Buffalo Bill on the Silver Screen: The Films of William F. CodyFor more than thirty years, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody entertained audiences across the United States and Europe with his Wild West show. Scores of books have been written about Cody’s fabled career as a showman, but his involvement in the film industry—following the dissolution of his traveling show—is less well known. In Buffalo Bill on the Silver Screen, Sandra K. Sagala chronicles the fascinating story of Cody’s venture into filmmaking during the early cinema period. In 1894 Thomas Edison invited Cody to bring some of the Wild West performers to the inventor’s kinetoscope studio. From then on, as Sagala reveals, Cody was frequently in the camera’s eye, eager to participate in the newest and most popular phenomenon of the era: the motion picture. In 1910, promoter Pliny Craft produced The Life of Buffalo Bill, a film in which Cody played his own persona. After his Wild West show disbanded, Cody fully embraced the film business, seeing the technology as a way to recoup his financial losses and as a new vehicle for preserving America’s history and his own legacy for future generations. Because he had participated as a scout in some of the battles and skirmishes between the U.S. Army and Plains Indians, Cody wanted to make a film that captured these historical events. Unfortunately for Cody, The Indian Wars (1913) was not a financial success, and only three minutes of footage have survived. Long after his death, Cody’s legacy lives on through the many movies that have featured his character. Sagala provides a useful appendix listing all of these films, as well as those for which Cody himself took an active role as director, producer, or actor. Published on the eve of the centennial anniversary of The Indian Wars, this engaging book offers readers new insights into the legendary figure’s life and career and explores his lasting image in film. |
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Buffalo Bill on the Silver Screen: The Films of William F. Cody
User Review - Book VerdictWilliam Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody: Civil War soldier, buffalo hunter, Western scout, showman…and silent film pioneer? Cody (1846–1917) is remembered for many things, but his work as a performer ... Read full review
Contents
| 1879 | |
The Adyent of Western Moyies | 1894 |
A Cinematic Biography | 1921 |
Cue the Coyernment the Army the Financiers | 1 |
Box Qffice Buzz | 10 |
The Film and Teleyision Appearances of William | 20 |
Bibliography | |
Other editions - View all
Buffalo Bill on the Silver Screen: The Films of William F. Cody Sandra K. Sagala Limited preview - 2013 |
Buffalo Bill on the Silver Screen: The Films of William F. Cody Sandra K. Sagala No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
action agency American appear army audiences Baker Baldwin battle BBHC believed Bill’s Brennan Buffalo Bill Bull called camera Cavalry Chicago chief City claimed Cody Cody’s continued cowboys Craft Dance death Denver Post early Edison Essanay exhibit exhibitors fight film filmmakers final Frank frontier George hand head Historical horse Indian Wars interest John Journal July June killed King land later letter Lillie Miles Motion Picture movie Moving Picture World offered officers original participants Pawnee performance Pine Ridge played present Press prod production record reels reenactment reported returned ride role San Marino scenes scout Sept Short Sioux Sitting soldiers stage Star Stephen Bush story Tammen theaters titled told train Universal Washington watch western Wharton Wild West show Wounded Knee wrote York
Bibliographic information
| Title | Buffalo Bill on the Silver Screen: The Films of William F. Cody Volume 1 of William F. Cody Series on the History and Culture of the American West |
| Author | Sandra K. Sagala |
| Publisher | University of Oklahoma Press, 2013 |
| ISBN | 0806151404, 9780806151403 |
| Length | 240 pages |
| Subjects | › › Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts Biography & Autobiography / Historical History / United States / 19th Century History / United States / 20th Century Performing Arts / Film / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |