The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
A charismatic singing gunslinger rides into a lawless town, where a high‑stakes poker game and a deadly showdown force him to outwit a ruthless rival before the bullets fly.
“Stories live forever. People don't”
Synopsis
A collection of vignettes interwoven to depict the stories of six individuals in the American Old West at the close of the Civil War. The narrative follows a sharp-shooting songster, an aspiring bank robber, two exhausted traveling performers, a solitary gold prospector, a woman journeying through the West toward an uncertain future, and a diverse group of strangers embarking on a carriage ride.
Credits
- Tim Blake Nelsonas Buster Scruggs (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
- Willie Watsonas The Kid (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
- Clancy Brownas Surly Joe (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
- Danny Mccarthyas Curly Joe's Brother (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
- David Krumholtzas Frenchman (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
- Thomas Wingateas Gun Check Man (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Related titles
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 270+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Ethan CoenShot by Bruno DelbonnelScored by Carter BurwellDesigned by Jess GonchorSound by Craig Berkey Nm0075389Costumes by Mary ZophresStunts by Chad DashnawVFX by John Bair
Full synopsis
Also known as
- (Portuguese)A Balada de Buster Scruggs
- La Ballade de Buster Scruggsfr
- La ballata di Buster Scruggsit
- (English)The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Release dates around the world5 countries · showhide
- ItalyAug 31, 2018
- United StatesOct 4, 2018
- South KoreaOct 7, 2018
- AustraliaOct 12, 2018
- United KingdomOct 12, 2018
Companies
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Cast & Crew
270 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Tim Blake Nelson
as Buster Scruggs (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Willie Watson
as The Kid (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Clancy Brown
as Surly Joe (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Danny Mccarthy
as Curly Joe's Brother (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
David Krumholtz
as Frenchman (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Thomas Wingate
as Gun Check Man (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Tim Dezarn
as Mean-Eyed Card Player (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
E E Bell
as Piano Player (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Alejandro Patino
as Cantina Bartender (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Tom Proctor
as Cantina Bad Man (segment: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Clinton Roberts
as Cantina Scum
Matthew Willig
as Cantina Scum
Supporting cast
59Jesse Youngblood
as Cantina Scum
J J Dashnaw
as Cantina Scum
James Franco
as Cowboy
Stephen Root
as Teller
Ralph Ineson
as Posse Leader
Mike Watson
as Posse #1
Brian Brown
as Posse #2
Ryan Russell Brown
as Posse #3
Richard Bucher
as Posse #4
Jesse Luken
as Drover
Michael Cullen
as Judge
Austin Rising
as Bailiff
Scotty Augare
as Comanche Chief
Liam Neeson
as Impresario
Harry Melling
as Artist
Jiji Hise
as Bawd
Paul Rae
as Chicken Impresario
Tom Waits
as Prospector
Sam Dillon
as Young Man
Bill Heck
as Billy Knapp
Zoe Kazan
as Alice Longabaugh
Grainger Hines
as Mr. Arthur
Jefferson Mays
as Gilbert Longabaugh
Prudence Wright Holmes
as Boarding House Landlady
Eric Petersen
as Boarder
Doris Hargrave
as Boarder #2
Jackamoe Louis Vuitton Buzzell
as Boarder #3
Ethan Dubin
as Matt
Jordy Laucomer
as Whipped Boy
Thea Lux
as His Mother
Bret Hughson
as His Father
Rod Rondeaux
as Sioux Chief
Raymond Kurshals
as Puppet Dancer
Jonjo O Neill
as Englishman
Brendan Gleeson
as Irishman
Saul Rubinek
as Frenchman
Tyne Daly
as Lady
Chelcie Ross
as Trapper
Aesop Aquarian
as Old Pioneer
Charles Ash
as Bartender
Stephen R Estler
as Gambler
Bill Foster
as Saloon Man
Alex Halpern
as Hanging Man
David Hight
as Singing Bar Patron
James Laprelle
as Townsperson
Shawn Lecrone
as Saloon Patron, Gallows Watcher
Grace Lesueur
as Pretty Girl at Gallows
Billy Lockwood
as Father
Nick A Meyers
as Gallows Watchers #1
Martin Palmer
as Blubberer
Vasilios Papadamakis
as Gallows Watcher
Christian Pedersen
as Saloon Patron
Skyler Pinkerton
as Saloon Patron
Michael Neal Powell
as Townsman #2
Diego Romero
as Townsman #1
J Nathan Simmons
as Gallows Watcher
Michael E Stogner
as Townsman, Audience
Karen Teliha
as Pioneer Woman
David Paul White
as Town Folk
Directors
2Writers
5Producers
11Catherine Farrell
associate producer
Christina Delerme
senior digital intermediate producer
Ethan Coen
Producer, Producers
Jillian Longnecker
executive producer
Joel Coen
Producer, Producers
Megan Ellison
Producer, Producers
Nicole Guillermo
digital intermediate producer
Robert Graf
Producer
Stefan Karrer
soundtrack producer
Sue Naegle
producer
T Bone Burnett
music producer
Other crew
191Elise Garza
additional ager / dyer
Adam Morgan
additional second assistant director
Zack Earl Edwards
additional second assistant director
David Tierney Lerner
additional second assistant director (segment "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs")
Bruce Winant
adr voice casting
Dann Fink
adr voice casting
Wynema Chavez
ager / dyer
Alexandre Allain
animator: The Mill
Max Berger
apprentice editor
Steve Christensen
Art Directors
Diego Dominguez
assistant location manager
Juan Torres Jr
assistant location manager
Parents Guide
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