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These are the people who made the western great. Who are they and how did they become famous? Find out more about them in our feature articles.

 

 

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broncho billy andersonBroncho Billy

The First Western Movie Star

 

On January 6, 1914, The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper crowned him “The King of the Movies.”  He was the most famous movie star of the time and his weekly Western films were enormously popular.  His name? Broncho Billy.  And from 1908 to 1915, he dominated the movie screen.


Every week, an estimated 11 million people watched him in nickelodeon theatres across America.  With every new film, his popularity grew.  In total, he made 148 Broncho Billy films and became the first Western movie star in America.


Who was Broncho Billy and how did he become a legendary western movie star?

Click here to find out more about Broncho Billy.