b'By Bob Roloff,The Arizona DuuudeT wo years ago I wrote, Is the old west leaving Arizona?Cody would tour Europe, meeting theThis is a quote from Frank James Outcalt, fromPope on March 8, 1890. Cody set up an interview in the Arizona Republic. There wasntan independent exhibition near the anything here that I\'d read about. I wanted to do somethingChicago Worlds Fair of 1893, which about it people come here looking for the Old West. Theygreatly contributed to his popularity in don\'t find it. We can relate to this by just looking around usthe United States. It vexed the promoters today. But would you believe this quote was printed in theof the fair who had rejected his request Arizona Republic in August 1970? Frank had just formedto participate.a re-enactment group in Scottsdale. Entertaining smallgroups at first but getting more well known and attractingBuffalo Bill\'s shows would influence corporate party business.Guns For Hire Inc. began inmany 20th century portrayals of 1968 and did a good business for over 30 years performingthe west in cinema and literature. western skits at local resorts, adding T.V. commercials andCody died January 10, 1917. After movies along the way.legal questions of the burial site weresettled, Cody was buried on Lookout Many more western re-enactment groups would start upMountain, in Golden, Colorado west around Arizona and the entire west. Tourists still come toof Denver, on June 3, 1917. On June Arizona, looking for that American born Old West."9, 1917 his show was sold to Archer Banker of Salinas, Kansas for $105,000.western story in seven But lets go back, way back. In 1883, in the area of Northvolumes. Go to YouTube Platte, Nebraska, Cody founded Buffalo Bill\'s Wild West"Although this was the end of the large scale Wild Westor better yet Amazon.a circus-like attraction that toured annually. In 1893, Codyshows, the western life stories would move on to a newcom/Prime-Video to changed the name to Buffalo Bill\'s Wild West and Congressgeneration. Books by Zane Grey, Louis L\'Amour andenjoy the talents of of Rough Riders of the World." The show began with aothers would appear on stage, screen, and in TV seriesPatrick Ball and Aaron parade on horseback, with participants from horse-culturewhen television took hold in the early fifties. TelevisionNewton both graduates groups that included US and other cowboys, Americanwesterns popularity would last from the early fifties to theof Ball State with honors Indians, and performers from all over the world in theirseventies, with the long-running Gunsmoke, starring Jamesin cinematography. best attire. Visitors would see main events, feats of skill,Arness and Amanda Blake followed by Bonanza, Cheyenne,They have a great future so be sure to follow C-Bar. staged races, and sideshows. Many historical western figuresHave Gun Will Travel, The Big Valley, 26 Men, and High participated in the show. Sitting Bull appeared with a bandChaparral, to name only a few. The seventies would see a lotBethany Braley, chairwoman of National Day of the of 20 of his braves. of these canceled.Cowboy is well on her way of getting each state todesignate the third Saturday of July as the officialThese were not re-enactors playing a part. Cody\'s headlineWestern movies too would enjoy a new beginning withNational Day of the Cowboy. performers were well known in their own right. AnnieStage Coach in 1939. That movie is considered John Wayne\'sOakley and her husband Frank Butler were sharpshooters.breakout role putting him on the path of western stardomTourists come here from all over the world looking for Another was Calamity Jane as a storyteller in 1893.well into the sixties. The sixties would usher in a newAmerica\'s Old West, and they find many re-enactment Performers re-enacted the riding of the Pony Express,kind of western dubbed the spaghetti western that wasgroups that can bring them back to that once upon a time Indian attacks on wagon trains, and stagecoach robberies.produced and directed by Clint Eastwood.Western moviesin the Old West moment. I mentioned the group Guns The show was said to end with a re-enactment of Custer\'salso saw a slowdown but now in the 21st century, we areFor Hire" because I was a member back in the late 1960s Last Stand, in which Cody played Custer. But this is moreseeing a comeback and we are viewing them in a whole newand 1970s. In the years since then, as I traveled Arizona, legend than fact.way. Netflix, Amazon Prime, andI met many groups ranging from those in Yuma at theinternet streaming allow us to taketerritorial prison to the OK Corral In 1887, Cody took the show to Great Britain in celebrationour westerns with us. I wonder whatin Tombstone. Then, of course, of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. It played inBuffalo Bill, Tim McCoy, Hop Alongthere was Old Tucson, where John London, and then in Birmingham and Safford nearCassidy, or even Sitting Bull wouldWayne filmed many of his westerns. Manchester, where it stayed for five months. In 1889,think of all this.In Prescott, the 1st territorial capital, the Prescott Regulators Locally here in Arizona we havebring the Old West alive to visitors many doing their part in keepingalong Whiskey Row. the Spirit of the Old West alive.True West magazine located in CaveOne of the most well-traveled Creek, published by Bob Boze Bellwestern groups is Dr. Buck enjoys a worldwide readership.Montgomery\'s Wild Bunch. His Bob\'s great historical research andtroupe is usually the headliner at publication staff do an outstandingevents throughout Arizona and job of bringing you the Old West inbeyond. Dr. Bucks history goes back print, with celebrated illustrationsDr. Buck Montgomery\'s Wild Bunch to his time as a sign painter, video by Bob.and pinball artist, Disney animator, and freelance commercial artist, plus Jim and Opal Brown of Western Destinations bringHollywood stuntman. He then went on to be the general you a dude ranch experience to remember and theirmanager of the Ponderosa Ranch of Bonanza TV fame, Flying E Dude Ranch in Wickenburg is adding a biggerhome of the Cartwrights, for almost 12 years. As general entertainment venue with a taste and feel of the Old West. manager, Buck directed all of the gunfights and stunt work. Tombstone Vigilantes C-Bar Productions are shooting their 3rd film in a series.He was also involved in event planning, advertising, and Producer and director Mark Baugher wrote this compellingmedia coordination. 10 October 2022'