W2DR Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 I just watched a movie that I never knew existed. The name of the movie is Wyatt Earp (1994). God, how that brought back the memories of some 60+ years ago. Back in the early 1950's I'd spend a couple of weeks each summer at my grandparents house. My cousin lived just a few miles away and we really enjoyed hanging out together. But then in 1954, while my grandparents were away, their house was struck by lighting and it burned to the ground. And that fire burned memories into mind that I will never forget. One of my most vivid memories of that house was a photograph hanging on the living room wall. It was a photo of my grandfather standing next to an elderly fellow. It was taken on a street corner in San Bernardino, California in 1923. The elderly fellow's name was Wyatt Earp. Unfortunately the fire destroyed this invaluable heirloom. Buried in the ruins of my grandparents house was a .45 caliber Colt Model 1873 Single-Action Army revolver which my grandfather said he bought from Wyatt Earp in 1924. He told us that whoever found the gun could have it. My cousin and I searched through the ashes for two days and my cousin finally found the gun. The pistol has been fully restored and while there is no way to prove the provenance, all I can say is that my grandfather was a totally honest man and I have no doubt that, indeed, he knew Wyatt Earp and the pistol was once belonged to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olderndirt Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 You inspired me to take a look at that one - about the same time there was a version with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer who did the finest Doc Holliday ever IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VH-KDK Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Your story is so fascinating and a great read. It makes me think of the TV shows, where people take some family heirloom into a pawn shop but are unable to prove it's authenticity but you know it is genuine! 60 years ago the Wild West was all the rage and we had many gunfight in the school playground re-enacting some tv show or movie we had seen. I saw Robert Redford's series The West, on the History Channel a while ago and at the end of the programme on Wyatt Earp came this story that I had never heard of before. I very much hope that it is true. https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/04/09/while-working-as-a-prop-boy-john-wayne-met-wyatt-earp-he-later-credited-his-walk-talk-and-persona-to-his-acquaintance-with-earp/ One of my all time favourite actors, I still enjoy his movies today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adambar Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 The movieTombstone with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer is far better than Wyatt Earp. Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday is classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 W2DR, what a wonderful story. And you told it very well. We are bettered by your telling. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YAMBA1 Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 Wow this is just an amazing story Thank you for sharing. It's really bizarre how sometime you meet people with some historical connections. There is this little Island in the North West Corner of Tasmania called Robbins Island , named after Charles Robbins a Naval Officer & surveyor sent by Governor King to dissuade the French to colonize Van Diemens land ( Now Tasmania or colloquial called Tassie) Well to make the story short , his great great grand son of the same name happens to be my next door neighbour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Q Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 For a good read on the real Wyatt Earl and company, see "The Last Gunfight" by Jeff Guinn ( New York, Simon & Schuster, 2011) Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W2DR Posted November 7, 2019 Author Share Posted November 7, 2019 On 11/3/2019 at 10:57 PM, adambar said: The movieTombstone with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer is far better than Wyatt Earp. Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday is classic. Thanks for the tip. I just watched it. And you're right, it's better................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawrence aldrich Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 I liked Hopalong Cassidy better. Howdy Doody too....even though he wasn't a gunslinger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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