Buffalo Bill and the Birth of American Celebrity

Buffalo Bill and the Birth of American Celebrity commemorates the rise of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and tells the tale of a visionary whose real-life experiences (and embellishments) created an entertainment phenomenon that became a worldwide sensation. From Bill Cody's earliest ideas of entertainment spectacles using Indians and examples of frontier life in their productions; the elements of Cody’s early life that found their way into his Wild West spectacle; his friendship with Ned Buntline and early stage career; Cody’s inclusion in outlandish dime novels; how the Wild West show idea was hatched with Cody’s partner Doc Carver and their tumultuous relationship; early financial wobbles and European influence to take the Wild West overseas culminating in the 1887 American Exhibition; the hiring of Annie Oakley and treatment of Native Americans in the enterprise, and finally a look at Cody’s lasting influence on today’s entertainment culture. The story behind the show that created the Wild West. Buffalo Bill and the Birth of American Celebrity commemorates the rise of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and tells the tale of a visionary man whose real-life experiences (and embellishments) created an entertainment phenomenon that became a worldwide sensation--and that shaped the world's perceptions of the American West for generations. Bill Cody's earliest entertainment spectacles used Native Americans, examples of frontier life including elements of his own boyhood, and some of the most famous names of the day. Cody's friendship with Ned Buntline, his early stage career, and his appearance in outlandish dime novels all played a part in shaping the show. Cody's tumultuous relationship with partner Doc Carver, the duo's earlyu financial wobbles, and their eventual decision to take the Wild West overseas culminating in the 1887 American Exhibitions all created a lasting influence on today's entertainment culture. -- From back cover