How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won, motion picture about western expansion in the United States during the 19^th century, based on a series of articles from Life magazine. Released in 1962, this film won three Academy Awards. Karl Malden stars as Zebulon Prescott, who leads his family west from New York to start a new life. Along the way the group encounters war, conflicts with Native Americans, hunger, and other hardships typical of the pioneers of the time.

Directors

• Henry Hathaway
• John Ford
• George Marshall

Cast

• Spencer Tracy (Narrator)
• Carroll Baker (Eve Prescott)
• Lee J. Cobb (Lou Ramsey)
• Henry Fonda (Jethro Stuart)
• Karl Malden (Zebulon Prescott)
• Gregory Peck (Cleve Van Valen)
• George Peppard (Zeb Rawlings)
• Robert Preston (Roger Morgan)
• Debbie Reynolds (Lilith Prescott)
• James Stewart (Linus Rawlings)
• Eli Wallach (Charlie Gant)
• John Wayne (Gen. William T. Sherman)
• Richard Widmark (Mike King)
• Brigid Bazlen (Dora Hawkins)
• Carolyn Jones (Julie Rawlings)
• Walter Brennan (Colonel Hawkins)
• David Brian (Attorney)
• Andy Devine (Corporal Peterson)
• Raymond Massey (Abraham Lincoln)
• Agnes Moorehead (Rebecca Prescott)
• Harry Morgan (General Ulysses S. Grant)
• Thelma Ritter (Agatha Clegg)
• Mickey Shaughnessy (Deputy marshall)
• Russ Tamblyn (Reb soldier)
• Tudor Owen (Scotsman)
• Barry Harvey (Scotsman’s son)
• Jamie Ross (Scotsman’s son)
• Willis Bouchey (Surgeon)
• Kim Charney (Sam Prescott)
• Bryan Russell (Zeke Prescott)
• Claude Johnson (Jeremiah Rawlings)
• Jerry Holmes (Railroad Clerk)
• Rodolfo Acosta (Desperado)
• Chief Weasel (Native American)
• Red Cloud (Native American)
• Ben Black Elk (Native American)
• Mark Allen (Colin)
• Lee Van Cleef (Marty)
• Charlie Briggs (Barker)
• Jay C. Flippen (Huggins)
• Clinton Sundberg (Hylan Seabury)
• James Griffith (Gambler)
• Walter Burke (Gambler)
• Joseph Sawyer (Ship's officer)
• John Larch (Grimes)
• Jack Pennick (Corporal Murphy)
• Craig Duncan (James Marshall)
• Paul Bryar (Auctioneer's assistant)
• Kem Curtis (Ben, Union corporal)
• Walter Reed (Union soldier)
• Carleton Young (Union soldier)
• Harry Dean Stanton (Outlaw)
• Karl Swenson (Train conductor)
• Jack Lambert (Gant Henchman)
• Christopher Dark (Poker player)
• Gene Roth (Riverboat poker player)
• J. Edward McKinley (Auctioneer)
• William Henry (Staff officer)
• Ken Dibbs (Blacksmith)
• Red Perkins (Union soldier)
• John Damler (Lawyer)
• Robert Nash (Lawyer)
• Saul Gorss (Henchman)
• Roy Jenson (Henchman)
• Victor Romito (Henchman)
• Harvey Parry (Henchman)
• Beulah Archuletta (Henchman)
• Chuck Roberson (Henchman)
• Boyd 'Red' Morgan (Henchman)

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Film Editing (1963): Harold F. Kress
• Academy Award for Best Sound (1963): Franklin E. Milton—Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department
• Academy Award for Best Writing—Story and Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen (1963): James R. Webb
• Selected for Registry by the National Film Preservation Board (1997)

Trivia

• Richard Thorpe was the uncredited fourth director of this film.