Death of a Gunfighter_
"Marshall Patch... he lived by the law of the gun..."
In the turn-of-the century Texas town of Cottownwood Springs, marshal Frank Patch is an old-style lawman in a town determined to become modern. When he kills drunken Luke Mills in self-defense, the town leaders decide it's time for a change. That ask for Patch's resignation, but he refuses on the basis that the town on hiring him had promised him the job for as long as he wanted it. Afraid for the town's future and even more afraid of the fact that Marshal Patch knows all the town's dark secrets, the city fathers decide that old-style violence is the only way to rid themselves of the unwanted lawman.
Starring
Richard Widmark, Lena Horne, Carroll O'Connor
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Year context
Death of a Gunfighter was released 57 years ago in 1969.
Overview
In the turn-of-the century Texas town of Cottownwood Springs, marshal Frank Patch is an old-style lawman in a town determined to become modern. When he kills...
Death of a Gunfighter is a Western film with a runtime of 1h 34m.
CAST (20)
Richard Widmark
Marshal Frank Patch
Lena Horne
Claire Quintana
Carroll O'Connor
Lester Locke
David Opatoshu
Edward Rosenbloom
Kent Smith
Andrew Oxley
Jacqueline Scott
Laurie Mills
Morgan Woodward
Ivan Stanek
Larry Gates
Mayor Chester Sayre
Dub Taylor
Doc Adams
John Saxon
Lou Trinidad
Darleen Carr
Hilda Jorgenson
Michael McGreevey
Dan Joslin
Royal Dano
Arch Brandt
Jimmy Lydon
Luke Mills
Kathleen Freeman
Mary Elizabeth
Harry Carey, Jr.
Rev. Cork
AT
Amy Thomson
Angela
MH
Mercer Harris
Will Oxley
James O'Hara
Father Sweeney
Walter Sande
Paul Hammond
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Death of a Gunfighter about?
In the turn-of-the century Texas town of Cottownwood Springs, marshal Frank Patch is an old-style lawman in a town determined to become modern. When he kills drunken Luke Mills in self-defense, the town leaders decide it's time for a change. That ask for Patch's resignation, but he refuses on the basis that the town on hiring him had promised him the job for as long as he wanted it. Afraid for the town's future and even more afraid of the fact that Marshal Patch knows all the town's dark secrets, the city fathers decide that old-style violence is the only way to rid themselves of the unwanted lawman.
How long is Death of a Gunfighter?
Death of a Gunfighter has a runtime of 94 minutes (1h 34m).
Who stars in Death of a Gunfighter?
The cast of Death of a Gunfighter includes Richard Widmark, Lena Horne, Carroll O'Connor, David Opatoshu, Kent Smith.
What is the rating of Death of a Gunfighter?
Death of a Gunfighter has a rating of 6.2 out of 10 based on 38 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Western