Hollywood and the O.K. Corral

“fascinating”—Wrangler’s Roost; “fascinating...rich details...interesting”—Cowboys & Indians; “McFarland is to be commended for publishing this academic volume on an almost forgotten genre”—Suite101.com/Western Collectables; “Michael F. Blake takes 30 of the most famous seconds in American history and tracks their wanderings through 60 years of moviemaking, adroitly documenting their evolution from fact to legend. A wonderful premise for a book that makes fascinating—and surprising—reading for students of history as well as film.”—James Curtis, author of W.C. Fields: A Biography and James Whale: A New World of Gods and Monsters; “Nobody writes it better than Michael F. Blake, and Hollywood and the O.K. Corral is his best—so far.”—Andrew J. Fenady, producer and writer of John Wayne’s Chisum (1970) and Western Writers of America Owen Wister Award Honoree (2006); “Michael F. Blake’s Hollywood and the O.K. Corral rounds up the film industry’s major depictions of Wyatt Earp and the famous gunfight with the hard hitting punch of a .45 long Colt slug. The Emmy Award winning Hollywood insider and respected film historian pulls no punches as he gives readers a nuts and bolts behind the scenes look at the various cinematic retellings of the O.K. Corral legend. The chapter on the making of the 1993 near classic Tombstone alone lays back the usual Hollywood veil of illusion to give a fascinating look at modern western filmmaking and the contributions of many unsung crew members, most notably that film’s original director and screenwriter Kevin Jarre. Hollywood and the O.K. Corral combines real western history with celluloid history for a must read for western buffs and film aficionados alike.”—Dan Gagliasso, documentary film director and Western Writers of America Spur award winner.