Val Kilmer is the undisputed master of a certain cowboy based on a real-life gunslinger, despite compeтιтion from the famous Dennis Quaid. Doc Holiday was a real-world gunslinger, renowned for his eccentricities and past as a dentist. Though he’s inspired characters like Django Unchained‘s Dr. King Schultz, Doc Holiday has been a character in multiple famous Westerns.

The two most famous adaptations of Doc Holiday’s life on the big screen are from Tombstone, where he’s played by Val Kilmer, and Wyatt Earp, where he’s played by Dennis Quaid. The two films invite easy comparison, being part of the strange phenomenon of two movies with oddly similar premises premiering around the same time, in 1993 and 1994, respectively.

Val Kilmer’s Doc Holliday Was Considerably Better Than Dennis Quaid’s Version

Not To Say Dennis Quaid’s Performance Is Bad

Comparing the two performances, it’s sadly clear that Val Kilmer is the superior Doc Holiday. From the moment he enters the frame with one of the most iconic Western introduction scenes of all time, he absolutely steals every scene he’s in.

Dennis Quaid’s performance is certainly serviceable, but it literally pales in comparison to the more famous incarnation. His version is far more neurotic and less humorous, and the impressive 40 pounds of weight Quaid lost to play the character really shines through in his final performance.

However, Kilmer’s Doc Holiday goes on to deliver some killer lines, including the iconic “I’m your Huckleberry“, the popularity of which has gone on to eclipse the very film it comes from. From dry, crᴀss humor to swaggering confidence and tragic death via illness, Kilmer simply nails every aspect of Doc Holiday’s complex psyche.

Tombstone Is A Better Movie Than Wyatt Earp, But The Gap Between Doc Holliday Performances Is Even Wider

Val Kilmer’s Presence Is Simply Overwhelming

Val Kilmer’s performance as Doc Holiday isn’t the only element of Tombstone that outdoes Wyatt Earp. Kurt Russell’s take on the тιтular gunfighter also outshines Kevin Costner’s version, but it’s the long-winded and poorly-paced story that drags Wyatt Earp’s score down to a measly 31% rating on RottenTomatoes.com.

Meanwhile, Val Kilmer’s Doc Holiday is simply the cherry on top of a gripping tale of duty, lust, and the violence of the frontier. There’s a good reason that Tombstone is the unofficial “winner” of the films’ compeтιтion. As great as the gulf is between the two films, the gap between the two performances is even greater, and the legacy of Val Kilmer will continue to live on in his iconic characters like Doc Holiday.