Wyatt Earp

Wyatt Earp (1848 – 1929) was a gambler, Pima County Deputy Sheriff, and Deputy Town Marshal in Tombstone, Arizona, and took part in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral during which lawmen killed three outlaw Cowboys. To Wyatt's displeasure, the 30-second gunfight defined the rest of his life. He is often regarded as the central figure in the shootout in Tombstone.

Earp was at different times in his life a city policeman, county sheriff, a teamster, buffalo hunter, bouncer, saloon-keeper, gambler, brothel-owner, pimp, miner, and a boxing referee. In 1876 he followed his brother James to Dodge City, Kansas where he became an assistant city marshal. In winter 1878, he went to Texas to gamble where he met John Henry "Doc" Holliday whom Earp credited with saving his life.

He left Dodge City in 1879 and with his brothers James and Virgil, moved to Tombstone, Arizona. Wyatt, Virgil, and their younger brother Morgan held various law enforcement positions that put them in conflict with Tom and Frank McLaury, and Ike and Billy Clanton, who threatened to kill the Earps. The conflict escalated over the next year, culminating on October 26, 1881 in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which the Earps and Holliday killed three of the Cowboys. In the next five months, Virgil was ambushed and maimed and Morgan was assassinated. Pursuing a vendetta, Wyatt, his brother Warren, Holliday, and others formed a federal posse which killed three of the Cowboys they thought responsible. (Wikipedia)

 

Randolph Scott as Wyatt Earp in Frontier Marshal (1939) Directed by Allan Dwan, also starring Nancy Kelly and Cesar Romero as Doc Holliday.

Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (1942) Directed by William C. McGann and starring Richard Dix as Wyatt Earp, Kent Taylor as Doc Holliday and Victor Jory as Ike Clanton.

 

 

Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp and Victor Mature as Doc Holliday in John Ford's western classic My Darling Clementine (1946) which also stars Linda Darnell, Cathy Downs and Walter Brennan as Old Man Clanton.

Will Geer as Wyatt Earp in Winchester 73 (1950) starring James Stewart and directed by Anthony Mann.

Wichita (1955) Directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Joel McCrea as Wyatt Earp.

Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday in the blockbuster western Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957), directed by John Sturges and also starring Rhonda Fleming, Jo Van Fleet and  John Ireland as Johnny Ringo.

Buster Crabbe played Wyatt in Badman's Country (1958) directed by Fred F. Sears and starring George Montgomery as Pat Garrett.

James Stewart cameos as Wyatt Earp in John Ford's western epic Cheyenne Autumn (1964)

 

Hour of the Gun (1967) starring James Garner as Wyatt Earp and Jason Robards as Doc Holliday, directed by John Sturges, also starring Robert Ryan as Ike Clanton.

 

"Doc" (1971) starring Stacy Keach as Doc Holliday and Harris Yulin as Wyatt Earp, directed by Frank Perry, also starring Faye Dunaway. 

James Garner as Wyatt Earp and Bruce Willis as Tom Mix in Sunset (1988) directed by Blake Edwards.

 

Tombstone (1993) Directed by George P. Cosmatos and starring Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp, Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday, Sam Elliott as Virgil Earp, Bill Paxton as Morgan Earp, Powers Boothe as Curly Bill Brocius, Michael Biehn as Johnny Ringo and Stephen Lang as Ike Clanton.

Kevin Costner as Wyatt Earp (1994) directed by Lawrence Kasdan and also starring Dennis Quad as Doc Holliday, Gene Hackman as Nicholas Earp, Michael Madsen as Virgil Earp, Linden Ashby as Morgan Earp and Jeff Fahey as Ike Clanton.