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The Real Earp/ continued

Hugh O'Brian (right)
forsakes the dean-shav-
en appearance familiar
to television viewers and
-just for the camera-
sports a luxuriant mus-
tache like the one worn
by Marshal Earp (left).

Earp photo by permission
of Stuart N. Lake.

a gun pulled on him. Buffaloing was a showdown in that dusty Tombstone
always done with the barrel, never the (Ariz.) corral in 1881, says Lake,
butt. The man foolish enough to try the cards were stacked against him.
the butt would be dead the instant Ike and Billy Clanton, the deadly
he reversed the gun muzzle. McLowery brothers and trigger-happy
Killers, of course, were a different young Billy Claiborne would be wait-
matter. At one time, organized out- ing in ambush. Wyatt had only his
laws made a standing offer of $1000 to two brothers, Virgil and Morgan
any gunfighter who knocked off Earp. (lesser guns), and the tubercular den-
The real Wyatt had to deal not only tist, gambler and gunfighter Doc Hol-
with these mercenaries but with the liday, who came along strictly out of
young hotheads hoping to establish loyalty to Wyatt.
reputations by outgunning Earp. The battle was over in 30 seconds.
Just 34 shots had been fired. Ike
Earp's speed on the draw was al- Clanton was begging for his life,
most other-worldly. As Bat Master- Claiborne had fled, and Billy Clan-
son told Lake: ton and the McLowerys lay lifeless.
"In a day when almost every man The Battle of 0.K. Corral has be-
had, as a matter of course, the ability come the most celebrated fight in
to get a six-gun into action with a frontier history. In one variation or
rapidity that a later generation simply another, it constituted the climax of
will not credit, Wyatt's speed was dozens of movies and television shows.
considered phenomenal by those who Occasionally, it even may be seen on
were marvels at the same feat.'' The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp.
Wyatt also was a superb tactician
and psyclrologist. He knew how to Why do even the best of the TV
tame the rebellious mob by singling Westerns tend to seem so synthetic?
out its moving force. Once the leader The main trouble is that, however
had been maneuvered into giving much the heroes may resemble their
ground, the whole movement col- real-life counterparts, the back-
lapsed. According to Lake, there is no grounds in which they play out their
substantiated instance of Earp ever parts do not resemble the real settings.
having "cited a hurdle" (backed down If one were to show Dodge City-
in a fight because of too-great odds). . or Tombstone or Wichita-as it was,
The Battle of 0.K. Corral was the one might very well blast the family
classic example. When Wyatt accepted audience right out of the living room.
the invitation of the Clanton gang for In the brawling era of the cowtown,
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