Who was the fastest gun in Hollywood?
Ron Bolza
Slatington, Pennsylvania
Some of the names might surprise you. How about Sammy Davis Jr. and Jerry Lewis?
The first fast draw competition took place at Knott’s Berry Farm in 1954.
Hugh O’Brian claimed his 0.25 of a second was the fastest, but Davis Jr. and Lewis were reportedly faster. O’Brian challenged Audie Murphy to a contest, but when Murphy requested live ammunition, O’Brian wisely declined.
Others who were good at fast draw dur

True West January 2018
In This Issue:
Features
- Classic Gunfights: Don’t Look Back
- True West Best of the West Heritage Travel
- The 65 Most Important Historical Photos From the McCubbin Collection
- True West Best of the West 2018 Western Wear
- True West Best of the West 2018 Western Movies
- True West Best of the West 2018 Firearms
- True West Best of the West 2018 Western Books
- True West Best of the West 2018 Art and Collectibles
- True West’s Best of the West 2018
Departments
- Classic Gunfights: Don’t Look Back
- Who Was the Fastest Gun in Hollywood?
- What History Has Taught Me: Dan Harshberger
- How Was Life in Territory Prisons?
- Mining the Optics
- Who Was the Best Housekeeper in the West?
- Was Bat Masterson Run Out of Denver?
- Were Archery Contests Held Out West?
- Cheering Our Culinary Journey
- What is 3-7-77, Associated with the Montana Vigilantes?
- An Angel and the Train Man
- What Did the Actors Drink When They were Drinking “Beer” on Gunsmoke?
- The Size of an Assignment
- What’s the Story Behind the Naming of Show Low, Arizona?