He may have been the driving force behind the Mamas & the Papas—but when he wasn’t writing sunny flower-child anthems, John Phillips was intent on destroying himself and everyone in his orbit.

Before antiheroes became trendy and before “prestige TV” turned into a buzzword, Westerns were already out here doing the work. These shows weren’t just about horses and shootouts—they were quietly building the DNA of modern television. Here are 21 TV Westerns that didn’t just define a genre—they helped define television itself.

Some of these decisions made careers. Some made millions. Others built entire empires. And the wild part? It wasn’t all luck—these are moves, moments and choices celebrities have actually said were the smartest things they ever did.

From his early years making a name for himself in live theatre to his most famous roles on the big and small screens, Robert Duvall has become one of cinema’s most iconic veterans. Rising through the ranks of Hollywood alongside many of his generation, he sets himself apart through his commitment and professionalism, as well as his ability to take on characters to their fullest—truly becoming someone else in the process.

Rebecca Schaeffer had it all going for her. She’d starred in her own successful sitcom and was about on a film career. But Schaeffer had a problem: she was too kind and too trusting. She cared enough to answer her own fan mail personally—and one disturbed fan took this the wrong way.

Richard Burton was one of Hollywood’s wildest hellraisers and a formidable acting talent. But it was his tempestuous romance with Elizabeth Taylor that provided the world with the most delicious tabloid fodder: Vicious fights, passionate displays of affection, and bitter betrayal. Still, no matter how bright he burned—Burton was always doomed to a heartbreaking end.