Gonzo as Wyatt Burp
Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) was a Western lawman who became a near legendary figure in pulp stories and movies, particularly settled on his time in Tombstone, Arizona and the fight at the O.K. Corral.
In historical fact, Earp variously served as constable, deputy sheriff, and assistant marshal (in Dodge City, Kansas), but later recountings tended to inflate his rank and involvement. His confirmed friendship with fellow Western legend Doc Holliday added to the mystique.
Earp has been portrayed as a heroic figure in movies by the likes of silent film star William S. Hart (who knew Earp in his later years), Burt Lancaster, Henry Fonda, and Kurt Russell in Tombstone. The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955-1961) brought him to TV, and he appeared as a guest character on Doctor Who, Deadwood, Star Trek, and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.
References[]
- The Spike Jones record "Wyatt Earp, He Makes Me Burp," a loose recounting of the Earp legend, was used on Sam and Friends in 1960.[1]
- A Sesame Street Old West sketch features the steadfast Marshal Earp (who's female).
- In Sesame Street Episode 1079, Mr. Snuffleupagus compliments Big Bird's cowboy costume, mixing names up with Jesse James, saying, "Oh Bird, you look just like Jesse Earp or Wyatt James."
- Gonzo played Wyatt Burp in the View-Master Interactive Vision game Muppets Studios Presents: You're the Director.
- "Baby Fozzie's" Joke File" in Muppet Magazine issue 24 asks which famous gunfighters ate too fast. (Answer: Wyatt Burp and Wild Bill Hiccup.)