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  • Cowboy Stuntman: From Olympic Gold to the Silver Screen by Dean Smith, Mike Cox
  • Dolph Briscoe IV
Cowboy Stuntman: From Olympic Gold to the Silver Screen. By Dean Smith with Mike Cox, foreword by James Garner. (Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 2013. Pp. 268. Illustrations, appendices, index.)

Dean Smith has lived an exciting life. From athletic stardom to a lengthy career in movies and television, Smith traveled a long way from his rural Texas roots and met many famous individuals on his journey. Yet he never forgot his humble beginnings, and even in the face of setbacks, retained an optimism and work ethic that endeared him to people in Texas, Hollywood, and elsewhere. Cowboy Stunt-man is Smith’s memoir of his remarkable experiences, and also provides an important account of the popularity and decline of the western film genre.

Born in 1932 and raised by his grandparents, Smith grew up near Graham, Texas. From a young age Smith enjoyed going to the local theater to watch movies, where he could daydream of a career on the big screen. Living in ranching country, Smith worked with horses and rode in rodeos, which taught him skills that [End Page 449] would help him as a stuntman, namely the ability to avoid injury. A gifted athlete, Smith also excelled in football and track. He received a scholarship to attend the University of Texas and ran track under legendary coach Clyde Littlefield. Smith’s speed earned him a spot on the United States relay team that won the 400-meter gold medal at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. Running remained one of Smith’s favorite hobbies throughout his life, and he often participated in racing contests on movie sets.

After two years in the army and a tryout with the Los Angeles Rams football team, Smith pursued his dream of acting. His time in athletics introduced him to valuable contacts, such as James Garner of Maverick fame, who helped him enter the movie business. Smith’s big break came with the television series Tales of Wells Fargo, where he doubled western star Dale Robertson during the late fifties and early sixties. Smith’s friendship with the iconic actor John Wayne became his most important professional relationship. He devotes a chapter to The Alamo (1960), which starred Wayne and was filmed in Brackettville, Texas. As a proud Texan, Smith views his participation in The Alamo as one of the highlights of his career. Wayne, whom he refers to as “Duke,” hired Smith for parts in notable films such as El Dorado (1966) and True Grit (1969). Although Wayne looms as the largest figure for Smith, he also details his fascinating encounters in movies and television shows with stars such as Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, and Goldie Hawn, to name just a few.

Cowboy Stuntman illustrates the professionalization of stunting and decline of the western movie. When Smith began his career, stunt actors received low wages, few film credits, and little training. Limited roles existed for women and minorities. The founding of the Stuntmen Association of Motion Pictures in 1961 and the national civil rights movement helped reform the industry, pleasing Smith. However, Smith regrets that westerns lost popularity by the 1980s and 1990s. He believes western films teach moral values and a sense of purpose to audiences. Smith criticizes Hollywood’s current decadence, and hopes that western movies will return to prominence.

Smith moved back to his Texas ranch in 1992. Although he endured his share of trials, including physical injuries, deaths of loved ones, and a bout with cancer, Smith remains deeply appreciative of his life’s journey. Indeed, what a journey—from rural Texas to athletic and movie stardom and back—with many amazing experiences and people along the way. Honestly written and filled with humorous Texas colloquialisms, Cowboy Stuntman is an enjoyable book, and it will especially appeal to readers interested in the history of film and athletics in Texas.

Dolph Briscoe IV
The University of Texas at Austin
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