Last of the Cowboy Heroes: The Westerns of Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Audie Murphy

In the world of Western films, Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Audie Murphy have frequently been overlooked in favor of names like Roy Rogers and John Wayne. Yet these three actors played a crucial role in the changing environment of the post-World War II Western, and, in the process, made many excellent middle-budget films that are still a pleasure to watch.

This account of these three Western stars' careers begins in 1946, when Scott and McCrea committed themselves to the Western roles t...