Introduction

To the south, the state of Durango is known for its superb outdoor life. In fact, filmmakers discovered its consistently sunny skies and rugged scenery made it an ideal location for shooting westerns. From the 1950s to the 1970s, during the western’s heyday, John Wayne, Burt Lancaster and Emilio “El Indio” Fernandez were among the Hollywood and Mexican actors who made movies here. The trend slowed in the 80s with the decline of the western genre.