Is there a more famous Western lawman than Wyatt Earp? Whether you know him as the marshal of Dodge City, a participant in the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, or as amythic Old West figurewho would become the driving force behind movies likeTombstone, Earp is a significant person in Western, not to mention American, history. Interestingly, Earp didn’t die until 1929, having lived 80 years in total. But near the end of his life, the former lawman found himself in Hollywood, where he had theopportunity to watch his life(well, a very small part of it) portrayed on the screen at least once. Back in 1923,Wild Bill Hickokdebuted as the first film appearance of Wyatt Earp, where he was played byBert Lindleyon the big screen.
Wyatt Earp Moved to Los Angeles But Found Little Success Bringing His Story To the Screen
In the later years of Wyatt Earp’s life, the former lawman hopped from mining claim to mining claim. After his time in Tombstone, Earp eventually found himself migrating north to Alaska before returning to the mainland. Eventually, he settled in Los Angeles at the very beginning of the Hollywood film industry during the silent era. In fact, according to theLA Times,Earp was often an unpaid consultant on various Western films. Over the years, he helped craft the beginnings of the motion picture Western, although he never actually played a direct part in the movie business. Along the way, he became friendswith starsWilliam S. HartandTom Mix. Hart, in particular, played a part in over 70 pictures during his lifetime, the vast majority of them Westerns.
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“You keep it sitting, waiting, and then come back…”
True West Magazinereports thatEarp was known to visit the sets of a youngJohn Ford, no doubt offering his own expertise on the way the Old West really was. Ford’s own young son, Patrick, remembered meeting the living Wild West legend back in his youth. “I only remember him saying one thing: ‘The only way to be a successful marshal in those days was to carry a double-barrel, 12-gauge [shotgun] and don’t shoot until you know you can’t miss,'” the younger Ford explained. But, despite his celebrity,Hollywood wasn’t too interested in bringing the Wyatt Earp story to lifethe way he wanted it told. Earp fought for years to try and sell the rights to his story, but with no real success. Ironically, Ford would laterbring Earp’s story to life inMy Darling Clementine. However, the only film made during Earp’s lifetime that featured him as a character wasWild Bill Hickok, and it proved that there was real potential in his story.
‘Wild Bill Hickok’ Features Bert Lindley as Wyatt Earp
Starring Earp’s friend William S. Hart as the titular “Wild” Bill,Wild Bill Hickokmade Western historyby introducing Bert Lindley as Wyatt Earp. The very first actor to tackle the role, Lindley only appeared as Earp in a short scene within the film. He worked as a deputy marshal alongsideJames Garner’s Bat Masterson. Because of this,the WyattEarp character is hardly featured in this movie at all, and it prompted the real-life Earp to seemingly commission a screenplay of his own.True West Magazinereports that in 1925, just two years after the release ofWild Bill Hickok, Earp wrote to Hart that, “I am sure that if the story were exploited on the screen by you, it would do much towards setting me right before the public, which has always been fed up with lies about me.” Unfortunately, although Earp seemed intent on rallying his friend to his sidefor a new Western drama, that film never happened.
The problem was, afterWild Bill Hickock, Hart’s career was essentially over. In his book,Wyatt Earp’s Cow-boy Campaign: The Bloody Restoration of Law and Order Along the Mexican Border, 1882, authorChuck Hornungnotes that the film was panned by critics. It turned out to be something of a death sentence for Hart as well. The actor made only three more films afterward,with 1925’sTumbleweedsbeing his final starring role. Hart’s very last on-screen appearance in 1928’sShow Peoplewould go uncredited, and the former silent-era star would be long forgotten by Hollywood. Nevertheless, Josephine “Sadie” Earp had previously written to Hart that she had seen (and enjoyed) the picture twice. In fact, Earp himself reportedly enjoyed the film, though clearly desired to see his story expanded on further. Despite that, their opinion was an outlier. When Wyatt Earp died in 1929,it only took Hollywood three years to start making movies about him, beginning with 1932’sLaw and Order(although the film renamed Earp as Frame “Saint” Johnson). Ever since,Hollywood has pushed legend more than fact.
Wild Bill Hickokis sadly not available on streaming, though you can always watch the best Wyatt Earp movie,Tombstone, on Hulu.
Wild Bill Hickok
