Phil Burbank.

Phil is a rancher in 1925, Montana. He studied classics at Yale, where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He runs a large ranch that he co-owns with his brother George. Apparently, all his knowledge about being a cowboy and living in the wilderness comes from a man named Bronco Henry, who is a local legend.

For almost 25 years, Phil's life has been quite peaceful until his brother decides to marry a widow named Rose Gordon. The marriage also means that Rose's teenage son will become part of the family. Because the boy is quite effeminate, Phil begins a campaign of bullying and humiliation against him from their very first meeting, even before George and Rose get married. After the wedding, Peter goes to study medicine and Rose goes to live with George and Phil.

Phil is a middle-aged Caucasian man. Always focused on performing his masculinity to the fullest, he often ends up quite disheveled and dirty, mainly because he refuses to wash. He sports a beard and mustache and dresses in typical cowboy attire, often wearing leather.

Phil is a bully who revels in the misery of others. His greatest pleasure seems to be humiliating other people and making them suffer in every way possible. He calls his brother "fat" daily. He continually belittles Rose and Peter and makes sure they know they are not welcome in his home. Even his interest in music – he plays the banjo – becomes a weapon and a way to show Rose that she is not good at anything. He also hates sharing with other people and every year burns unused hides instead of selling them to the natives interested in buying them.

He is a proficient and efficient rancher and cowboy, skilled in everything from braiding ropes to riding horses and castrating bulls. Despite his tough character, Phil is highly respected by his employees, who see him not only as their boss but also as a leader of their small community.