Ross S. Mortensen is distinguished in the entertainment industry, applying more than three decades of professional excellence to his current work as the owner and manager of Horse Thief Canyon Desperados LLC. In his role since 2007, Mr. Mortensen is revered at the helm of the company, which has created and portrayed various historical reenactments. In addition, Horse Thief Canyon Desperados LLC portrays cowboy and gunfight shows and performs historic presentations to live audiences and school children groups. Notably, the company depicts events as far back as 1833, following old Wild West traditions.
In addition to his work with Horse Thief Canyon Desperados LLC, Mr. Mortensen has served as an actor in independent films and other reenactment organizations since 1990. Before commencing his career, he served in the United States Navy for four years, stationed in Vietnam. During the 1960s, he pursued a formal education, studying motion picture operations and electrical installations on Navy ships and the Higgins landing craft. Following his departure from the U.S. Navy in 1968, he completed coursework in soil science and English at the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1971. While attending university, Mr. Mortensen served as a patrolman for the United States Forest Service. He also holds Nevada state and Storey County business licenses.
Impressively, Mr. Mortensen is well-regarded for his portrayal of Jack Davis, a stagecoach and train robber whose persona has been reenacted by Mr. Mortensen across a variety of events since 2010. In accounting for his success, he credits the unwavering support and influence of those around him and his dedication to his professional work.
Outside of his professional ventures, Mr. Mortensen has maintained affiliation with several entities. A past affiliate of the former Old West Living History Foundation and docent for Virginia City, Nevada, he is recognized as a Patriot Life member of the National Rifle Association, of which his company is also an affiliate member. Looking forward, Mr. Mortensen aims to promote his film, “The Final Sunset,” which was filmed in Nashville and is part of the Sundance Film Festival.