Cowboy (1966 film)

Cowboy is a 1966 American made-for-television Western film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Tom Tryon, Brian Kelly, and Beverly Garland. It served as the pilot episode for the television series Cowboy in Africa, which premiered the following year. The film revolves around the character of Jim Sinclair (Tryon), an American cowboy who is hired by a game preserve owner in East Africa, John Henry (Kelly), to teach the local ranch hands how to manage cattle. The plot focuses on Sinclair's adjustment to the unfamiliar environment and his interactions with the African people, as well as the challenges of adapting Western cowboy skills to the African landscape and wildlife. The film explores themes of cultural exchange and the universality of certain ranching skills despite geographical and cultural differences. While technically a Western due to Sinclair's profession and skill set, the film's setting in Africa provides a unique twist on the genre.