How The West Was Won was a beloved television series that first aired in 1977.
The show was an epic Western that told the story of the Macahan family and their journey
westward during the 19th century.
The series was an instant hit and ran for three seasons, capturing the hearts of millions
of viewers.
In this video, we'll take a look at the cast of How The West Was Won and see what they've
been up to since the show came to an end.
Facts Verse Presents: How the West Was Won Cast Then and Now (1976 to 2023)
James Arness as Zeb Macahan
James Arness was a legendary actor who played the patriarch of the Macahan family, Zebulon,
or as he more frequently referred to, Zeb.
Before joining the cast of How The West Was Won, Arness was already well known for his
role as Marshal Matt Dillon in the hit series Gunsmoke.
He played the role of Zeb with great depth and complexity, and it was clear that he was
a master of his craft.
James Arness continued to act after the end of How The West Was Won, primarily on television.
In 1987, he reprised his role as Marshal Matt Dillon in a made-for-television movie called
Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, which was so successful that it led to a series of "Gunsmoke" reunion
movies.
Arness also appeared in several other made-for-television movies, including Red River and The Alamo:
Thirteen Days to Glory.
Arness died of natural causes in 2011 at the age of 88.
Bruce Boxleitner as Luke Macahan
Bruce Boxleitner played the role of Luke Macahan, the son of Zeb.
Boxleitner was relatively unknown when he was cast in the series, but his performance
in How The West Was Won made him a star.
Before appearing in the series, Boxleitner and James Arness briefly appeared alongside
each other in several episodes of Gunsmoke.
The two actors would go on to have a lifelong friendship.
Boxleitner went on to have a successful career in television and film, including his role
as Captain John Sheridan in the science fiction series Babylon 5.
In 1992 Boxleitner was cast in the dual roles of Alan Bradley and Tron in The Walt Disney
Pictures film Tron.
He has since reprised that role in the 2010 sequel film Tron: Legacy.
More recently.
He’s had a recurring role in the sci-fi comedy series The Orville.
Today, Boxleitner is still active in the entertainment industry and continues to act in both film
and television.
Richard Kiley as Timothy Macahan
In How The West Was Won, Richard Kiley played the role of Timothy Macahan, Zeb’s brother.
Richard Kiley was a versatile American actor with a career spanning over five decades.
In addition to his role in How the West Was Won, he appeared in many other movies, television
shows, and stage productions.
Some of his notable film credits include roles in films such as 1955s The Phenix City Story,
1974s The Little Prince, and 1998s Patch Adams.
Kiley was also a prolific stage actor and appeared in numerous Broadway productions,
including Man of La Mancha and Kismet.
He won a Tony Award for his leading role in Redhead in 1959.
On television, Kiley was known for his appearances on shows such as Columbo, Star Trek: Deep
Space Nine, Hawaii Five-O, and Gusmoke.
He also narrated many documentaries and specials, including the popular A&E Documentary television
series Mysteries of the Bible.
Kiley died of bone marrow disease in 1999 at the age of 76, but his legacy as a talented
and versatile performer lives on.
Kathryn Holcomb as Laura Macahan
Kathryn Holcomb played the role of Laura Macahan, Zeb’s daughter.
Holcomb was a relatively unknown actress at the time, but her performance in the series
earned her a loyal fan base.
After How The West Was Won, Holcomb went on to have guest roles in several popular television
shows, including Supertrain, Fantasy Island, and Houston Knights.
She also had a recurring role in the series Skag as the character Patricia Skagska.
Holcomb is now retired from acting and lives in California.
Vicki Schreck as Jessie Macahan
Vicki Schreck played the role of Jessie Macahan, the second daughter of Zeb.
Schreck was a child actress when she was cast in the series, and her portrayal of Jessie
was widely praised.
After How The West Was Won, Schreck continued to act in television and film but eventually
left the entertainment industry behind entirely.
In addition to her role in How The West Was Won, Schreck also appeared in the 1981 TV
film Big Bend Country, as well as the 1976 Disney feature film Freaky Friday.
As far as TV guest spots go, Schreck made appearances in series such as Sara, The Waltons,
Love American Style, and The Brady Bunch.
William Kirby Cullen as Josh Macahan
William Kirby Cullen played the role of Josh Macahan, the youngest son of Zeb.
Cullen was a child actor when he was cast in the series, and his portrayal of Josh was
widely praised.
After How The West Was Won, Cullen continued to act in television and film for some time,
but eventually, just as Vicki Schreck had done, he too left the entertainment industry
to pursue other opportunities.
Unfortunately, it’s unclear what he has been up to in recent years.
Other TV shows and films that Cullen appeared in include One Day at a Time, Tales of the
Unexpected, Highway to Heaven, Airwolf, Multiple Maniacs, and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
Fionnula Flanagan as Molly Culhane Fionnula
Flanagan played the role of Molly Culhane, Kate Macahan’s recently widowed sister.
Flanagan was already an accomplished actress when she was cast in the series, and her portrayal
of Molly was one of the highlights of the show.
After How The West Was Won, Flanagan continued to act in film and television and became a
well-respected character actress.
She appeared in a number of popular television shows such as Lost, Brotherhood, Defiance,
and several of the Star Trek reboots, including Next Generation and Enterprise.
She also had recurring roles on Rich Man, Poor Man, and Poltergeist: The Legacy.
In recent years, Flanagan has shown up in TV shows like Law & Order: Special Victims
Unit, American Gods, and Origin.
She's also been announced as a supporting cast member in the upcoming 2023 film The
Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Eve Marie Saint as Kate Macahan
Saint played the role of Kate Macahan, Zeb's sister-in-law.
She was born on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey, and attended Bowling Green State University
in Ohio, where she majored in drama and became a member of the Delta Gamma sorority.
Saint began her career in television in the 1940s, appearing on several live dramas, including
"The Philco Television Playhouse" and "The Ford Theatre Hour."
She made her film debut in 1954 in "On the Waterfront," for which she won an Academy
Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Saint appeared in several successful films, including "North
by Northwest," "Raintree County," and "Exodus."
She also continued to work in television, starring in the series "Fatal Vision" and
"Moonlighting" in the 1980s.
More recently, she’s done voice acting work on the Nickelodeon series The Legend of Korra,
and in 2018 she was a presenter at the 90th Academy Awards.
In addition to her acting career, Saint has been involved in several charitable organizations.
She has been married to director Jeffrey Hayden since 1951 and has two children.
Jared Martin as Frank Grayson
Jared Martin played the role of Frank Grayson, a man who befriended the Macahan family when
he was hired to run settlers out of the valley.
Martin was born on December 21, 1941, in Manhattan, New York.
He began his career in the 1960s, eventually appearing in a number of television series
and films, including The Fantastic Journey and War Of The Worlds.
Martin became best known for his role as Dusty Farlow on the hit television series Dallas.
He appeared in over 50 episodes of the show, which ran from 1978 to 1991.
Martin also appeared in a number of other popular television shows during this time,
including Fantasy Island, Knight Rider, and Murder, She Wrote.
Jared Martin passed away on the 24th of May, 2017, at the age of 75.
Harris Yulin as Deek Peasley
Harris Yulin is an American actor born on November 5, 1937, in Los Angeles, California.
He attended the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, where he
trained as an actor.
Yulin began his acting career in the 1960s, appearing in several Off-Broadway productions.
He made his film debut in 1970 in End of the Road and went on to appear in a number of
successful films throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including Scarface, Ghostbusters II,
and Clear and Present Danger.
Yulin has also been a prolific television actor, with appearances in many popular series
such as Law & Order, 24, and Ozark.
He has been nominated for several awards for his work, including a Tony Award for his performance
in the Broadway production of The Diary of Anne Frank.
Most recently Yulin has starred in films such as 2015s The Family Fang, 2017s The Sounding,
and 2018s All Square.
On TV, you might have seen him in recent episodes of Murphy Brown, Billions, and I Know This
Much Is True.
Yulin has been married twice, continues to act in films, television, and on stage, and
is considered a highly respected and accomplished actor in the entertainment industry.
As we’ve seen, the cast of How The West Was Won was a talented and diverse group of
actors who brought the epic story of the Macahan family to life.
While some of the cast members have passed away, many others have continued to have successful
careers in film and television.
Whether they are still active in the entertainment industry or have moved on to other careers,
the legacy of their performances in How The West Was Won will continue to live on for
generations to come.
Now, it's your turn to talk about this iconic television series.
Who was your favorite character on How The West Was Won, and were you surprised to learn
where any of the show's stars wound up after the series ended?
Let us know in the comments, and as always, thanks for watching!