Even though Bruce Boxleitner stars in ABC's "How the West Was Won," I hardly expected to see him galloping by on a horse when I pulled into the drive of his modest ranch home.

I soon found, however, he's an active outdoors person who gets fidgety if he has to sit still for a long time. Talking to him meant watching him cool down and shovel up after his horse, named "55"; playing with Mike, his Boston Bull terrier puppy; and keeping up with his long-legged strides around the yard.

He's easy to talk to and gives the impression he doesn't think of himself as a star. It's not that he isn't serious about his career — he definitely is. But his whole attitude about what he is doing seems to say, "Oh boy, isn't this fun!" And not many stars wear blue jeans and a tank top to an interview.

When we finally sat down, it was at his kitchen table to drink a bottle of mineral water and eat a carton of yogurt. (His wife, Kathryn Holcomb, who costars in the series, was out shopping, and there was nothing else in the refrigerator at the time.) In the living room was a sketch of an American Indian chief and a bookcase full of Civil War and American history books, and in his den was his antique gun collection.

"I've always been a Civil War and Old West history buff," he says enthusiastically. "James Fenimore Cooper writing about 'Leatherstocking' in the East was OK, but I've always been interested in the American West.

"In films, I like the action people like Gary Cooper, John Wayne, James Dean, John Ford, and Howard Hawks," he says. "And one of my biggest thrills was a couple of years ago when I got to work with James Arness in one of the last 'Gunsmoke' shows.

"Later, when my agent told me someone was casting for 'How the West Was Won' and that it was a western and Civil War type show, I went 'Boing!' And when I found out it was going to star James Arness, I just went, 'Oh, wow!'

"I walked into the casting office and the first thing they said was, 'Hey, you're tall.' I was trying out for the part of Jim Arness's nephew, and Jim is about 6'7" with his boots on. That's a pretty formidable height to be standing next to. At 6'2" I still look up to him all the time."

He shakes his head at the memory, as he continues, "I ended up going through four auditions and two screen tests. After all that, I'd have been mighty disappointed if I didn't get the part or botched it somehow."

Heading out to the stable a few minutes later, he comments, "Actually, it's kind of unreal. I'm living out my fantasies and doing everything I always to do. The other day when I was running around out front, Kitty yelled at me, 'What do you want to do when you grow up?' I don't know — I haven't grown up yet, I guess."

Bruce admits he is not fond of Hollywood glitter and nightlife. In fact, he sneaked off with two friends on a pack trip on horseback to the High Sierras because he didn't want to attend the Emmy awards.

"I've had to go to some of those functions," he says, shaking his head, "but they're just not me. I'm not cut out to be Mr. Personality — 'Hey, how are you?'. So Kitty went, and I took off to the mountains. I really had a good laugh because I knew those people down there at the Emmys were bored silly. I hate to shoot the illusion, but there's no glamour — those things are boring."

Bruce grabs a bale of hay and lugs it over to 55's stall. Then in mock exhaustion he says, "Whew, I haven't done this since the summers I stayed on my grandfathers' farm in Illinois. Now I remember why."

He rode 55 in the series last year. "He's a good horse," Bruce says, "but he got a little impatient and couldn't stand the close-ups, so they had to retire him. After doing chase scenes he just wanted to go — he couldn't stand still." He pats the horse on the neck.

Asked about his own personality, Bruce says he can't really understand it. "Personally, I think I'm one of the homeliest people on TV. I hate watching myself. I see everything wrong, every flaw. I can read you a list of what's wrong."

Once again at the kitchen table, Bruce tells how he met his wife Kathryn (Kitty) Holcomb when they were cast as brother and sister in the pilot of "How the West Was Won."

"Kitty and I were actually very good friends before we ever started dating," Bruce says. "The young actors on the show were all new to this business, so we tended to band together. I had just broken up with a woman I'd been going with. I don't know if it was the lonely location where we were filming, or what, but Kitty and I started dating, and about a year later we were married."

Though he and Kitty still work together in the series, Bruce gets top billing at home. He says, "Kitty lets me do the showboating, she doesn't really like that sort of thing. I think two actors who have that burning thing going with a career can get into a competitive thing. One person has to give. I'm lucky that Kitty decided she'd be the one."

Bruce will soon costar in his first movie, "The Baltimore Bullet," with James Coburn. He explains his excitement:

"Getting my foot in the door with a feature film is important — it's a logical step. I'll continue with the series, but I have to realize it probably won't go on forever, as much as I'd like it to. I want to find other things to do."
 

Thanks, Claudia!