Wild Bill (1995)

Director:

Walter Hill

Writers (WGA):

Peter Dexter (book)
Thomas Babe (play)
(more)

Release Date:

1 December 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Western

Tagline:

A legend never dies.

Plot:

Wild Bill Hickok, famed lawman and gunman of the Old West, is haunted by his past and his reputation...

Plot Keywords:

Whipping | Caged Human | Split Lip | Face Slap | Gunslinger

Cast

Jeff Bridges	...	James Butler 'Wild Bill' Hickok
Ellen Barkin	...	Calamity Jane
John Hurt	...	Charley Prince
Diane Lane	...	Susannah Moore
Keith Carradine	...	Buffalo Bill Cody
David Arquette	...	Jack McCall
Christina Applegate	...	Lurline Newcomb
Bruce Dern	...	Will Plummer
James Gammon	...	California Joe
Marjoe Gortner	...	Preacher
James Remar	...	Donnie Lonigan
Karen Huie	...	Song Lew
Steve Reevis	...	Sioux Chief
Robert Knott	...	Dave Tutt
Pato Hoffmann	...	Cheyenne Leader
Patrick Gorman	...	Doctor
Lee de Broux	...	Carl Mann
Stoney Jackson	...	Jubal Pickett
Robert Peters	...	Mike Williams
Steven Chambers	...	Curly
Jimmy Medearis	...	Coke
Jason Ronard	...	Pink Buford
Dennis Hayden	...	Phil Coe
Teresa Gilmore	...	Jessie Hazlitt
John Dennis Johnston	...	Ed Plummer
Boots Southerland	...	Crook-Eye Clark
James Michael Taylor	...	Lew Scott
Loyd Catlett	...	Rob Rainwater
Janel Moloney	...	Earlene
Ted Markland	...	Tommy Drum
Monty Stuart	...	Soldier
Merritt Yohnka	...	Soldier
Dennis Deveaugh	...	Big Trooper
Jim Wilkey	...	Seth Beeber
Raliegh Wilson	...	Jack Slater
Charles Gunning	...	Frank Dowder
Christopher Doyle	...	John Harkness (as Chris Doyle)
Virgil Frye	...	Buffalo Hunter
Lauren Abels	...	Singer at Funeral
Ritt Henn	...	Fiddle Player
Lise Hilboldt	...	Woman in Church
Charles Seybert	...	Citizen
Luana Anders	...	Sanitarium Woman
Roland Nip	...	Chinese Man
Mike Watson	...	Cowpoke
Thomas Wilson Brown	...	Drover
Robert Keith	...	Miner
Linda Harrison	...	Madam
Patricia M. Peters	...	Dancer
Anthony De Longis	...	Card Cheat
Bill Bolender	...	Bartender at Way Station
Alisa Christensen	...	Mann's No. 10 Saloon Bargirl at Deadwood SD
Patricia Pretzinger	...	Mann's No. 10 Saloon Bargirl at Deadwood SD
Peter Jason	...	Dave McCandless
Joe Crozier	...	Old Timer (as Joseph Crozier)
Mikey LeBeau	...	Young Jack
Jaime Elysse	...	Young Woman with Parasol
James Marsh	...	Young Man (as Jaime Marsh)
Burton Gilliam	...	Bartender
Del Roy	...	Gambler
Steve Brasfield	...	Gambler
Juddson Keith Linn	...	Cheyenne Rider
Tricia Munford	...	Woman in Church (as Trisha Munford)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Becque	...	Gambler (uncredited)
John Haxby	...	American Indian Actor in Wild Bill Show (uncredited)
Michael Papajohn	...	Card Cheat (uncredited)
Shawn Michael Perry	...	Cheyenne Dream Warrior (uncredited)
John Richard Petersen	...	Drunk (uncredited)

Directed by
Walter Hill

Writing credits (WGA)
Peter Dexter		(book "Deadwood") (as Pete Dexter)
Thomas Babe		(play "Fathers and Sons")
Walter Hill		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gary Daigler	....	co-producer
Lili Fini Zanuck	....	producer
Richard D. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Van Dyke Parks

Cinematography by
Lloyd Ahern II		(director of photography) (as Lloyd Ahern)

Film Editing by
Freeman A. Davies		(as Freeman Davies)

Casting by
Joseph Middleton
Shari Rhodes

Production Design by
Joseph C. Nemec III		(as Joseph Nemec III)

Art Direction by
Dan Olexiewicz		(as Daniel Olexiewicz)

Set Decoration by
Gary Fettis

Costume Design by
Dan Moore

Makeup Department
Lana Chirco	....	hair stylist: Ellen Barkin
Susan Germaine	....	key hair stylist
Edouard F. Henriques	....	makeup artist: Jeff Bridges (as Edouard Henriques III)
Desne J. Holland	....	makeup artist: Ellen Barkin (as Desne Holland)
Dennis Liddiard	....	assistant makeup artist
Gary Liddiard	....	key makeup artist (as Gary D. Liddiard)
Candace Neal	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Gary Daigler	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Allan Graf	....	second unit director
Dana J. Kuznetzkoff	....	second assistant director
Albert M. Shapiro	....	first assistant director (as Albert Shapiro)
Eric Tignini	....	second second assistant director
Carol Bawer	....	additional second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Eric J. Bates	....	on-set dresser
Steve Callas	....	construction coordinator
Mike Carrillo	....	assistant property master (as Michael A. Carrillo)
Carl Cassara	....	set dresser
Carole Lee Cole	....	set designer (as Carole L. Cole)
Mickey Cruz	....	plaster foreman
Mike Cunningham	....	assistant property master
Oscar Delgadillo	....	set dresser
George Gugler	....	paint foreman (as George E. Gugler)
David Harris	....	greens foreman
Eric A. Hulett	....	set dressing buyer (as Eric Hulett)
Kurt V. Hulett	....	set dresser (as Kurt Hulett)
Don Kaeding	....	set dresser (as Donald Kaeding)
Jeffrey Kushon	....	set dresser
William J. Law III	....	set designer (as Wm. Law III)
Greg Lynch	....	lead person
Dave Margolin	....	sign supervisor
Carla S. Nemec	....	art department coordinator (as Carla Nemec)
Mike Nichols	....	labor foreman
Craig Nycz	....	paint foreman (as Craig Nycz Sr.)
Wayne Nycz	....	paint foreman
Edward E. O'Connell	....	paint foreman (as Edward O'Connell)
Peter Olexiewicz	....	construction foreman
Tony Paolone	....	construction foreman
Vlad Pelinovschi	....	labor foreman
Carmen Roderique	....	construction accountant
Daniel Ross	....	set designer
Steven Schwartz	....	set designer
Jesse Siono Jr.	....	stand-by painter (as Jesse Siono)
John Slatsky	....	drapery foreman (as John J. Slatsky)
Robert L. Thompson	....	construction foreman
Rob Thompson	....	construction foreman
James E. Tocci	....	assistant art director (as James Tocci)
Robert Webb	....	construction foreman (as Robert M. Webb)
Mike Wells	....	general foreman
Rick Young	....	property master
Robert E. Knight	....	scene painter (uncredited)
Allen Lafferty	....	propmaker (uncredited)
William H. Phen Jr.	....	propmaker gangboss (uncredited)

Sound Department
Randle Akerson	....	sound editor (as Randy Akerson)
Nicholas R. Allen	....	boom operator
Lou Angelo	....	sound editor
David A. Arnold	....	sound editor
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bill Benton)
Rick Canelli	....	adr recordist
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris David	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Gordon Davidson	....	sound editor
Carmen Flores De Tanis	....	assistant sound editor (as Carmen Flores)
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor
Joe Dorn	....	adr editor
Kimberly Gallagher-Carlton	....	assistant sound editor
Jerelyn J. Harding	....	adr supervisor
Rick Hart	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Craig Heath	....	mix recordist
Scott Hecker	....	sound editor
Doug Hemphill	....	sound re-recording mixer
Denise Horta	....	adr editor
Andy Kopetzky	....	sound editor
Dave Kulczycki	....	sound editor
Mark Lewer	....	stereo sound consultant: DTS
Melissa Lytle	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Massey	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	assistant sound editor (as Caitlin McKenna)
Chuck Michael	....	sound editor
John Morris	....	sound editor
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr editor
Lee Orloff	....	production sound recordist
Lauren Palmer	....	adr editor
Mark Pappas	....	sound editor
Thomas A. Payne	....	cable
Jerry Pirozzi	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Renga	....	mix recordist
Jay Wilkinson	....	supervising sound editor
Fred Peck III	....	foley recordist (uncredited)
Debby VanPoucke	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Casey Cavanaugh	....	special effects supervisor
Lawrence J. Cavanaugh	....	special effects coordinator
Sean Cavanaugh	....	special effects
David Domeyer	....	special effects foreman
Jeffrey Knott	....	special effects (as Jeffrey D. Knott)
Barry McQueary	....	special effects (as Barry L. McQueary)
Joseph P. Mercurio	....	special effects supervisor
Henry Millar	....	special effects foreman
Joe Montenegro	....	special effects foreman
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	assistant special effects coordinator
James Ochoa	....	special effects (uncredited)
Anthony Simonaitis	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Mitchell S. Drain	....	digital artist: D.Rez Hollywood
Dion Hatch	....	digital artist: D.Rez Hollywood
Clayton R. Marsh	....	effects editor: D-Rez Hollywood (as Clay Marsh)
Steve Rundell	....	executive producer: D-Rez Hollywood (as Steve R. Rundell)
Mary Stuart-Welch	....	effects producer: D-Rez Hollywood

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
Steve Blalock	....	stunts
John Casino	....	stunts
Danny Costa	....	stunts
Vince Deadrick Jr.	....	stunts
Allan Graf	....	stunt coordinator
Shawn Howell	....	stunts
Bill McIntosh	....	stunts
Bennie Moore	....	stunts
James Pratt	....	stunts (as Jim Pratt)
Webster Whinery	....	stunts
Joey Box	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Terry Jackson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kim Robert Koscki	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul E. Short	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mike Washlake	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tim Werner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Raliegh Wilson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Scott Workman	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael A. Chavez	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Michael Chavez)
Ron Cicero	....	electrician
Anthony R. Collier	....	grip
James F. Cornick	....	electrician
Scott Crabbe	....	video assist operator (as Scott R. Crabbe)
Jeff Durling	....	electrician
Kimo Easterwood	....	electrician
Mark W. Elias	....	key grip
Sam Emerson	....	still photographer (as Sam Young Emerson)
David R. Gold	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Joe Kraft	....	grip (as Joseph R. Kraft)
Robert LaBonge	....	camera operator
Thomas Lappin	....	camera loader
Nicholas S. McLean	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Nick McLean)
Steve McLean	....	first assistant camera
Todd McMullen	....	second assistant camera
Thomas R. Miller	....	grip
Danny Plante	....	grip (as Daniel M. Plante)
Steve Robertson	....	crane grip
Keith Roverud	....	rigging gaffer
Bret Rubin	....	rigging key grip
Scott Rubin	....	second grip
Jack S. Schlosser	....	chief lighting technician (as Jack Schlosser)
Lonnie Stewart	....	dolly grip
Neil Toussaint	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Kevin Blauvelt	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
John T. Connor	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Thomas Enright	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Jeffrey G. Hunt	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Ron Kunecke	....	night light operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Joyce Kurtz	....	voice casting
Christine Rhodes	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Colby P. Bart	....	costume supervisor (as Colby Bart)
Cynthia Black	....	costumer (as Cynthia D. Black)
Cha Blevins	....	costumer (as Deborah Cha Blevins)
Leah Brown	....	set costumer (as Leah P. Brown)
Lois DeArmond	....	costume illustrator
Dallas D. Dornan	....	set costumer (as Dallas Dornan)
Dorrie E. Halperin	....	costumer: Ellen Barkin (as Dorie Halperin)
Barry Kellogg	....	costume supervisor
Sarah Shawe	....	costumer (as Sarah Shaw)
Cathy Smith	....	costume constructor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Scott Boyd	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Phil Norden	....	assistant editor (as Philip Norden)
Yôko Seto	....	first assistant editor (as Yoko Seto)
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer

Music Department
Bunny Andrews	....	music editor
Todd Hayen	....	orchestrator
Kelly Mahan-Jaramillo	....	assistant music editor (as E. Kelly Mahan-Jaramillo)
Murray McFadden	....	music scoring mixer
Van Dyke Parks	....	music arranger: songs
Dan Savant	....	music contractor
Ron Goldstein	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Frank Macchia	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Kelly Joe Dugan	....	construction driver captain (as Kelly Dugan)
William Hogue	....	driver
Robert K. Johnson	....	transportation captain (as Rob Johnson)
Kenny Searle	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Paula Barrett-Barbier	....	script supervisor (as Paula Barrett)
Brenda Berrisford	....	assistant: Richard D. Zanuck
Eric Bice	....	technical advisor: clogging
Stephanie Chambers	....	assistant: Ellen Barkin (as Stephanie Bloch)
Steve Cowie	....	set production assistant
Anthony De Longis	....	whip coach
Laurie Dodsworth	....	assistant accountant
Robert Easton	....	dialect coach
Al Ebner	....	unit publicist
Robert G. Endara II	....	production secretary
Eric Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Mark Forbes	....	animal trainer
Katie Gilbert	....	production coordinator
Jennifer S. Gottlieb	....	production assistant
Christine Howard	....	assistant: Walter Hill
Patricia Jeffers	....	office production assistant
Carol Johnson	....	assistant: Walter Hill
Richard Klotz	....	location manager
Todd Lewis	....	assistant: Walter Hill
Richard Lorenzana	....	production accountant
Susan M. Lorenzana	....	first assistant accountant
Jesse Luna	....	poker coach
Olman Mata	....	card trick coach
Karen McKinnon	....	assistant: Lili Fini Zanuck
Rex Peterson	....	wrangler
Patricia Pretzinger	....	stage manager: theater sequence
Willie Radcliff	....	craft service (as Willie L. Radcliff)
Matt Rebenkoff	....	production assistant
Thell Reed	....	armor gun coach
Darin Rivetti	....	production assistant
Jonathan A. Rosenbaum	....	production assistant (as Jon Rosenbaum)
Roger Schumacher	....	animal trainer
Chuck Stein	....	security officer
Jeffrey D. Stevens	....	first aid
Rudy Ugland	....	boss wrangler
Michelle Watters	....	assistant: Jeff Bridges
Felix Werner	....	assistant: Gary Daigler (as Felix Florian Werner)
Dean Zanuck	....	production assistant
Bret Culpepper	....	assistant to armorer (uncredited)
Robert Lamkin	....	caterer (uncredited)
David R. Lawson	....	medic (uncredited)
Melissa Park	....	stand-in: Diane Lane (uncredited)

Thanks
Al Fleming	....	thanks
Larry Gross	....	thanks
John Langellier	....	thanks

Production Companies

• United Artists
• Zanuck Company, The

Distributors

• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• United Artists
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)
• Warner Home Video (1996) (Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Special Effects Unlimited  special effects services

MPAA:

Rated R for wild West violence and a sex scene.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Sioux | Cantonese

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Norway:15 (video premiere) | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Spain:13 | USA:R | Germany:16 | UK:15 | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Angeles National Forest, California, USA

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

The Preacher is played by Marjoe Gortner, who in reality was at one time a "church-tent" revivalist minister and evangelist.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In the big stable shootout, Wild Bill gets off more than 16 shots out of two colts.

Quotes:

Charley Price: He had found the band of jackals he needed. But as Jack McCall rode through the center of town, he experienced the terrifying certainty that a man faces when he's about to make his own name famous. He lacked both a hero's calm and a coward's resolve to survive at any price.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Last Man Standing (1996/I)

A Psychedelic Look At 'Wild Bill'

If there was ever a psychedelic western movie, this has to be it. It's so bizarre, at least compared to most westerns, that it was tough for me to write this review. I stopped and re-started several times. Where to start?

I just found it great fun, an entertaining film that's always a kick to view, and what more you can ask? Being someone who is very much into visuals, great cinematography and unique approaches to camera-work, this film provided all of that and more, such as an interesting story with whacked-out characters.

I love narration and John Hurt's description of the goings-on here was just great to hear. He played "Charlie," an Englishman with a gentleman's vocabulary that was in stark contrast to the hardened outlaws, led by 'Wild Bill' Hickok himself, played by Jeff Bridges. Ellen Barkin plays "Calamity Jane," and few women of the 1980s and '90s played foul-mouthed, hard-but-sexy women as convincingly as Barkin.

In addition to Hurt, Bridges and Barkin, other fun characters included "California Joe," Hickok's gravel-voiced friend who doesn't say much but when he does, you hear some some of the longest sentences ever uttered. Daid Arquette plays a very strange villain, the man who became famous for shooting Wild Bill. He acts strange and talks as if he has a mouthful of marbles. James Remar, another mean-looking tough guy, is a hired killer. Christina Applegate, Bruce Dern, Margoe Gortner, Keith Carradine and assorted other characters all add to this strange tale, strange in its telling and even stranger in its visual style.

Some of the film is in flashback, which is seen in startling black-and-white and mainly features Diane Lane, who is flat-out gorgeous and maybe the most intriguing person in the film. One of the flashbacks has the film deliberately overexposed with wild dream-like images.

No western "purist" admits to liking this but I love the genre and I put this near the top of my list of favorite westerns. So, sue me!