The William F. Cody Archive: Documenting the life and times of Buffalo Bill

 

Buffalo Bill (Himself) Has Another Fortune Grabbed in the Movies

HISTORIC MOVING PICTURES AN ENORMOUS SUCCESS

Great Showman Coming to Albuquerque Next Week with Sells-Floto Shows for Four Days' Visit.

MAJOR BURKE HAPPY OVER CHIEF'S WINNING

All the hero-worshipping small boys and their fathers — the small boys of other days — who were grieved to hear of the financial straits into which Buffalo Bill fell last fall, will rejoice to hear of the good news that Major John M. Burke, Colonel Cody's old plains "pardner," has brought to town with him. Colonel Cody's fortunes have tagen [sic] a decided change. The famous old scout's scheme for a moving picture history of the stirring campaigns attendant on the opening of the great western empire in which he took part has been launched with such tremendous success that Buffalo Bill has another fortune in sight.

"Yes, sir," chuckled Major Burke, yesterday, with the delight of an "old pard" in the good fortune of his friend, "the old man has the world by the ears."

Colonel Cody's pictorial history of the old west was made with the approval of the United States government. At the scenes of such stirring happenings as the battle at War Bonnet creek in 1876 Buffalo Bill re-enacted the part he took in the campaigns. In all the pictures the action represents with historical accuracy the surroundings and scenes of the thrilling happenings of the days when the palefaces were battling with the Indians.

And here is another bit of good news for the small boys and those other small boys who have grown up. Buffalo Bill is to spend a whole week in Albuquerque. He is to appear in character as the fearless scout of the old days with the Sells-Floto shows, but that will be on one day only. The rest of the week he will be just visiting, resting before the beginning of the strenuous circus season, ready to meet old friends and new ones.

The colonel will come here next Tuesday, when the Sells-Floto and Buffalo Bill (Himself) shows come to town to prepare for the opening of the season. He will have plenty of visitors, because he is a member of the G. A. H. Shriners, Elks and Eagles, and is always delighted to meet his fraternal brethren.

The shows will come here from Denver, leaving the Colorado metropolis [photo] Major John W. Burke Sunday. The setting up of the show camp here will be an event worth traveling miles to see. One of its features will be the erection of the largest canvas ever built, by motive power. One man does the work of 100 almost in a jiffy. Show people to the number of fifty or more are coming here from New York, Bridgeport, Conn., San Francisco and Baraboro to see it done. It is regarded as a big event in the circus world.

The circus, with Buffalo Bill, will show here Saturday, March 28, giving two performances. In addition to the enlarged Sells-Floto circus, greatest of all the circi [sic] (get that?) Buffalo Bill will appear in scenes of western life with Sioux Indians, cowboys, ranch girls and military. It is the greatest circus bill ever offered the American public.

"The Sells-Floto show was the best circus before the amalgamation," said Major Burke yesterday, "and now, with Colonel Cody, it is the absolute last gasp in arenic marvels."

Major Burke is as enthusiastic over the admission price of the show as he is over the show itself. He says the twenty-five-cent admission represents a noteworthy crack at the high-end devil.

"The circus is a necessity of life," says the major, "Americans can't grow up without going to the circus. And the Sells-Floto management, realizing that they were dealing with a necessity of life, set out to put it within reach of all the people. The ideal that they aim at is "All-the-Family-Go-to-the-Circus. And they have made it possible for all the family to go, by putting the price down to twenty-five cents. There are to be no Cinderellas weeping at home when the Sells-Floto shows and Buffalo Bill appear in town."

Banner image: Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming, U.S.A.; Original Buffalo Bill Museum Collection, P.69.118