The original wooden grave marker was moved to the new site, but by 1891, it had been destroyed by souvenir hunters whittling pieces from it, and it was replaced with a statue. "[56], Martha Jane Cannary, known popularly as Calamity Jane, claimed in her autobiography that she was married to Hickok and had divorced him so he could be free to marry Agnes Lake, but no records that support her account have been found. Watch it only to learn how not to make a western. Wild Bill bombed at the box office. Later that month, Madison married actress Sheila Connolly in Juarez, Mexico. Red objects generally appear black in early photographs, as the photographic processes were insensitive to red light. August 18, 1876, image 3", "Jack McCall Cowardly Killer of Wild Bill Hickok", "American Wonder Wild Bill Hickok Shot and Killed from Behind on This Day in History", Bozeman Avant Courier, December 22, 1876, image 1, testimony of George M. Shingle, "Riverboat captain 'carried' bullet that killed Hickok", "Jack McCall and the Murder of Wild Bill Hickok", "Wild Bill Hickok: Pistoleer, Peace Officer and Folk Hero", Photograph of Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Model 1851 Navys, "Wild Bill Hickok's Smith & Wesson No. One of them was the play Fathers and Sons which had been on Broadway in 1978, directed by Joseph Papp. Hickok was sent from Abilene to arrest Matt Dillon (William Conrad) for the murder of a man he had thrown out of Dodge earlier that month. Hickok rode Buckshot while 300-pound Jingles rode Joker. During the run of the show, between 1952 and 1955, sixteen feature films were released by Monogram Pictures consisting of episodes combined into a continuous story.[16]. They arrived in Topeka on April 2. Release Dates What a thrill! Some contemporaneous reports of his exploits are known to be fictitious, but they remain the basis of much of his fame and reputation. [29][30], Two days later, Hickok was arrested for murder. [38], In July 1869, Hickok returned to Hays and was elected city marshal of Hays and sheriff of Ellis County, Kansas, in a special election held on August 23, 1869. It was written by Michael Lanahan and directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. Not having the courage to do it himself, he one day filled about 200 cowboys with whiskey intending to get them into trouble with Wild Bill, hoping that they would get to shooting and in the melee shoot the marshal. Jack and his posse enter the saloon and apprehend Jane, Bill, Joe, and Charley. Bill goes back to the den and reminisces about the night he met Susannah. He earned a great deal of notoriety in his own time, much of it bolstered by the many outlandish and often fabricated tales he told about himself. On July 21, 1865, the two men faced off in Springfield's town square, standing sideways before drawing and firing their weapons. The identity of the fifth card (his "hole card") is also the subject of debate. [73], Hickok's favorite guns were a pair of Colt 1851 Navy Model (.36 caliber) cap-and-ball revolvers. Official Sites Terrible direction, no style of any kind whatsoever.. terrible sound editing,, a gunshot sounds like someone farted loudly.. awfully clichd dialogue, wooden acting at its worst, lighting was poor, cinematography was childlike and vacuous,. In 1944, Madison was visiting Hollywood on leave when his boyish good looks and physique caught the eye of Henry Willson, the head of talent at David O. Selznick's newly formed Vanguard Pictures. ", "James Butler Hickok May 27 1837 - August 2 1876 Better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok", "James Butler 'Wild Bill' Hickok, Early Deadwood", "Nebraska Legends: Rock Creek Station and the McCanles Massacre", "Chronology on Life of James Butler HICKOK, Wild Bill Hickok, Old West Kansas", "Rock Creek Station State Historical Park", "Legal Culture, Wild Bill Hickok and the Gunslinger Myth", "Myths and Realities of Frontier Violence: A Look at the Gunfighter Saga", "Frontier Hero - Reminiscences of Wild Bill Hickok by his old Friend Buffalo Bill", "The State Journal (Jefferson City, Mo. (6 episodes, 2019) Series Cinematography by Series Film Editing by Series Casting By Sarah Crowe . This was his sixth murder. Infuriated, Thompson tried to incite John Wesley Hardin to kill Hickok by exclaiming to Hardin that "He's a damn Yankee. [36][37], In December 1867, newspapers reported that Hickok had come to stay in Hays City, Kansas. Marshal in the whole West." Witnesses confirm that the story was true to the extent the party had set out to find whoever had killed the four men,[e] but the group returned to the fort "without nary a dead Indian, [never] even seeing a live one". Guy Madison (born Robert Ozell Moseley; January 19, 1922 - February 6, 1996) was an American film, television, and radio actor. [citation needed], On August 1, 1876, Hickok was playing poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. [26]:329 Hickok did not enjoy acting, and often hid behind scenery. Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951-1958) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Directed by Series Writing Credits Series Cast verified as complete Series Produced by Series Cinematography by Series Film Editing by Series Art Direction by Series Set Decoration by Sidney Clifford . Wild Bill Hickok (1837-1876), lawman, gunfighter and gambler, of the American Wild West has been depicted many times and in many forms of media. Deadwood had no legal standing, but Laramie, Wyoming, did. This was the last time Hickok was ever involved in a gunfight; the accidental death of Deputy Williams was an event that haunted Hickok for the remainder of his life. In 1876, Hickok was shot and killed while playing poker in a saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Territory (present-day South Dakota) by Jack McCall, an unsuccessful gambler. Eventually winding up in Cheyenne, a man named Will Plummer, whom Bill crippled years earlier after killing his brother, calls him out. [31], Several weeks later, an interview Hickok gave to Colonel George Ward Nichols, a journalist who subsequently became known as the creator of the Hickok legend,[32] was published in Harper's New Monthly Magazine. 5. Hickok waved his hand past Mulvey at some onlookers and yelled, "Don't shoot him in the back; he is drunk." Jan 29, 2011. Wild Bill Hickok: No one's harmless with a gun and a belly full of liquor. director of photography (as Lloyd Ahern) Film Editing by Freeman A. Davies . One of the workers, Joseph McLintock, wrote a detailed description of the reinterment. See production, box office & company info. The film was written and directed by Walter Hill, and based on the 1978 stage play Fathers and Sons by Thomas Babe and the 1986 novel Deadwood by Pete Dexter. Joe then begins telling an exaggerated tale of Bill's past exploits; Bill grows upset, leaves the saloon and goes to an opium den. [4] Production [ edit] Bill becomes suspicious of the man who volunteered to serve as a new Indian agent can me appointed. | [62][63] Hickok may have told his friend Charlie Utter and others who were traveling with them that he thought he would be killed while in Deadwood. The second trial was not considered double jeopardy because of the irregular jury in the first trial and because Deadwood was at the time in unorganized Indian country. [9], At the time of his death, Hickok was wearing a Smith & Wesson Model No. [12] His career began to suffer, in part because of his limited acting ability.[13][14][15]. While breaking up a riot, Bill gets too worked up and accidentally shoots a fellow lawman. [28] Tutt's shot missed, but Hickok's struck Tutt through the heart from about 75 yards (69m) away. was advancing on him with a drawn pistol and that Tutt had previously made threats of personal injury to Deft. McCall claimed he killed Wild Bill to avenge his brother's death. It just has to be fed with good product. [69] In 1979, Hickok was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. Calamity Jane is reputed to have led a mob that threatened McCall with lynching, but at the time of Hickok's death, Jane was actually being held by military authorities. That night, Jack is approached by other men who want Bill dead, and he agrees to hire them. Hickok encouraged McCall to quit the game until he could cover his losses and offered to give him money for breakfast. The Zanucks said they were interested in the project because it explored the nature of celebrity in a Western context. American folk hero and lawman (18371876), For the American football player and industrialist, see, Arapaho Joe and Colorado Charlie Utter at Hickok's grave, photograph date unknown, Pistols known to have been carried by Hickok. "J.B. Hickok, Deputy U.S. Calamity Jane mourns him especially. Hill says he took details of the town from the novel but the relationship between McCall and Hickok was mostly from the play. By then both famous and infamous, he was widely known as . [7] Photographs of Hickok appear to depict dark hair, but all contemporaneous descriptions affirm that it was red. He usually sat with his back to a wall so he could see the entrance, but the only seat available when he joined the game was a chair facing away from the door. Hickok left his new bride a few months later, joining Charlie Utter's wagon train to seek his fortune in the gold fields of South Dakota. Legendary lawman and gunslinger, Wild Bill Hickok, is tasked with taming the wildest cow-town in the west. The script was based on several sources. Despite Charley trying to apologize for Bill and the mob harassing him, Jack does not relent. William Beaudine. At Wild Bill Hickok's funeral, his friend Charley Prince recalls Hickok's final days in Deadwood. Wild Bill Hickok, byname of James Butler Hickok, (born May 27, 1837, Homer [now Troy Grove], Illinois, U.S.died August 2, 1876, Deadwood, Dakota Territory [now in South Dakota, U.S.]), American frontiersman, army scout, and lawman who helped bring order to the frontier West. A monument has been built there. [6], Hickok was a good shot from a young age, and was recognized locally as an outstanding marksman with a pistol. 38 Episodes 1955. Pard, we will meet again in the happy hunting ground to part no more. Marshal in the whole West." In the HBO show Deadwood (2004-2006), Wild Bill is played by Keith Carradine. It stars Jeff Bridges, Ellen Barkin, John Hurt, and Diane Lane, and was released by United Artists on December 1, 1995. Marshal. In 1859, he joined the Russell, Majors and Waddell freight company, the parent company of the Pony Express. At the [second] trial it was suggested that [McCall] was hired to do his work by gamblers who feared the time when better citizens should appoint Bill the champion of law and order a post which he formerly sustained in Kansas border life, with credit to his manhood and his courage. Wild Bill had learned of the scheme and cornered Coe, had his two pistols drawn on Coe. This was during the Indian Wars, in which Hickok sometimes served as a scout for General George A. Custer's 7th Cavalry. There's no . Jesse James suffered from it. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. The trial did not last more than fifteen minutes.[23]. A former cavalryman, J.W. He went to Italy for Slave of Rome (1961), Sword of the Conqueror (1961), Women of Devil's Island (1962), and The Executioner of Venice (1963). and that Deft. The first was Bill Mulvey, who was rampaging through town, drunk, shooting out mirrors and whisky bottles behind bars. Bill kills the man in self-defense, but Susannah is distraught, and a young Jack witnesses the killing. He did Kidnapped to Mystery Island (1964), Gentlemen of the Night (1964), The Adventurer of Tortuga (1964), Legacy of the Incas (1965), Renegade Riders (1967), and Son of Django (1967). Hickok is a playable character in the 2018 board game Deadwood 1876 by Faade Games. (6 episodes, 2019) Series Production Design by Stephen Campbell [23] He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California. "[1], The Zanucks and Walter Hill took the script to John Calley, president of United Artists, and the film was green-lighted at the end of January 1994. And that's about it: he beat up all the bad guys and somehow kept his good looks. [3][4] James was the fourth of six children. He reunites with Jane, and they go into a saloon. [46]:4558[48] A newspaper reported, "A man was killed in his bed at a hotel in Abilene, Monday night, by a desperado called 'Arkansas'. Somehow the director managed to lower that bar considerably. Jingles described Hickok as "the bravest, strongest, fightingest U.S. See production, box office & company info, Paramount Ranch - 2813 Cornell Road, Agoura, California, USA. Under the name "Wild Bill Hitchcock" [sic], the article recounted the "hundreds" of men whom Hickok had personally killed and other exaggerated exploits. In 1857, Hickok claimed a 160-acre (65ha) tract in Johnson County, Kansas, near present-day Lenexa. "The Girl and the Gunfighter: A Newly Discovered Photograph of Wild Bill Hickok. Actor Guy Madison played Bill in the TV series "The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" for seven years in the 1950s. In any case, Hardin appeared to have thought highly of Hickok. The bear attacked, crushing Hickok with its body. He then joined General James Henry Lane's Kansas Brigade, and while serving with the brigade, saw his friend Buffalo Bill Cody, who was serving as a scout. [40]:192, On July 17, 1870, Hickok was attacked by two troopers from the 7th U.S. Cavalry, Jeremiah Lonergan and John Kyle (sometimes spelled Kile),[42] in a saloon. Leaving Springfield, he was recommended for the position of deputy federal marshal at Fort Riley, Kansas. 10 in Deadwood, Dakota Territory. Wikimedia Commons. He also appeared in Massacre River (1949) and Drums in the Deep South (1951). [citation needed], Leander Richardson, a reporter, interviewed McCall shortly before his execution, and wrote an article about him for the April 1877 issue of Scribner's Monthly. Marshal in the whole West." He had an affair with Gia Scala and, before her death, she made him the beneficiary to her portion of the Screen Actors Pension Fund. [15] He grew a moustache following the McCanles incident, and in 1861 began calling himself "Wild Bill".[16][17]. McCall was extradited to Yankton, South Dakota, where he was tried for murder. Wild Bill Elliott (born Gordon Nance, October 16, 1904 - November 26, 1965) was an American film actor. [3], Hill said the script was based on "character rather than incident. [43], On April 15, 1871, Hickok became marshal of Abilene, Kansas. While delivering his own brand of frontier justice, the infamous gunfighter's reputation as the fastest draw in the west is put to the test.Legendary lawman and gunslinger, Wild Bill Hickok, is tasked with taming the wildest cow-town in the west. Hollywood has been bringing his story to the screen for years with countless iconic actors playing the historic gunslinger . The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok starred Guy Madison as the legendary Old West lawman (in real life, also a gunfighter) United States Marshal James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok, and Andy Devine as his comedy sidekick, Jingles P. Jones. [citation needed], Henry M. Stanley, of the Weekly Missouri Democrat, reported Hickok to be "an inveterate hater of Indian People", perhaps to enhance his reputation as a scout and American fighter, but separating fact from fiction is difficult considering his recruitment of Indians to cross the nation to appear in his own Wild West show. [25], "Guy Madison's Second Wife Sues for Divorce", "Palm Springs Walk of Stars by Date Dedicated", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guy_Madison&oldid=1149441753, U.S. The town of Deadwood, South Dakota, re-enacts Hickok's murder and McCall's capture every summer evening. Follow. Disappointing is a word I would normally use when discovering a below par movie, but I did not expect much from this movie to begin with so the bar was set quiet low in my expectation. He also played the lawman hero in a radio series from 1951-54. There, the freight company had built a stagecoach stop along the Oregon Trail near Fairbury, Nebraska, on land purchased from David McCanles. Four of the men on the self-appointed committee who planned Calamity's funeral (Albert Malter, Frank Ankeney, Jim Carson, and Anson Higby) later stated that, since Hickok had "absolutely no use" for Jane in this life, they decided to play a posthumous joke on him by laying her to rest by his side. Hardin alleged that when his cousin, Mannen Clements, was jailed for the killing of two cowhands (Joe and Dolph Shadden) in July 1871, Hickokat Hardin's requestarranged for his escape. [1], Hill said that Jeff Bridges was "an actor I greatly love a very nice man, decent, hard working, got along well, no problems" but that there "was always a kind of tension between Jeff and myself" because "Jeff does a lot of takes, I don't. "[55], On March 5, 1876, Hickok married Agnes Thatcher Lake, a 50-year-old circus proprietor in Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory. Many historic sites and monuments commemorate his life, and he has been depicted numerous times in literature, film, and television. He tells Jack he is sparing him out of respect for his mother. [1][2], James Butler Hickok was born May 27, 1837, in Homer, Illinois, (present-day Troy Grove, Illinois) to William Alonzo Hickok, a farmer and abolitionist, and his wife, Polly Butler. He reported returning with five prisoners after killing 10. Madison went to Germany for Old Shatterhand (1964) then made a spaghetti Western, Desafo en Ro Bravo (1964). A later film (1953) and subsequent stage musical, both titled Calamity Jane, also portray a romance between Calamity Jane and Hickok. [44] In his 1895 autobiography, published after his death, Hardin claimed to have been befriended by Hickok, the newly elected town marshal, after he had disarmed the marshal using the road agent's spin, but Hardin was known to exaggerate. Marshal overheard him and arrested him, says the Law Library. [d] The jury voted to clear Hickok, resulting in public backlash and criticism of the verdict. He would always have an idea he thought he could make something better. The old cemetery was in an area that was better suited for the constant influx of new settlers to live on, so the remaining bodies there were eventually also moved up the hill to the Mount Moriah Cemetery (in the 1880s). McCall walked free, but not for long. [9], In 1865, Hickok recruited six Native Americans and three cowboys to accompany him to Niagara Falls, where he put on an outdoor demonstration called The Daring Buffalo Chasers of the Plains. When he saw Hickok, he leveled his cocked rifle at him. Meanwhile, the team of Richard and Lili Zanuck had optioned a 1986 novel about Hickok called Deadwood. He fought and spied for the Union Army during the American Civil War and gained publicity after the war as a scout, marksman, actor, and professional gambler. The star for his contributions to radio is located at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard; the star for his television contributions is located at 6333 Hollywood Boulevard[3], In 1996, a Golden Palm Star was dedicated to Madison on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, in Palm Springs, California. On December 9, Hickok and Lanihan both served legal papers on Macintosh, and local newspapers acknowledged that Hickok had guardianship of Hays City. It was a box-office bomb, grossing $2.1 million on a budget of $30 million, and received mixed reviews from critics. The Gene Autry Melody Ranch in Santa Clarita, California was used to portray Deadwood. The series took the usual liberties with history, and ran three. The series ran for seven years. The next day a mob brings Jack to Bill; Jack tells Bill that he aims to kill him because Bill mistreated his mother, Susannah Moore. He is now at Yankton, D.T. They had ivory grips and nickel plating, and were ornately engraved with "J.B. Hickok1869" on the backstrap. He is best known for playing Wild Bill Hickok in the Western television series The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok from 1951 to 1958. Abilene Marshal Tom 'Bear' Smith was killed November 2 1870 and it was five months until Hickok became Marshal on April 15 1871. [65][66], McCall was summoned before an informal "miners' jury" (an ad hoc local group of miners and businessmen). I don't believe that any genre dies. [68], As I write the closing lines of this brief sketch, word reaches me that the slayer of Wild Bill has been rearrested by the United State [sic?] Funeral services will be held at Charlie Utter's Camp, on Thursday afternoon, August 3, 1876, at 3 o'clock P. M. All are respectfully invited to attend. For his contribution to the radio and television industries, Madison has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The website's critical consensus reads: "Crowded with talent on either side of the camera, Wild Bill shoots itself in the foot with a surprisingly muddled take on the story of the titular folk hero. Phil Poe: You better be careful shootin' people, Mr. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. ), 18721886. McCanles reportedly threatened Wellman, and either Wellman or Hickok, who was hiding behind a curtain, killed McCanles. Hickok managed to fire another shot, wounding the bear's paw. [12] The article was controversial wherever Hickok was known, and several frontier newspapers wrote rebuttals. [3] Babe's play was seen in Los Angeles in 1980 by Walter Hill, who had been considering a film on Hickok. [23][b], After the Civil War broke out in April 1861, Hickok became a teamster for the Union Army in Sedalia, Missouri. 1995 Western film about the last days of legendary lawman Wild Bill Hickok. He then retires from the law and works as an actor and trick shooter in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. ", Judge Boyd said, "That when danger is threatened and impending a man is not compelled to stand with his arms folded until it is too late to offer successful resistance, and if the jury believe from the evidence that Tutt was a fighting character and a dangerous man and that [Defendant] was aware such was his character and that Tutt at the time he was shot by the Deft. Produced on a budget of $30 million, it took in just over $2 million in the United States. [18] On March 22, 1858, he was elected one of the first four constables of Monticello Township. Born in Illinois in 1837, he was shot dead in Deadwood only 39 years later. Wild Bill (1995) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Walter Hill Writing Credits ( WGA) Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by Music by Van Dyke Parks Cinematography by Lloyd Ahern II . [c] However, if they felt the threat of danger was real and imminent, he instructed they could apply the unwritten law of the "fair fight" and acquit. The watch had great sentimental value to Hickok, so he asked Tutt not to wear it in public. Frank McDonald. Calamity Jane was reported to have been buried next to Hickok according to her dying wish. The White Buffalo (1977), starring Charles Bronson as Hickok, tells a tale of Hickok's hunt for a murderous white buffalo that follows him in his nightmares. Luke Hemsworth Wild Bill Hickok Kris Kristofferson George Knox Trace Adkins Phil Poe Bruce Dern Doc Rivers O'Roark Cameron Richardson Mattie Kaiwi Lyman John Wesley Hardin Hunter Fischer Joey Peter Sherayko Trail Boss Jason Lively Ike Bertrand-Xavier Corbi Sullivan (as Betrand Corbi) Brittany Elizabeth Williams Carrie (as Brittany Williams) . Brink, were tried for killing McCanles, but were found to have acted in self-defense. Flashbacks show Bill, then a deputy U.S. marshal, killing several men in a saloon fight for knocking his hat off, before gunning down a group of soldiers after one purposely crushes his hat. Wild Bill Hickok: Your good customer just tried to bushwhack me. Despite Joe's warning that killing Indians "in a religious frame of mind" is bad luck, Bill shoots the man dead. A renowned marksman and Civil War spy, Hickok was known for his skills with a pair of twin Colt revolvers, killing somewhere between eight and 100 men, depending on whose stories you believe. The bear then grabbed his arm in its mouth, but Hickok was able to grab his knife and slash its throat, killing it. "Wild Bill. "Walter Hill Rides Again 'Wild Bill,' the action director's latest effort, breaks out of saloon territory to explore the fields of moral ambiguity", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wild_Bill_(1995_film)&oldid=1149296565, Biographical films about people of the American Old West, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Rotten Tomatoes template using name parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 11 April 2023, at 10:23. Legendary lawman and gunslinger, Wild Bill Hickok, is tasked with taming the wildest cow-town in the west. On September 4, Hickok was wounded in the foot while rescuing several cattlemen in the Bijou Creek basin who had been surrounded by Indians. That night, he returns to the saloon, which is empty because a gold vein was discovered nearby, and everyone left to set up their claims. So much so that some fans of HBO's Deadwood didn't even realize that the actor who played Wild Bill Hickok assassin Jack McCall in. | Hickok was born and raised on a farm in northern Illinois at a time when lawlessness and vigilante activity were rampant because of the influence of the "Banditti of the Prairie". Hickok's retort is one of the West's most famous sayings (though possibly apocryphal): "Did the crow have a pistol? The wagon train arrived in Deadwood in July 1876. They refused, so Hickok altered it himself. Played by Keith Carradine James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok was one of the most legendary figures of the Old West. awaiting execution. Hardin left Kansas before Hickok could arrest him. [12], While in Nebraska, Hickok was derisively referred to by one man as "Duck Bill" for his long nose and protruding lips. In the episode Dillon and Hickok are old friends. On his appointment as Marshal of Abilene, Hickok asks what happened to the previous Marshal to which the Mayor replies "He resigned." Thomas Carr. A highly fictional film account of Hickok's later years and death, titled Wild Bill (1995), stars Jeff Bridges as Hickok and David Arquette as Jack McCall, and was written and directed by Walter Hill. [82], At the time of this affair I was at a station farther west and reached this station just as Wild Bill was getting ready to go to Beatrice for his trial. However, Madison's acting was criticized as wooden. But Coe "reckoned without his host". He was involved in several notable shootouts during the course of his life. "Gunfighters of the Real West: Wild Bill Hickok. (written by) Cast (in credits order) Produced by Music by Andrew Joslyn Cinematography by Pablo Diez Film Editing by Ned Thorne Casting By Lauren De Normandie Production Design by Christian Ramirez 7 Episodes 1951. "I believe in the old adage that when you see the trailer for your movie and it's very different from the movie you've actually made, then you can assume the studio wanted something else," Hill said. [58] Jane confirmed this account in an 1896 newspaper interview, although she claimed she had been hospitalized with illness rather than in the guardhouse. In one show, he shot the spotlight when it focused on him. We drove on to Beatrice and at the trial, his plea was self-defense; no one appeared against him, and he was cleared. "Wild Bill's Sweetheart: The Life of Mary Jane Owens. James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837 - August 2, 1876), better known as " Wild Bill " Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, scout, lawman, cattle rustler, gunslinger, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvement in many famous gunfights. 2 Army revolver, a five-shot, single-action, .32-caliber weapon, innovative as one of the first metallic cartridge firearms and favored by many Union officers during the Civil War. Company Credits Hickok moved to Leavenworth in the Kansas Territory, where he joined Jim Lane's Free State Army (also known as the Jayhawkers), an antislavery vigilante group active in the new territory during the Bleeding Kansas era. 1. During his career, Madison was given a special Golden Globe Award in 1954 and two stars (radio, television) on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. During the series' run, Madison also continued to make features: Red Snow (1952), a war movie for Columbia; The Charge at Feather River (1953), a Warner Brothers Western for Fox in 3-D and a huge hit; The Command (1954), another popular Western for Warners; 5 Against the House (1955), for Columbia; The Last Frontier (1955), supporting Victor Mature; On the Threshold of Space (1955), a science fiction film for Fox; Hilda Crane (1956), a melodrama for Fox; The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1957), shot in Mexico; The Hard Man (1957), a Western; and Bullwhip (1958), another Western. Hill took material from Dexter's novel for the atmosphere of the town and relied on Babe's play heavily for the third act, the last hours of Hickok. ", Nichols, George Ward (1867). It ends with Hickok surviving the murder attempt due to wearing body armor and being shot in the back, then secretly leaving for a ranch in California. Wild Bill (2019) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Directed by Series Writing Credits Series Cast Series Produced by Series Music by Harry Escott . On August 2, 1876, McCall walked into Nuttal & Mann's Saloon #10 and point blank shot Wild Bill Hickok in the back of the head while Hickok was playing a hand of poker. Producer Richard Zanuck said, "If you make a good picture and have a compelling story to tell, it's going to work.