.
Garner’s Westerns
Maverick with Jack Kelly 1957-1962 TV Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend with Randolph Scott / 1957 Movie Alias Jesse James with Bob Hope 1957 Cameo as Maverick Movie Duel at Diablo:with Sydney Poitier 1966 Movie Hour of the Gun with Jason Robards 1967 Movie Support Your Local Sheriffwith Jack Elam and Walter Brennan 1966 Movie Sledgewith Dennis Weaver and Claude Akins 1970 Movie Support Your Local Gunfighter with Suzanne Pleshette 1971 Movie Skin Game with Lou Gossett 1971 Movie Nicols with Stuart Margolin1971-1972 TV The Castaway Cowboy 1974 Movie Young Maverick with Charles Frank 1979 TV Bret Maverick with Ed Bruce 1981-82 TV Movie Murphy’s Romance with Sally Field 1985 Movie Sunsetwith Bruce Willis 1988 Movie Maverick with Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, James Coburn and others 1994 Movie Streets of Laredo – 1995 TV Mini-Series
Sam Shepard
Sam Shepard seems to have Western written all over him – so we’re bit surprised that he hasn’t been in more. Yet I believe All the Pretty Horses is massively under-rated and may fare better in time. The Assassination of Jesse James … ??? the jury is still out. Thunderheartis well known – an entertaining enough movie … but a good Western? Blackthorncould have been Classic, but poor support acting let it down.
Verdict? Streets of Laredo is probably the best Western Sam has ever done. And he’s damn good in it.
Shepards’s Westerns
1978 Days of Heaven – with Richard Gere
1992 Thunderheart– with Val Kilmer and Grahame Greene
1995 Streets of Laredo with James Garner
1999 Purgatorywith Eric Roberts and Randy Quaid
2000 All the Pretty Horses with Matt Damon
2005 Bandidaswith Penélope Cruz and Salma Hayek
2007 The Assassination of Jesse James with Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck
2011 Blackthorn
1994 Silent Tongue / Writer / Director
2014 Klondike with Richard Madden
Randy Quaid
Randy Quaid has been in at least 2 notable Western: The Missouri Breaks and The Long Riders – both pretty highly regarded by most Western Movie fans – some holding them as Minor Classic in quality. In Streets of Laredohe plays the famous gunslinger John Wesley Harding.
Quaid Westerns
1976 The Missouri Breaks with Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando
1979 The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang 1980 The Long Riders with Dennis Quaid, David Carradine, Keith Carradine, Stacy Keach …
1999 Purgatory wtih Sam Shepard 2004 Home on the Range with Judi Dench, Cuba Gooding Jr., Rosanne Barr …
Sissy Spacek
We probably think SissySpacek has been in a few Westerns because she did Coal Minors Daughter (1980) and has done some Country Music singing and writing. But not so. Despite a ton of great work in her acting career, Sissy has done no real Westerns.
She’s in a great one this time though.
Decent Western roles are tough to find for female actors- mainly because most Westerns are written by – and for – men. But McMurtry is different and Streets of Laredo includes 3 great roles for the ladies – one of which is also an excellent role for a child female actor. Good job Mr. McMurtry.
Wes Studi
Wes Studi is another actor that has well established himself as a Western Film Icon. His first 2 Westerns are undeniable Westerns Classics: Dances with Wolves and The Last of the Mohicans. Most everything else he’s done is quality work as well.
Wes Studi Westerns
1990 Dances with Wolves with Kevin Costner 1992 The Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day Lewis 1993 Geronimo: An American Legend with Gene Hackman 1995 Streets of Laredo 1997 Crazy Horse with Ned Beatty 2005 Into the West with Russel Means 2005 Miracle at Sage Creek withDavid Carradine 2005 The New World with Colin Farrell, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale 2007 Seraphim Falls with Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson, Anjelica Huston 2007 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee 2008 Comanche Moon with Val Kilmer 2009 Trail of Tears 2011 Hell on Wheels with Colm Meaney 2014 A Million Ways to Die in the West (post-production)
2014 Palominas(pre-production)
Charles Martin Smith
We wouldn’t normally think of Charles Martin Smith as being a Western Actor but, incredibly, Smith has appeared in at least one bona fide Western Classic: Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and two other worthy Westerns:Culpepper Cattle Co. and The Spikes Gang. That’s 3 out 3 Chuck – Not bad for a green horn.
In Streets of Laredo, Smith plays the ‘everyday man’ – that’s you and me – the guy we’re supposed to relate with. His character can’t handle the rugged and vicious Western world he suddenly finds himself in – and makes us wonder if we could cut it either. Possibly not.
Charles Martin Smith Westerns
1972 The Culpepper Cattle Co.
1973 Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
1974 The Spikes Gang
Sonia Braga
Brazilian actress and International Film Star, Sonia Braga has 75 film credits to her name.
And when you see here performance in Streets of Laredo, it’s hard to believe she too has no Westerns among them.
She was Nominated forNCLR Bravo Award 1996 for her performance in Streets of Laredo.
Ned Beaty
In Streets of Laredo, Ned Beaty is well recognized – even with his Santa Claus beard. Beaty is another actor we are surprised to find has made very few Westerns – in his long career where he has appeared in over 100 films – and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award and a Golden Globe Award; he won a Drama Desk Award also.
But he’s done a couple.
2011 Rango
1996 Crazy Horse
1994 Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart
1975 Gunsmoke (TV)
1972 The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean with Paul Newman
George Carlin
You might have to shake your head for a second when you see George Carlin in Streets of Laredo. The second surprise is that he does a hell of job. Completely believable and in command of his part. Makes you wish he’d done more.
Vanessa Martinez
Vanessa Martinez is that 3rd female role I was talking about – playing Sonia Braga’s blind daughter. She is superb – and we wonder why we haven’t seen more of her either ??
Alexis Cruz
An unlikely badguy we may think – almost baby faced. But Cruz is ominous and lethal as the psychopathic killer tracked by Garner. Yet another actor we’ve seen little of since Laredo.
Though still active in TV and Film, Cruzseems to have fallen from view.
Alexis Cruz Westerns:
1997 The Brave (A Western?) I note this here because it Stars Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp.
