The Western Legend

Early Western stars Tom Mix and William S. Hart were both fascinated by the Old West—or at least by its myth and legend. Its well established that they became friends with Wyatt Earp, who lived in Los Angeles at various times in his later life.  And they were also pallbearers at his funeral (although it’s not clear that “Tom Mix wept,” as the movie Tombstone intones at the end). Hart also visited Bat Masterson in New York in 1921 (see photo)—just two-and-a-half weeks before Bat