May 28, 2026

Charles Robert Starrett – The Durango Kid of Borrego Springs

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Charles Robert Starrett – The Durango Kid of Borrego Springs

Remembering the Western film star known to generations as The Durango Kid

Charles Robert Starrett (March 28, 1903 – March 22, 1986) was an American actor best known for portraying The Durango Kid in a long-running series of Western films produced by Columbia Pictures. He spent his later years in Borrego Springs, where he passed away just days before his 83rd birthday.


From Massachusetts to Hollywood


Born in Athol, Massachusetts, Starrett attended Worcester Academy and later Dartmouth College. His path to Hollywood began in the 1920s when he appeared as a football extra in the film The Quarterback (1926). What started as a small role led to a successful acting career that spanned the transition from silent films to sound pictures.

By the mid-1930s, Columbia Pictures was casting Starrett in Westerns, and he quickly became one of the studio's most recognizable stars.


The Durango Kid


Starrett is best remembered for his role as The Durango Kid, a masked Western hero who brought law and order to the frontier. The character became one of the most popular Western film figures of the era, appearing in dozens of movies between the 1940s and early 1950s.


Some of his notable films include:


  • The Durango Kid (1940)
  • The Kid Rides Again (1943)
  • Outlaws of Stampede Pass (1943)
  • The Lone Star Trail (1943)
  • Bandit Ranger (1944)
  • Along the Navajo Trail (1945)
  • Lightning Guns (1948)
  • The Blazing Sun (1950)
  • Rodeo King and the Senorita (1951)


Over the course of his career, Starrett appeared in more than 100 films and became one of the most recognizable Western stars of his generation.


Family Life


Starrett married Mary Alice McKinnon on September 28, 1927. The couple had twin sons, Charles and David, who were born in 1930.


Beyond the Silver Screen


In addition to acting, Starrett was among the early actors involved in the formation of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), helping support efforts to improve representation and working conditions for performers in Hollywood.

After retiring from films in the early 1950s, he stepped away from the spotlight but remained a respected figure among Western movie fans.


A Connection to Borrego Springs


While many remember Charles Starrett for his film career, Borrego Springs residents know him as part of the community's history. His decision to spend his later years in Borrego Springs adds a unique local connection to one of Hollywood's classic Western stars.


Today, Starrett remains remembered not only for entertaining audiences across America but also as a notable resident whose story became part of Borrego Springs history.


Remembering a Western Legend



For generations of movie fans, Charles Starrett will always be The Durango Kid. His long career in Western films helped define an era of Hollywood entertainment, and his connection to Borrego Springs ensures that his legacy continues to be remembered locally as well.





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By East County News Service • May 18, 2026
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