Clint Walker
A towering physical presence who defined the stoic, wandering hero of the television Western as the star of 'Cheyenne' for seven seasons.
1927–2018 (age 91)·American actor·Birthday: May 30·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Clint Walker didn't just play a Western hero; with his six-foot-six frame, barrel chest, and resonant baritone, he looked like he was carved from the landscape itself. His breakout role as Cheyenne Bodie made him one of the first true television Western stars, anchoring the show for seven years and setting the template for the lone, morally upright drifter. The role capitalized on his own history as a merchant marine, a carnival worker, and a deputy sheriff—lives lived before Hollywood found him. While he never quite replicated that series' success on the big screen, he remained a formidable presence in films like 'The Dirty Dozen,' where his size and quiet intensity were used to powerful effect. Walker embodied a certain mid-century American ideal: strong, silent, and fundamentally decent.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Clint was born in 1927, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Clint Was Born
The biggest hits of 1927
#1 Movie
Wings
Clint's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1927Born
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1932Started school
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1940Became a teenager
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Could drive
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1945Could vote
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Turned 21
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1957Turned 30
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 40
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 50
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 60
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 70
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 80
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2018Died at 91
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- Starred as the title character in the long-running ABC/Warner Bros. Western television series 'Cheyenne' (1955-1962).
- Played the strong, silent soldier Samson Posey in the classic war film 'The Dirty Dozen'.
- Had a successful recording career, releasing several country-western albums in the 1960s.
- Appeared in numerous other Western films and TV shows, including 'Night of the Grizzly' and 'The Bounty Man'.
Did You Know?
He was seriously injured in a 1971 skiing accident when he was impaled on his own ski pole; he recovered after multiple surgeries.
Before acting, he worked as a carnival roustabout, a deputy sheriff, and a deckhand on a Mississippi riverboat.
He turned down the role of 'Pale Rider' that later went to Clint Eastwood.
He served in the United States Merchant Marine at age 17 and later joined the U.S. Army.
“I never wanted to be an actor; I just wanted to ride horses and be outdoors.”
