
134 minutes
1/13/1972
When his cattlemen abandon him for the gold fields, rancher Wil Andersen is forced to take on a collection of young boys as his cowboys in order to get his herd to market in time to avoid financial disaster. The boys learn to do a man's job under Andersen's tutelage, however, neither he nor the boys know that a gang of cattle thieves is stalking them.

John Wayne
as Wil Andersen

Roscoe Lee Browne
as Jebediah Nightlinger

Bruce Dern
as Long Hair

Colleen Dewhurst
as Kate

Alfred Barker Jr.
as Cowboy Fats

Nicolas Beauvy
as Cowboy Dan

Steve Benedict
as Cowboy Steve

Robert Carradine
as Cowboy Slim Honeycutt

Norman Howell
as Cowboy Weedy

Stephen R. Hudis
as Cowboy Charlie Schwartz
Sean Kelly
as Cowboy Stuttering Bob

A Martinez
as Cowboy Cimarron

Clay O'Brien
as Cowboy Hardy Fimps
Sam O'Brien
as Cowboy Jimmy Phillips
Mike Pyeatt
as Cowboy Homer Weems

Slim Pickens
as Anse

Lonny Chapman
as Homer's Father

Charles Tyner
as Stonemason
Sarah Cunningham
as Annie Andersen

Allyn Ann McLerie
as Ellen Price
Maggie Costain
as Phoebe

Matt Clark
as Smiley
Jerry Gatlin
as Howdy
Walter Scott
as Okay

Richard Farnsworth
as Henry Williams
Wallace Brooks
as Red Tucker
Charise Cullin
as Elizabeth
Collette Poeppel
as Rosemary
Rita Hudis
as Charlie's Mother
Margaret Kelly
as Bob's Mother
Larry Randles
as Ben
Larry Finley
as Jake
Jim Burk
as Pete
Norman Howell Sr.
as Jim's Father
Fred Brookfield
as Rustler
Tap Canutt
as Rustler

Chuck Courtney
as Rustler

Gary Epper
as Rustler

Tony Epper
as Rustler
Kent Hays
as Rustler
J.R. Randall
as Rustler

Henry Wills
as Rustler

Joe Yrigoyen
as Rustler

Ralph Volkie
as Ralphie (uncredited)
Ivan Brutsche
as Towns Person (uncredited)