Where Was Cattle King Filmed | A True 60s Classic!

Westerns are cool to watch, but a mammoth task to produce. Especially the ones created in the fifties and the sixties. Back when production sets were gigantic and camera rigs were huge. Something that a movie like Cattle King is a good example of. Today, we will tell you all about where was Cattle King filmed and how it came about! So carry on reading!

Directed by the legendary Tay Garnett, Cattle King remains a must-watch Western classic decades after its release. In 1963, at the time of its release, Cattle King starred two of the biggest names in movies – Robert Taylor and Robert Loggia.

So where was Cattle King filmed? The movie is based in Wyoming, but Cattle King has been filmed entirely in California. The ranch of Wyoming in the movie is actually the Daley Ranch in California. The rest of the movie has been shot in MGM Studios as well as the Republic Studios.

The filming locations of Westerns are more interesting than other movies or shows. Since there are no typical Western-centric areas remaining, everything has to be created from scratch. Unlike movies like Kong Skull Island or Morbius, old Westerns did most of their filming in the studios within controlled environments. 

The Plot Of Cattle King | What Is The Movie About

Before we move on to see where was Cattle King filmed, let’s check what the movie is about. Cattle King follows the build-up to a local war within the cattle ranches of Wyoming. Sam Brassfield is determined to protect his farms from external invasion, but that can only do him little good.

Clay Mathews, a rich cattle trader wants to make a quick buck by keeping the Wyoming ranches open. That is because open ranches mean more cattle, which means more money for Clay. The two face off against each other in an actual life-and-death scenario!

The movie follows the real-life indecent of the then president of the United States, President Chester A. Arthur visiting the region looking for a solution. With guns blazing and temperatures flying, there is only so much he can do too.

Where Was Cattle King Filmed | All The Locations You Need To Know About!

Cattle King rose in popularity quickly, and word spread. In an era with no internet, Cattle King has been distributed the world over. In many countries, Cattle King had to be renamed to suit the local languages. Thus, you might also see that the movie is called Guns of Wyoming in some countries.

With a positive fan reception, and with some critical acclaim, it is fair to say Cattle King is a good Western to watch any day of the week. So then, where was Cattle King filmed? Well, carry on reading to find the exact places!

Daley Ranch, Escondido, California, USA

A movie about Wyoming but not filmed in Wyoming, now why doesn’t that surprise us? That is mainly because movies in the 60s and 70s followed the same pattern. It wasn’t required for the film crew to shoot at the place that was depicted in the movie.

Most of the filming for Cattle King took place in California. The hot and burning deserted ranches of California don’t look anything like Wyoming to those who have been to both places. But for the untrained eye, California works as the ideal substitute. 

According to movie insiders, filming for Cattle King was finished in under two weeks’ time. With Daley Ranch being the main place for outdoor filming, we don’t see why not. It also speaks volumes about the expertise of the production units. Wrapping up an MGM production in such a short time could only be done when the crew handling the filming were pros at what they do.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Culver City, California, USA

The MGM production was one of Robert Taylor’s last works with MGM studio. The aging actor did tons of Westerns for the studio. In turn, bringing in lots of fame for himself and making lots of money for them too. 

The MGM studios in California undertook the responsibility for this movie. And while the acting power was there, the movie is said to have been let down by a lot of other factors. We have shoddy dialogues, unnecessary plot twists, and too many characters in the movie. Attributed to the inexperience of associate producer Thomas Thompson, Cattle King isn’t the best of MGM Studios.

Today, MGM studios stand even bigger and taller than ever. If you’re planning a visit to the film city in Los Angeles, you have to make a stop at Culver City too. We have seen movies go from silent to black and white, to color and HD today. And MGM has been at the backbone of it. A visit to a place with such a rich film history will truly blow your mind!

Republic Studios, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Cattle King has mostly been filmed within the four walls of the studios. Just like other movies in the fifties and the sixties, Cattle King had a set made for it in Republic Studios. With special effects and other filming techniques being used for filming, Wyoming was created inside the studios. 

Besides being the studio space for Cattle King, Republic Studios has a rich history. Westerns like Wagon Train and Bonanza have also been filmed in the same studio! In Hollywood, Republic Studios was known as the place where most Western series as well as B Westerns would be filmed.

Final Words

So there you have it, folks! We hope now you know where was Cattle King filmed! Old-school cinema does not get better than a proper B Western movie! And Robert Taylor is probably one of the best actors to watch. We still feel MGM could have given him a better send-off than what Cattle King did, but oh well, it’s all in the past now.

If old-school filming locations are your thing then be sure to check out where Crossfire Trail and The Sacketts were filmed! The locations will certainly dazzle you! If you have a favorite movie or show you would want us to cover, then let us know in the comments down below! We will try our best to get you all the information you need!