Cody as Filmmaker

"The myth of the West Cody celebrated would live on, but the profitable days of cowboys and Indians running through their stunts for an arena audience were nearing an end. Filmmakers copied his invention and style, even his particular grooming and dress. So, how much longer could his Wild West show withstand the inexorable competition of the movies?"

(Sagala, 52)

The Cody as Filmmaker interview from William F. Cody Archive on Vimeo.
The Cody as Filmmaker interview is also available to view on our YouTube Channel.

Materials in this section correspond to the following pages:

pp. 128-131

pp. 134-137

pp. 138-140

Throughout his years in show business, William F. Cody failed as often as he succeeded. Although the Wild West Show continued to be popular throughout the 1890s and the early 1900s, it became more and more difficult for Cody finance the show, and he came close to bankruptcy several times. One of the ways he avoided financial ruin was by negotiating a merger between his Wild West show and Gordon “Pawnee Bill” Lillie's Far East show in 1909.

While this temporarily saved Cody from bankruptcy, business was still hurting, and for that, Cody blamed the burgeoning film industry (New York Times, "Buffalo Bill's Failure," July 30, 1913). He believed filmmakers were stealing his business by making movies about the West, and considering how often they copied his signature style and conventions of his show, this was not an entirely unfair observation on his part. Cody was not one to be run off by competitors, however. In fact, in 1910, he went into the film business himself.

At the opening of the 1910 season, Cody and his business partner Gordon William "Pawnee Bill" Lillie were approached by Pliny P. Craft, an executive of the Patrick A. Powers Motion Picture Company, to “take, make and sell or exhibit films of the Western Frontier life and episodes real or imagined.” Craft predicted that the motion pictures they lent their names to would garner them a profitable income, so naturally, they were both interested in his proposition. In June 1910, the two Bills signed a contract with Craft and Powers that created the Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film Company.

Unfortunately, this business deal proved to be yet another financial misstep for Cody. The nature of the contract prohibited him and Pawnee Bill from appearing in films made by other companies, something that Cody wanted to do as he became more involved with the film industry. A legal quarrel also erupted between Cody and Lillie on one side and Powers and Craft on the other: the two Bills sued the Powers Motion Picture Company for the right to appear in other films as well as the profits which they believed Powers and Craft were withholding from them. This was a suit they eventually lost in the New York Supreme Court, and more financial difficulties followed.

Selected Archival Materials

Films

Life of Buffalo Bill, pt. 1 (Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film, 1912).

Life of Buffalo Bill, pt. 2 (Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film, 1912).

Life of Buffalo Bill, pt. 3 (Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film, 1912).

Correspondance

Letter from William F. Cody to to John H. Tait (August 25, 1913).

Periodicals

"The Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Company." The Moving Picture World (June 18, 1910).

"Bonds for State Rights Owners." The Moving Picture World (May 4, 1912).

"Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film Company to Sue Col. Cody and Maj. Lillie." The Moving Picture World (July 20, 1912).

"Chicago Letter-Historical Value of Buffalo Bill Series." The Moving Picture World (October 18, 1913).

"Buffalo Bill's Failure." New York Times (July 30, 1913).

"Warriors Watch Old Battles with Indians." Washington Herald (D.C.) (February 28, 1914).

"Buffalo Bill Historical Pictures." The Moving Picture World (September 14, 1914).

More Sources