I think John Wayne talked more like how a person would have sounded like back in the 1870's?

Clint Eastwood didnt have the old west accent, he sounded too modern for the 1870's? he taked more like how a person sounds in the 1970's

I don't think there was a "true" western accent. I had something about this in a anthropology or soc. class in college. With the large influx of population after 1865, just about everyone was from somewhere else and they brought their accent with them. As our society evolves and changes regional accents changes as do verbage use.
I can recall one "western" where some of the roles protrayed were a Englishman, a Irshman , and a Swede.
As to your question, I would think that JOHN WAYNE, would have been closer to the Texan. After all he is the Icon of the Western.  

Is this John Wayne?

Why it was John Wayne...pilgrim.

Danny

Although John Wayne is the man (second to Tom Selleck of course), Clint in Outlaw Josey Wales has the best one liners that sounded the coolest and coldest of any western - ever.

"Buzards gota eat...same as the worms."

"Well you gonna pull them pistols or whistle Dixie?"

"How's it on stains?"

In the 1870s there were really only two "real" western accents.  The first would have been the accent of the Mejicanos, the settlers from Mexico proper that came along with the land.

The second was Anglo-Texan, which sounded incredibly like (and still does) middle Tennessee.

Larry

I will agree on the Tex, Tenn accent.

"I'm your huckleberry..." -Val Kilmer  

John Wayne had more of a midwest accent - he was from Winterset, IA - and that could have been somewhat authentic.  That was a rural area which probably had not changed much, at least in terms of custom/mannerism and speech since the "Old West."  Clint Eastwood was from San Francisco and had a city accent, which is quite similar nationwide, and had evolved significantly from the 'old days."  So, of those two John Wayne probably is the more naturally authentic.

Gary Cooper.

My dad is a published historian of pre-statehood Oklahoma history.  I grew up travelling this state, researching such things (or listening and observing on my part).  

There are indeed as many different authentic "western" accents are there were people who came out here.   Anything from Georgia piney woods, to Cajun, to Kaintuck, to all flavors of midwestern (and even New England) to Volga-Deutsch, to Swedish-, French-, Gaelic-, or Basque-as-first-language lingering distinctive nuance, to all various dialects of Spanish-as-first-language, especially Tejano.   Not to mention the distinctive inflection of English as spoken by a traditionalist Native American (even if he or she does not speak his own tribal language, there *is* an inflection, albeit very subtle, with the speech allowed to ever so very slightly resonate in the sinuses while the tongue us held slightly "back")

I can speak Little Dixie (SE Oklahoman), Native-inflected English, or Western Oklahoman (more classic movie-speak, but with a few German "dutchy" words thrown in)

Eatern Okie:  "Y'all"  
Western Okie:  "You Folks"
Native:  "You."

Eastern Okie greeting to a visitor to the home:  " Now, jest git yourself in here an' sit"
Western Okie " " " " :  " How do, How do, come on in this house"
Native " " " "":  "Welcome, welcome.  Have you eaten yet?"

I voted for Jimmy Stewart, as his midwestern twang is characteristic of  many Westerners.  I cannot name one actor who well expresses the Southern (piney woods, Kaintuck or Cajun inflections), except Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday.  As brilliant as he was in the role, his drawling inflection struck me as a wee bit "off".

Native American actor Graham Greene is wonderful.

Most, even the poorest, of European ancestry immigrants to the West (men and women alike) were very(!) literate folks, often deeply steeped in the cadence of the King James Bible, *and* some classical Latin or Greek.

The style and syntax of the Black westerners is a thing unto itself, but generally tending towards the Southern, or sometimes Cajun (in this case more properly Creole)  and even Native dialects.

Quoted: I think John Wayne talked more like how a person would have sounded like back in the 1870's? Clint Eastwood didnt have the old west accent, he sounded too modern for the 1870's? he taked more like how a person sounds in the 1970's

neither  my8 vote goes for James S

has to be Clint, cause John Wayne killed more indians than smallpox.

MLW>"<

John Wayne actually knew Old West men.  Some of the Old West marshalls and gunfighters who survived worked in Souther CA and Hollywood into the 20s and 30s.

GunLvr

Quoted: John Wayne actually knew Old West men.  Some of the Old West marshalls and gunfighters who survived worked in Souther CA and Hollywood into the 20s and 30s. GunLvr

Yep.  That's why youi'll see a 45-70 in the back of the JW's belt loops - a old timer told him back in the 20's or 30's; it was a trick to tell you when you're about out of ammo.

You can see it at John Wayne airport on the statue out front.

Merlin