Noted Author Patrick Dearen to Discuss Robert Duvall and Oliver Loving News Staff Thu, 10/08/2026 - 05:54 Subheader body THE INSPIRATION FOR GUS MCCRAE IN REAL LIFE In-page image(s) X Body When Robert Duvall passed away earlier this year, many tributes to his career mentioned his outstanding role as Augustus McCrae in the min-series, Lonesome Dove.

Duvall himself has said that it was one of his favorite roles, telling Texas Monthly that, "playing Gus McCrae was kind of like my Hamlet." Yet Gus McCrae was modeled after a real, live Texan named Oliver Loving, whose exploits mirrored those of Gus.

Loving led a cattle drive with his partner, Charles Goodnight, where he fought off an Indian attack from a cave in a river, then died of gangrene after his arm was amputated.