Biography of Buffalo Bill

Bison numbers

26 February 1846
January 10, 1917
William Frederick Cody was born in Le Claire, Iowa on day 26 February 1846. Just fifteen years reading a proclamation that now seems bizarre and reciting roughly: "do you need kids younger than eighteen, quick, experienced Knights aware to risk death every day: you prefer the orphans". Cody is attracted and thus becomes a Pony Express Courier. After his mother died in 1863 he enlisted in the 7th Cavalry of the State of Kansas, taking part in the American civil war. At the military camp in St. Louis, where he was stopping, the future Buffalo Bill knows Louisa Frederici, the woman who shortly afterwards, in 1866, would become his wife and with whom he had four children.
After the war, William Cody works for the military and for civil society "Pacific Railway" as a guide, until 1872. In the same period, Congress awarded him the highest military award of the United States, the "Medal of honor" for showing "bravery in action". The same coin was withdrawn in less than a month after death (in 1917), because Cody was a civilian at the time of deserving action; the Medal was later reassigned permanently in 1989. The nickname "Buffalo Bill" is saddled with stealing it to such a William Comstock, to which he belonged before, overcoming him in a Buffalo Hunt. Legend has it that Cody, in the years between 1868 and 1872, to support workers involved in the construction of the railway, has supplied with Bison meat by killing the impressive number of 4000 copies.
The bison were hunted in the area because their extermination would have sped up the activities of clearing and construction of the railway. At Warbonnet Creek, in 1876, Buffalo Bill makes a statement: to avenge the death of General Custer at Little Big Horn, claims to have killed a cheyenne brave, cutting off the scalp. If the myth of Buffalo Bill fed thanks to the protagonist himself, the spread is due to Ned Buntline, popular writer who in several stories narrates the exploits of Buffalo Bill; Buntline arrives to ask Cody to interpret the theatrical transposition of his novels: Buffalo Bill agrees to become an actor, and he will play himself for eleven consecutive seasons.
Launched in showbiz and entertainment, in 1883 created the "Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show," circus show that recreates and represented western-style moments like the battle of Little Bighorn. The show involved real Cowboys and native Americans of the era, such as sitting bull (the legendary Sioux Chief), Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock. In over twenty years of activity the "Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show" will become a success in the United States and also in Europe. In Europe, in London in 1889, will be one of the main attractions during Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.
The show arrives in Italy in 1890; recently converted to Catholicism, expresses and realizes the desire to meet Pope Leo XIII. In the same year, although an accomplished showman of international fame, Cody participates with the rank of Colonel to military operations against the Sioux, the tribe that had already fought in 1876. William Cody dies at the age of 71 years, the January 10, 1917 in Denver; at his request he was buried on Lookout Mountain, Colorado, East of Denver. There are many films that will inspire the life and exploits of Buffalo Bill; These include "The Plainsman" of Cecil b. De Mille (1936, with Gary Cooper), "Buffalo Bill" by William a. Wellman (1944), "Robert Altman's" Buffalo Bill and the Indians (1976, with Paul Newman). In Italy the Director Giuseppe Accatino realized in 1949 "Buffalo Bill", dedicated to the real challenge he saw Cody and his circus succumbing against representation of cowherds from Lazio the Pontine led by Augusto Imperial circus.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.