Joe Higgins

This rolly-polly actor with a gravel-like voice enjoyed a recurring role as Nils Swenson on The Rifleman, prior to adding excellent character performances and comedy relief to Western series like Bonanza, The Big Valley, and Gunsmoke. He also had a small scene with Elvis Presley in Kid Gallahad, where the tubby fellow showed no gratitude for the King’s helping him start his vehicle. He died of a heart attack at age 72.

Wildest Westerns Magazine Awards!

Western film and television shows helped shape the moral values of many people in this country. Children grew up watching Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, The Lone Ranger, and many other heroes of the silver screen following the "Code of the West." The battle of wrong vs. right was the theme of virtually every Western movie and television show, and the right always prevailed.

Wildest Westerns is a Western magazine that is dedicated to revisiting those "thrilling tales of yesteryear" in the articles, interviews, reviews, and photos on our magazine pages. Some of America's most respected and remembered heroes and villains came from these Western genres. It is our hope that this Western magazine will awaken the memories in your heart, and also help bring to light the values of the Western to those who didn't have the benefit of knowing these wonderful heroes and villains. We will always remember them, and would like to say "Thank You" to all the actors, actresses, directors, producers, studios, and all the unsung heroes behind the scenes that brought us the Western.