Remember Wild Bill Elliot ?

[caryc]

Wild Bill Elliot was an early 50's B movie western star. I watched an old movie "The Longhorn" this morning on TCM. Ben Mankowitz was talking about Bill Elliot and remarked about his trade mark. He always wore a two gun rig and always wore the guns butt forward in the holsters.

I remembered the name Wild Bill Elliot but did not remember about the two guns butt forward until Mankowitz made the remark about it. Of course I was only five years old when this movie came out in 1952.

Truthfully, how many of you would have remembered about the stag handled butt forward guns if I hadn't mentioned it?

 

[phonejack]

"I'm a peaceable man"

 

[caryc]

"I'm a peaceable man"

Yeah, until he got into a fight, then he would kick a man already down. :mrgreen:

 

[Bull Barrel]

Shoot, I thought ya meant Awesome Bill from Dawsonville...

 

[Danjet500]

Shoot, I thought ya meant Awesome Bill from Dawsonville...

Yep, never heard of the "other Bill Elliot". Awesome Bill shot with eight cylinders.

 

[don44]

Yes sir, I remember he wore his revolvers butt forward, like Wild Bill Hickok. I think that's where he got that from as he played Hickok in some early western movies.

 

[Bob Wright]

Wild Bill Elliot and Robert Blake were Red Ryder and Little Beaver.

And though Red Ryder only wore one gun, traditional style, the movie Red Ryder wore two, butts forward.

Bob Wright

 

[SAJohn]

That reverse wrist draw of his was a good way to shoot yourself in the crotch.

 

[caryc]

That reverse wrist draw of his was a good way to shoot yourself in the crotch.

I was reading some stuff on the net about him. I don't remember ever seeing it but they said he used a cross draw method to draw both guns. To me that would seem pretty awkward.

Any of you old timers here ever see him draw both guns like that?

 

[Slenk]

Andy Divine was his sidekick.
Their horses were Buckshot & Joker.

 

[DPris]

Thought everybody knew he carried that way.
Where you been?
Denis

 

[caryc]

Thought everybody knew he carried that way.
Where you been?
Denis

Give me a break. It's been almost 60 years since I've seen him.

 

[pyth0n]

I don't remember Wild Bill Elliot. The only butt fwd carry I ever saw was Guy Madison & Andy Divine (Jingles) on the TV show "Wild Bill Hickok Adventures". I Think Jingles wore his guns the same way.

 

[Sagebrush Burns]

That reverse wrist draw of his was a good way to shoot yourself in the crotch.

Actually, with a bit of practice its easy and safe to do and more comfortable with a long (7 1/2") barrel in a high ride holster that a straight draw.

 

[eric conrad]

I remember him. Eric

 

[sebtool]

Shoot, I thought ya meant Awesome Bill from Dawsonville...

+1! 1st thing that popped to mind.

I think I still have a program from Dover, circa 1985 or so, with his autograph on it. Seemed to be a real decent guy.

 

[caryc]

Shoot, I thought ya meant Awesome Bill from Dawsonville..

OK, who is this guy?

 

[sebtool]

Nascar driver from the '80's. IIRC he won the Winston Cup 1 year, also the 1st 'Winston Million', sort of a precursor to today's championship format. I'd don't remember all the details (it was 30 yrs ago! :? ) but I think it was the top 10 drivers that season, sort of a dash for cash. $1,000,000 was real money for those guys back then. :roll:
Real quiet, polite guy, 1 of 3-4 that still drove Fords.

 

[DPris]

Cary,
You don't get around enough.

He pops up every now & then on TV.

Did you happen to notice Rex Allen along the way....?
Denis

 

[Robes]

Here ya go gents.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qReTEhkDRoE

 

[WAYNO]

I am just young enough that although we saw these Westerns in the matinees, they were already 10 to 15 years old and as exciting as the movies were, I do not remember many of the forties and fifties cowboy stars.

Thank you Youtube, for making it so easy to get a refresher course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFTYYUolfPo

WAYNO.

 

[stevemb]

I was thinking of Wild Bill Donovan. My bad, and my background different.

 

[longspurr]

long barrel revolvers in cross draw holsters were how the US calvary carried their 45 colts - from what I've seen in pictures. Thus early western stars might have been imitating and adapting that style. Not meant for fast draw out of a flap holster, but probably a good thing on an unhappy bronc.

Besides it was Hollywierd even when they made those westerns.

 

[Bob Wright]

My understanding of the reason for the Cavalry Carry, that is, right side, butt forward, is that since the saber was worn on the left side, the only other place was on the right side. And, butt forward allowed a draw with either hand.

Bob Wright

 

[Bob Wright]

And, for all you Johnny-come-latelys, I once saw Ken Maynard in person at a rodeo.


So there!


Bob Wright

 

[Bull Barrel]

That would be Cavalry, not Calvary.
Cavalry has to do with horses or tanks.
Calvary has to do with a Cross.

 

[Bull Barrel]

TCM will be showing "The Homesteaders", starring our subject on Saturday, June 14 at 10:15 EDT.

 

[Bob Wright]

That would be Cavalry, not Calvary.
Cavalry has to do with horses or tanks.
Calvary has to do with a Cross.

I know that!

Bob Wright

 

[6gun]

Wild Bill Elliot was way before my time, but thanks to Netflix and Amazon I have seen quite a few of his shows.

 

[6gun]

And, for all you Johnny-come-latelys, I once saw Ken Maynard in person at a rodeo.


So there!


Bob Wright

Wow you are older than dirt if you saw Ken Maynard in person, I did see Ken Curtis from Gun Smoke all duded up in his Festus outfit at the Days of 47 Rodeo in SLC Utah back in 1976, and also the great singer Chris Ledoux he rode bareback that night.