Will Rodgers
The actor Will Rogers
First through the rodeo , these contests of skill to reproduce the supposed horse round-up . They appear around 1880 and several cities would compete for fatherhood. For the cowboy, these events are excuses to demonstrate its ability to make best use of his horse, catching roping steers let loose in a ring . At the end of xix th century , rodeo-show is becoming very popular, which has not abated to this day.
In 1872 , Buntline launches the cowboy on the stage through a play, The Scouts of the Prairie , with, in the role of Texas Jack, a young Virginian , John Omahundro. Success was immediate, first in Chicago and in all major cities. This is the first “star” cowboy who goes to precede many other …
In 1873 , Buffalo Bill feels that he could take the opportunity of his popularity: he launched the Wild West Show in 1883. For three hours under a circus tent, the audience present at all the scenes that symbolize the West: the attack on the convoy of settlers, of diligence , the intervention of the cavalry and the final massacre of the Indians. According to contemporary accounts, it was very impressive, but without the dangers of a real visit to the West.
In 1886 in New York, the show attracted a million spectators. In 1893 , 50 shows occur throughout the United States and in 1888-1889, it exported a European tour, which will be followed by many others. In addition, Buffalo Bill contributes to the reputation of his show by recruiting true living legends like Annie Oakley (which could, they said, cut, of a ball, a playing card) and the Indian chief Sitting Bull .
The phenomenon is growing again with the publication of stories of William A. Rogers in Harper’s Weekly , the Frank Leslie’s and the Police Gazette . In 1885, Charlie Siringo , a former cowboy, published his memoirs, and Owen Wister out his novel The Virginian in 1902 , a book that sells 50,000 copies in two months 15 , reflecting the popularity of the genre.
The paintings of artists such as Charles Russell and Frederic Remington also carve a great success, for their willingness to seek a national inspiration, breaking with European issues.
Finally, it is the beginnings of cinema, from 1903 , the first western , The Great Train Robbery . These early films do not care about the historical reality, but the natural scenery of Arizona ever give relief to the adventures of cowboys. The first silent films having arrived while large transhumance had just disappeared, they are essentially a reflection of a collective imagination.
Many westerns were filmed since (about 1700), with varying degrees of success. Some are famous, such as The Searchers ( 1956 ), Rio Bravo ( 1959 ) or Once Upon a Time in the West ( 1968 ).
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