Print the Legend; The Hollywood Frontier Editor

Abstract

Western motion pictures and television programs produced during the twentieth century developed recognizable tropes for several stock characters that audiences could easily recognize. Among these was the character of the frontier newspaper editor, and the presentation of this stereotype was demonstrably different from the actual experience of newspapermen in the west. Comparison of the films with the historical record can reveal these differences and, in at least one case, a portrayal that is surprisingly accurate.