The Shooting - Cast

Cast

• Warren Oates as Willett Gashade. By the time Warren Oates starred in The Shooting, he had become a veteran western character actor, having appeared in dozens of film and television series in the genre since 1957. When director Hellman first suggested Oates as the star of the film, co-star and co-producer Nicholson immediately agreed with the choice. But during the filming, Nicholson and Oates repeatedly clashed, with the two frequently ending up in screaming matches. According to Hellman, production had to shut down for half a day when Oates refused to speak a lengthy amount of dialogue in the way Hellman wanted, preferring instead to whisper the lines almost unintelligibly. Oates stormed away from the film crew in anger when the director insisted. After Oates finally returned late in the afternoon, Hellman allowed the actor to read the lines the way he wanted, as long as he also read them in Hellman's preferred manner. In the editing room, Hellman rejected Oates's version.

• Will Hutchins as Coley. As Gashade's dimwitted friend, Hutchins was cast in the same burst of inspiration that Hellman had when he also thought of Warren Oates and Millie Perkins for the other lead roles in the film. Like Oates, when The Shooting began production Hutchins was already fully identified with the western genre, having starred for several years in the ABC-TV television series Sugarfoot, which ran from 1957 - 1961. Both Perkins and Hellman later recalled the actor as being a funny and charming man who never complained about the often adverse filming conditions.

• Millie Perkins as The Woman. Former teen model Perkins was Hellman's next-door neighbor when she was cast as the enigmatic, unnamed woman who leads the search party to their doom. The Shooting was her sixth film, immediately followed by another starring role in Hellman's companion western, Ride in the Whirlwind. Although Perkins enjoyed working on both of Hellman's westerns, and became good friends with Warren Oates, she was dismayed that Hellman insisted on such realism that he allowed only the most minimal of makeup to be applied to the actors. She felt she was constantly filmed in an unflattering manner.

• Jack Nicholson as Billy Spear. This was the young actor's 13th film appearance, and his fourth with director Hellman. In addition to playing the odious villain, Nicholson had been asked by Hellman to co-produce the film. The director called that decision "the biggest mistake of my life." Nicholson was constantly worried about the budget and repeatedly argued with Hellman over minuscule budgetary concerns.

• Other cast: B. J. Merholz as Leland Drum, Charles Eastman as Bearded Man, Guy El Tsosie as Indian at Cross Tree, Brandon Carroll as Sheriff, Wally Moon as Deputy, William Mackleprang as Cross Tree Townsman, James Campbell as Cross Tree Townsman.