Customer Reviews

Bill Elliott : The Peaceable Man

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There was something about "I'm a peaceable man", when Bill Elliott would look you in the eye and say that line. Of course we fans knew him as "Wild Bill", and when you went to see him on the big screen, you got exactly what the marquee said...plenty of thrills, adventure and loaded with action. My personal favorites were the "Red Ryder Series" or "The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" an ongoing character that would appear in many films to come...as Hickok and Wild Bill Saunders. Elliott was a natural for the western, his riding abilities and fight scenes were the caliber of Buck Jones and Bob Steele. Seems the more films he made the better his acting and scripts were.

Bobby Copeland's book on "Bill Elliott:The Peaceable Man" is chuck full of answers to all the questions his fans had from early on. The forward by actress and co-star Peggy Stewart gives us a real insight of the man who was so peaceable. Plus other stars Gabby Hayes (his sidekick), Dub Taylor (another sidekick), Roy Barcroft (king of the badmen), Terry Frost (another badman), Tom London (a favorite of mine, did a lot of westerns with Wild Bill and many others), Marie Windsor (appeared in the film "Hellfire", a big favorite of mine) and Tex Ritter (teamed with him in many films)...all have expressed the same sentiments, Wild Bill was one of best-liked people in films. What you saw on the screen is what he really was...a great human being.

Copeland's coverage of the life and times of Elliott is very touching and entertaining. In his book there is His Biography...In the Comic Books...Ranking His Popularity...They Knew Bill Elliott...His Horses...They're Talking About Bill Elliott...Personal Life...Bill Elliott's Obituary...His Principal Sidekicks...Fred Harmon(Cowboy Artist, Creator of Red Ryder)...Bill Elliott Look-Alike(Ronnie Aycoth)...The Real Wild Bill vs. The Reel Wild Bill...Non-Starring Films of Elliott...More About the Author's Favorites...About The Author. There are many photos of stills, behind the scenes and personal pictures. My favorite is a rare photo of Gene Autry, Bill Elliott, Roy Rogers and the president of Republic Studios Herbert Yates during the peak of the studio.

I found myself being transported back in time, Mr. Copeland's book has opened my eyes to what a wonderful unselfish person Bill Elliott was...only wish I could have met him. He was one of a kind...a peaceable man!

Total Pages: 194 ~ Empire Publishing ISBN 0-944019-31-5 ~ (1/30/2000)

Wild Bill was one of my all time favorite B-western heros. Still love his movies.
Like to have more on dvd " Callin' Wild Bill".

I have a special interest in Bill Elliott because my father built his horse trailers. The sad thing is when Bill came to pickup or inspect his trailer, dad never introduced me while I was sweeping the shop. I enjoyed this book and wish I had really known him but I did see many of his movies each Saturday in our local movie theater and still watch them on the western channel today.I wonder what happened to the trailers that dad built?