Character actor Arthur Kennedy was cast as Emerson Cole. Kennedy was confined to shooting riding scenes until his knee healed, after spraining it while filming the fight scene with Jay C. Flippen, who plays Jeremy Baile, the leader of the Baile family. Julie Adams was cast as Laura while Lori Nelson was cast as her sister Marjie. Adams is best known for her role as Kay Lawrence in the 1954 horror film "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and Nelson played the female lead role in the 1955 sequel "Revenge of the Creature", which were both directed by Jack Arnold. Rock Hudson played Trey Wilson, a professional gambler.