The Making of Broncho Billy
(1913) American
B&W : One reel
Directed by Gilbert M. Anderson

Cast: G.M. Anderson (Gilbert M. Anderson) [Broncho Billy], Brinsley Shaw [Wilkes], Harry Todd [sheriff], Victor Potel, Pat Rooney (Patrick Rooney), Fred Church, Willis Elder, Kite Robinson, Joe Cassidy, Rollie Totheroh (Roland Totheroh), Frank Pementel, ‘Texas’ George Briggs

Essanay Film Manufacturing Company production; distributed by General Film Company. / Released 1 February 1913. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1 format. / The production was shot at the Essanay studio in Niles (Fremont), California.

Drama: Western.

Synopsis: When a dude (Anderson) visits a hotel out west, he is harassed by the local cowboys. To defend himself, the dude buys a gun and soon learns that shooting is harder than it appears. Now dressed in western garb, the dude has become Broncho Billy and has learned to use a gun by successfully shooting bottles and playing cards in target practice. He confronts Wilkes, his former taunter, and outdraws him in a gunfight, wounding the man. Chased by other cowboys, Billy rides to the sheriff’s office where he turns himself in. Seeing the angry mob of cowboys, the sheriff entrusts Billy with his sidearm for protection. When the cowboys overrun the sheriff’s office, Wilkes arrives to effect peace and to make up his differences with Billy.

Survival Status: Incomplete print exists (missing ending footage) in the Film Preservation Associates film collection (Blackhawk Films collection) [35mm fine-grain positive], and in private film collections [8mm reduction positives].

Keywords: Animals: Horses - Bars - Bottles - Clothing: Hats, Ties (Bowties), Western - Cowboys - Dudes - Fights: Gun - Gambling - Hotels - Jails - Keys - Money - Offices: Sheriff’s - Police: Sheriffs - Saloons - Target practice - USA: California: Niles (Fremont) - Weapons: Guns: Pistols, Rifles

Listing updated: 8 March 2007.

References: Film credits, film viewing : Website-IMDb.

Home Video: DVD.