In the bustling city of Chicago, just over a year after the devastating Great Fire, an unconventional theatrical production titled Scouts of the Prairie opened its doors on December 16, 1872. This unique stage play brought real-life plainsmen, including the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody and Texas Jack Omohundro, to play themselves, captivating audiences with their authentic presence.
Penned by Ned Buntline, who also acted in the show as a trapper, the script was reportedly adapted from one of his dime novels. The cast was rounded out by the accomplished dancer Giuseppina Morlacchi, cast as an Indian maiden. Despite featuring real-life heroes of the Old West, critical reception for Scouts of the Prairie was famously harsh, with the Chicago Times famously lambasting it as an ‘incongruous drama’ with ‘execrable acting.’
However, what it lacked in critical acclaim, Scouts of the Prairie more than made up for in popular and financial success. Audiences flocked to witness the genuine Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack, alongside the charismatic Morlacchi, perform live. This enthusiasm carried the show through a successful tour of major American cities, demonstrating a clear public appetite for authentic Western narratives.
Ned Buntline: The Mastermind Behind the Mayhem
The visionary, or perhaps audacious, force behind Scouts of the Prairie was Edward Zane Carroll Judson, better known as Ned Buntline. His life story was as sensational as the dime novels he penned, filled with extraordinary exploits that stretched the bounds of belief.
Buntline’s adventurous career included naval service, participation in the Seminole War, and even a stint in the Civil War. Beyond the battlefield, he was deeply involved in political activism with the Know-Nothing Party, which often led to legal troubles, including imprisonment for his role in political riots.
A man of contradictions, Buntline was known for his heavy drinking but also delivered eloquent temperance lectures when sober. His personal life was equally tumultuous, marked by numerous marriages, liaisons, divorces, and even a bigamy charge. Despite his colorful and controversial reputation, Buntline was a prolific writer, recognizing the immense profitability of captivating historical fiction.
Buffalo Bill Cody’s Reluctant Stage Debut
Bringing Buffalo Bill Cody to the stage was no easy feat for Ned Buntline. At just under 27 years old, William Frederick Cody was not yet the globally renowned showman of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West fame, but he had already earned a national reputation as a skilled buffalo hunter, army guide, and scout, a celebrity status amplified by Buntline’s popular dime novels.
Cody had prior experience with stage fright, having made a famously awkward speech at the Bowery Theatre when called upon as the subject of another play. Yet, Buntline’s persistence, combined with the allure of financial gain and the novelty of appearing on stage, eventually swayed Cody to embrace his new role, forever changing the trajectory of his legendary career.
The Authentic Frontiersman: Texas Jack Omohundro
John Baker Omohundro, known as Texas Jack, shared a similar background to Buffalo Bill Cody. Though he never achieved Cody’s lasting global recognition, in 1872, Texas Jack was a highly respected plainsman and a popular figure in dime novels. Born in Virginia in 1846, he ventured west to Texas as a youth before returning to serve in the Virginia militia during the Civil War.
After the war, Omohundro became deeply involved in the burgeoning Texas cattle business, honing his skills as a cowboy. He earned his nickname
