From Buckboards to Backflips: The Daring Cowgirl Who Stole the Western Spotlight

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Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women

A well-used buckboard pulled by four sturdy horses rolled lazily along a rugged, dusty road, a blustery wind sweeping across the rocky mountains rising behind it. Seated beside the driver was cowgirl actress Dale Evans, dressed in a stylish mid-1940s business suit, while actor-musician Pat Brady handled the reins. In the back, members of Sons of the Pioneers laughed, talked, and played a fiddle, harmonica, and guitar, filling the air with music as the cameras prepared to roll.

Under the direction of accomplished filmmaker William Witney, the cast of Bells of San Angelo moved through the opening scenes introducing Dale’s character. The mood was peaceful—until a lone rider burst from behind a rock outcropping and spurred his horse toward the buckboard. Gunshots cracked through the mountain air, shattering the calm and sending the team lunging forward. It was the kind of high-octane action audiences expected—and the kind that required extraordinary riding skill behind the scenes.

That’s where talented horsewomen like Alice made their mark. The following year she competed in the Ventura County rodeo, winning the title of Champion Lady Trick Rider of California. Audiences were enthralled by her equestrian abilities, marveling as “the diminutive blonde drew all eyes with her daredevil stunts on the back of a racing horse.”

To learn more about Alice and the fearless women who helped shape Hollywood Westerns, read Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women.

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