![]() Much to my surprise the biggest station wagon I had ever seen (looked like from the 50's or even 40's pulled up and on the side of it a sign said the Great Cherokee Bill. We went to a family day at a resort lake that we had bought a lot to build a cabin. Much to my surprise in the summer of 72 or 73. I enjoyed the story but thought it was fiction. It told of "Bill" putting on a show at his school with knife's, rifles, and whips. One of the short stories was called The Great Cherokee Bill, written by Jesse Stuart. Back in the late 60's I had a book called Tales out of School. I was telling someone about the great Cherokee Bill the other day and I said I need to google this and see what I can find. Hope to hear from some old David frriends, But, there were no holds barred on the Cherokee Bill show. It all seems so risky in retrospect.Just, please don't tell me Cherokee Bill was a fake.įunny that the boys at school weren't allowed to shoot marbles "for keeps" because it was gambling. The rules for entertainment were never mentioned. You know, "they went to Cherokee Bill shows" and their mother let them play with knives." I wonder if Deanna Wicker, Tudy Bartley, Brenda Patton,Sue Dawson, Brenda Clay, Vivian Music, or Betty Mae Clark went to these shows. Wonder how many people from David are writing about those Bussey children. We had some colorful friends in David, didn't we? We, of course, are learning that we were also colorful. Sisters Toby, Peggy, and Karen confirmed just this past weekend that Cherokee Bill strapped willing participants to a large wheel, then as it spun around, threw knives to outline the victim. Did we ask permission to throw knives at each other? If it stuck in the ground, we had to put one leg on that spot. We would stand apart and throw at the other person's feet. I also remember that we used to play with knives out in the yard. He was ledengary, and all the stories Judy told you are true! Remember him balancing a ladder or chairs on his chin? Probably Roger Waugh, Donnie Ray Mollett, Wild Bill Hammond, or Bruce, had cigarettes in their mouths cut in half with a perfect snap of Cherokee Bill's whip. Yes, I do remember Cherokee Bill, and he did ALL those things. Sister Karen (who never embellishes) responded: Though I say Iĭoubt there is much that went on around David thatĪnyway, My mother is now requesting "Cherokee Bill" "Surely Mother(Nova) didn't know he threw Probably hung out at Bills trailer and smoked with hisīuddies. Says her brothers Rodney & Johnny probably got on stage with him, and Bruce Play spoons onĬhildren's heads? He would come into town with his bigĭog, school would be let out for the big show. Momĭisagreed, saying that "Cherokee Bill" could do all The obvious exaggeration of the movie charactersĪbilities with knives ruined the movie for me. Surely children weren't allowed to participate in or to view such dangerous acts as I described seeing on the stage of the David Movie Theater.(Yes, The Company built a small theatre for the community so no reason to leave, right?) Anyway, Tom wrote the following note to to my siblings seeking confirmation of my wild story.Ī viewing of the movie GANGS OF NEW YORK and aĭiscussion of "Bill the Butcher"'s artistry with knife ![]() My son was skeptical since I sometimes embellish the truth to make a good story. All the David children went to see the dangerous tricks of Cherokee Bill. I flooded Tom with my unbelievable stories of the wild west, one man show that came to David for a few seasons when I was a child. Quite a character in the screen play, then I remembered such a character from my childhood. We discussed "Bill the Butcher's" artistry with sharp knives and the way he never missed his target. My memories of Cherokee Bill were unharvested until I watched Gangs of New York in 2004 with my son, Tom. The audience watched breathlessly-if we dared watch at all, that is. As I think back, it's hard to believe he really existed and that we were allowed, not only to go to his performances, but, especially the boys-allowed to actually participate in his show. I sincerely hope someone does a search for "Cherokee Bill" and ends up on this site.
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