The Wild West Extravaganza

Latest Episodes:

The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger | Interview with Rib Hillis & Paul Epstein Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

Join me in a discussion with actor Rib Hillis and producer Paul Epstein as we discuss the upcoming premiere of INSP’s The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger!

As a fur trapper, legendary mountain man Jim Bridger explored the entire distant West and survived countless hair-raising adventures. Now, he's a respected trail guide and army scout who knows every river, mountain, and trail of the frontier. As a new generation of settlers, soldiers, and speculators crowd the Bozeman Trail, Bridger's hard-won wisdom is more valuable than ever, even if his famous tall tales sound more like fiction than fact. But the West is still a perilous place, and with danger just around every bend, the greenhorns heading west quickly realize they need Bridger's guidance for much more than the trail.

Rib Hillis is an accomplished actor, host, producer, and model known for his work across primetime television, non-scripted reality television, and films spanning multiple genres. Hillis has worked on many notable titles, such as Ugly Betty, Two and a Half Men, and CSI, and has even showcased his talent as a designer on the Emmy-winning ABC show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. His most recent venture is INSP's The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger, in which he plays the titular legend, Jim Bridger himself.

Paul Epstein is an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and director known for his work across scripted, factual, and news television. Epstein has worked with many major TV networks and streamers, including Peacock, Discovery, and MSNBC, and has amassed approximately 40 credits across his 20-year-long career. He has worked on titles such as the true-crime documentary series Who Killed Robert Wone? and the factual drama series Into the Wild Frontier, the most-watched TV series on INSP in 2021. Most recently, Paul directed The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger, a historical drama series due to premiere on INSP on January 11th, 2024.

The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger - https://www.insp.com/shows/tall-tales-of-jim-bridger/

Learn more about Jim Bridger here - https://www.wildwestextra.com/jim-bridger-ashleys-100/

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John Wesley Hardin: Dark Angel of Texas (Part 1) Jan 03, 2024

Show notes

In November of 1868 – at just the tender age of fifteen – John Wesley Hardin killed his first man. And, a few weeks later, he’d kill yet again; this time three soldiers who came looking for him. Fearing a hangman’s noose, Wes struck first, dispatching two troopers with a shotgun and finishing the third with an old cap and ball colt. And you better believe the hits just kept on a coming. Before it was all said and done, Hardin would be responsible for anywhere between twenty to possibly as many as fifty killings, each of which – according to him – were justifiable. But how true is that? Was John Wesley Hardin a persecuted hero or a homicidal killer? How’d the son of a minister become one of the deadliest gunmen of the Old West? And did he really kill someone just for snoring?

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Bill Longley | The Deadliest Gun in Texas - https://www.wildwestextra.com/bill-longley-the-deadliest-gun-in-texas/

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Wyatt Earp In His Own Words Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

Today we hear from the legendary Wyatt Earp, in his own words, as he dispenses sage advice on the art of gunfighting. We’ll also examine the legitimacy of these statements. The passages quoted are from Stuart Lake's biography Wyatt Earp Frontier Marshal, a work deemed by historians as mostly fiction. Examine Lake's admission of embellishment and invention and consider the impact of his storytelling on Wyatt Earp's legacy. Share your thoughts on the authenticity of Earp's wisdom and the influence of Hollywood adaptations on his iconic status. Regardless of fact or fiction, I certainly acknowledge Stuart Lake for contributing captivating narratives that have entertained generations!

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A Blood Meridian Christmas Miracle Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

Uncover the dark history of the Yuma Crossing and the infamous John Joel Glanton's reign of terror. Learn how Glanton's brutality led to a massacre that sparked the Yuma War and a tense standoff on Christmas Day 1851. Lieutenant Amiel Whipple and his men find themselves outnumbered and facing certain death at the hands of the Quechan people, still angry at Glanton's many abuses. What happens next is what many would consider a Blood Meridian Christmas miracle.

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Wooden Leg | Life After Custer Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

On June 25th, 1876, George Armstrong Custer rode into battle for the last time. He and his troops faced an overwhelming force of Lakota and Cheyenne along the banks of the Little Bighorn, and before the sun sank into the horizon, every man in his command was dead. When General Terry arrived two days later, the victorious warriors were already gone. The soldiers on Reno Hill had watched in awe as the large progression, stretching for more than two miles, passed them by. And when Terry and his men approached, their first question was “Where’s Custer?” They’d been so busy just trying to stay alive that they had no idea their commander was dead. This news not only shook the surviving troopers to the core, but also the entire Nation. A Republic getting ready to observe its centennial now had to contend with its most celebrated hero slaughtered at the hands of so-called “savages.” As you can imagine, the reaction was swift. And in less than a year the Great Sioux War would be over, and those who defeated Custer would be relegated to life on the reservation. But what transpired immediately after the battle of Little Bighorn? What events would cause the Northern Cheyenne to finally lay down their arms? And what would Wooden Leg get up to in the years following? I think the answer might surprise you. Also discussed are the Battle of Wolf Mountain, the Dull Knife Fight, the Cheyenne Exodus, and the Massacre at Wounded Knee.

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Wooden Leg: A Warrior Who Fought Custer - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1539063747?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=1539063747&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

The Earth Is All That Lasts by Mark L. Gardner - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062669907?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0062669907&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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Wooden Leg & the Battle of Little Bighorn Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

“All around, the Indians began jumping up, running forward, dodging down, jumping up again, down again, all the time going toward the soldiers. Right away, all of the white men went crazy. Instead of fighting us, they turned their guns upon themselves. Almost before we could get to them, every one of them was dead. They killed themselves.” - Wooden Leg, a Northern Cheyenne who faced off against Custer and his 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn; a fight we will examine today from this young warrior’s point of view. But who was Wooden Leg? How credible of a source is he when it comes to Custer’s Last Stand? And what really kicked off the Great Sioux War of 1876? Also discussed are the battles of Powder River and the Rosebud.

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Alias Soapy Smith: The Life of a Scoundrel by Jeff Smith - https://klondikeresearch.com/product/alias-soapy-smith-paperback/

The Reno-Benteen Defense Site | The Story Out West - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GKrZH6Qucs

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Soapy Smith | King of the Frontier Con Men Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

“It’s just as easy to make big money as little money. In my profession, a hundred dollars is just chicken feed. We think in thousands, not tens. Experience has taught me that it is as easy to separate a sucker – the right sucker – from five thousand dollars as from fifty. We always offered our services to well-to-do men, holding out the promise that their investments were certain to net them profit in three to four figures, at least – and that’s the real bait for the sucker – particularly if he’s the close-fisted kind that always wants something for nothing. Yes, there always was a lot of satisfaction as well as cash profit in trimming some old skin flint who would rob his grandmother if he had a chance.” - Doc Bags; a legendary con artist and frontier gambler who plied his trade throughout the West. Although Doc is largely forgotten today, his lasting legacy was his most notorious apprentice, a young man from Georgia who’d come to be known as Soapy Smith. You see it's on the streets of Denver that Smith learned all Doc Bags had to teach. And when it came time for Doc to move on, young Soapy took his spot as the undisputed kingpin of the mile-high city. But he wasn’t a gunman, at least not really. Instead of colt revolvers, Soapy’s weapon of choice was a quick wit coupled with a silver tongue, a whole helluva lot of charisma, and the magical ability to make people see and believe things that did not exist; all of which would earn him the title of King of the Frontier Conmen. That said, Soapy certainly wasn’t afraid of resorting to violence if the situation called for it. With an army of thugs at his disposal, Smith would face down more than a few deadly killers. And like many other icons of the Old West, Soapy would ultimately go down in a blaze of gunfire. They say fortune favors the bold and they don’t get much bolder than Soapy Smith, a charming rogue who spent his life operating in the shadows, leaving behind a legend as complex as the frontier he called home. Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Join Into History for ad-free and bonus content! https://intohistory.supercast.com/ King Con: The Story of Soapy Smith by Jane G. Haigh - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0962753076?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0962753076&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin Merchandise! https://www.teepublic.com/user/wild-west-extravaganza Book Recommendations! https://www.amazon.com/shop/wildwestextravaganza/list/YEHGNY7KFAU7?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d

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Harry Tracy | Desperado (Part 2) Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

This is Part 2 and the final installment in the series on Harry Tracy. In the previous episode we discussed Tracy's early life, his various scrapes with the law, and his dramatic prison escape. On today's episode we'll follow Tracy as he eludes the authorities, culminating in his ultimate showdown.

Miss Part 1? Listen here - Harry Tracy | The Last of the Wild Bunch (Part 1) - https://www.wildwestextra.com/harry-tracy-the-last-of-the-wild-bunch-part-1/

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The Saga of the Outlaw Harry Tracy by James Nystrom - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1456373501?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=1456373501&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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Billy the Kid (COMPILATION) Nov 17, 2023

Show notes

In the summer of 1881, Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett. The lawman had been on the hunt ever since Billy broke out of jail in Lincoln and finally caught up to the bandit at Old Fort Sumner. It was around midnight, and Pat was waiting inside Pete Maxwell’s darkened bedroom when the Kid stepped in. “Quien es?” Billy asked, noticing the large shape looming in the shadows. “Who is it?” Pat answered in the form of two shots from his 44-40 Colt revolver and just like that Billy the Kid was over. At least in his mortal form. His body may have been stuck in the ground the next day, but can’t no pine box contain the legend that soon emerged. And make no mistake about it, Billy the Kid has taken on mythical proportions unrivaled by any other character of the old West over the decades that followed. But who was he REALLY? This is the definitive guide to Billy the Kid, a remastered compilation from a previously released five-part series, along with a look at the mystery surrounding the Kid’s death.

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Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life | Robert Utley - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0803295588?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0803295588&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride | Michael Wallis - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393060683?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0393060683&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Were people allowed to view Billy’s dead body? https://btkcoalition.com/btk-history-blog/f/debunking-brushy-were-people-allowed-to-view-billys-dead-body

Dr. Robert Stahl | Pleading for Death Certificate - http://doc45.com/pleading/tenth-court-pleading-by-dr-robert-stahl-for-kid-death-certificate.pdf

Billy the Kid’s Grave by David G. Thomas - https://www.amazon.com/dp/154240472X?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=154240472X&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Looking for the series on Pat Garrett? Start here - https://www.wildwestextra.com/pat-garrett-origin-story-part-1/

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Harry Tracy | The Last of the Wild Bunch (Part 1) Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

Considered by some to be the last of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch, Harry Tracy blasted his way out of prison in the summer of 1902. What followed was one of the most desperate man hunts in all of U.S. history. Over the course of the next two months, Tracy would lead hundreds of lawmen, including the National Guard, on a deadly game of chase that would see at least 7 men gunned down. According to the papers of his time, “In all of the criminal lore of the country, there is no record equal to that of Harry Tracy for cold-blooded nerve, desperation, and a thirst for crime. Jesse James, compared with Tracy, is a Sunday School teacher.” But who was the real Harry Tracy? Where’d he come from? What started him on a life of crime? And did he really ride with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?

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