The Western was the most popular Hollywood genre, from the early 20th century to the 1960s. Western films first became well - attended in the 1930s. John Ford 's landmark Western adventure Stagecoach became one of the biggest hits in 1939 and it made John Wayne a mainstream screen star. Westerns were very popular throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Many of the most acclaimed Westerns were released during this time -- including High Noon (1952), Shane (1953), The Searchers (1956), and The Wild Bunch (1969). Classic Westerns such as these have been the inspiration for various films about Western - type characters in contemporary settings, such as Junior Bonner (1972), set in the 1970s, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005), which is set in the 21st century.
during what decade did the genre of the western become established
1960s 1960s