Wyatt Earp

Portrait of Wyatt Earp

Wyatt Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American Marshall who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, or saloon-keeper.

As I said above, he was sheriff in several towns as Dodge City (Kansas), Tombstone (Arizona), and Lamar (Missouri).

He is best known for his participation in the controversial "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," which took place at Tombstone, Arizona, on October 26, 1881. In this legendary Old West encounter, Wyatt Earp, his brothers Virgil and Morgan, and one of his best friends, the alcoholic and consumptive gunmen "Doc" Holliday faced a bunch of outlaw cowboys who were terrorizing the town. The criminals were twice their number, however they were killed and arrested by Earp. The 30-second gunfight defined the rest of his life and created Earp's modern-day reputation as the Old West's "toughest and deadliest gunman of his day." 

Henry Fonda

Wyatt Earp would become the fearless Western hero in countless novels and films. You can see several performances of the famous marshall in much appreciated films as "My Darling Clementine" ( 1946, performed by Henry Fonda), "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957, by Burt Lancaster), "Wyatt Earp" (1994 by Kevin Costner) and my favourite "Tombstone" (1993) where Earp is performed by Kurt Russel.

Kurt Russell

Kevin Costner

The last surviving Earp brother and the last surviving participant of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral died at home in the Earps' small apartment in Los Angeles, of chronic cystitis (some sources cite prostate cancer) on January 13, 1929 at the age of 80.

With his dead also died a big part of the Wild West history.

Goodbye mates!