Raoul Walsh was born in New York on March 11th, 1887, the second child of Elizabeth and Thomas Walsh. His parents had made their fortune during the war against Spain, by obtaining the government contract for providing the army with its uniforms. Thomas Walsh, an Irishman born in Sheffield, had arrived in the United States in the 1870s. After the death of his mother, Raoul would go to sea with one of his uncles, working on boats between Cuba and New York. Then from Cuba he would go to Mexico where he would be hired as a broncobuster. He can horseback ride and uses a lasso like a god, supposing that is that the gods would bother taking up such an occupation. He is tall, handsome, strong, natural and somewhat amoral. He then moves on to Texas, where the federal government hires him as an army horse buyer. Upon his return to New York, he goes around to all the casting agencies, without much luck, until he is referred to Pathé Productions… Destiny is beckoning, and the doors to Hollywood are opened.