MOVIE NEWS – Since its release, Tombstone has solidified its status as one of the greatest Westerns ever made. The film chronicles the story of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp and his associates in Tombstone, Arizona. It was well received by critics upon release and has continued to leave a lasting impact in the genre.

One of the reasons for the film’s success is its all-star cast. Kurt Russell takes on the role of Wyatt Earp, while Val Kilmer delivers one of his most acclaimed performances as Doc Holliday. The cast also features Hollywood icons such as Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Charlton Heston, and Robert Mitchum as the narrator. However, eagle-eyed viewers scanning the credits might have noticed something strange—Wyatt Earp’s name appears in the list of actors.

Wyatt Earp’s Real-Life Cousin Had a Role in ‘Tombstone’

The reason Wyatt Earp is credited in a film about himself is actually quite simple—an actor by the same name was in the cast. However, this wasn’t a case of a historical figure playing himself, as the real Wyatt Earp had long since passed away. In fact, the actor named Wyatt Earp doesn’t even portray the legendary lawman in the movie.

Actor Wyatt Earp happens to be the fifth cousin of the historical figure. While this does make them distant relatives, being fifth cousins means they only share a great-great-great-great-great grandparent. Still, it puts into perspective just how close the real Wyatt Earp was to modern times—he passed away in 1929, just 33 years before his distant cousin was born.

In Tombstone, Wyatt Earp portrays Billy Claiborne, a minor character with a brief role in the famous O.K. Corral gunfight scene. His most notable moment occurs just before the shootout, as the Earp brothers approach the outlaws. Claiborne is among them but quickly flees. He’s seen wearing a white shirt, a reddish scarf, a mustache, and a cowboy hat.

Claiborne’s brief appearance in the film aligns with historical accounts. He was a friend of Billy Clanton, who took part in the shootout, and he was present at the time. Historians confirm that Claiborne indeed ran away from the fight and later claimed to be Billy the Kid.

The Actor Built a Career on His Connection to Wyatt Earp

Before becoming known as Wyatt Earp, the actor was originally named Glen Wyatt Earp but dropped his first name when he pursued acting. In an interview, Kurt Russell mistakenly referred to him as Wyatt Earp III, implying a direct lineage, though he is not a direct descendant. He has also been misidentified as Wyatt Earp’s great-grandnephew, but he clarified that he is a fifth cousin.

According to a 1994 Entertainment Weekly article, the actor’s role in Tombstone was initially even smaller. However, once the production team discovered his connection to the real Wyatt Earp, he was given the role of Billy Claiborne. While on set, he would often share historical insights about his distant cousin. He also revealed that he had additional scenes that were cut from the final film, including one where he killed Mr. Fabian and another where he was killed.

Tombstone is packed with behind-the-scenes stories, from Kurt Russell’s rumored directorial involvement to historical inaccuracies and rare trivia about Doc Holliday.

Since his time in Tombstone, Wyatt Earp has continued performing in theatrical productions about his famous relative and Doc Holliday. He starred in the one-man play Wyatt Earp: Life on the Frontier, which was written by his wife, Terry Earp. He also played Doc Holliday in a similar production, The Gentleman Doc Holliday, co-written by his wife and Karen Holliday Tanner, a relative of Doc Holliday. Both plays revisited the events of the O.K. Corral gunfight, creating a full-circle moment for Wyatt Earp, as that was the central scene of his brief film role.

The 1990s Wyatt Earp Craze

The actor Wyatt Earp took advantage of his famous name at the perfect time. In the early 1990s, Hollywood had a fascination with Wyatt Earp’s story, leading to the release of two major films about the lawman. The first was Tombstone, released in 1993 by Buena Vista Pictures, which depicted Wyatt Earp teaming up with other Western icons to take down the outlaw Cowboys. Kurt Russell starred as Earp. The second film, Wyatt Earp, came out in 1994 and starred Kevin Costner, offering a deeper dive into Earp’s life.

The actor tried to be involved in both productions. Upon learning that movies about his cousin were in development, he actively pursued roles. He initially sought to audition for the role of Morgan Earp in Wyatt Earp, directed by Lawrence Kasdan, but ultimately landed a part in Tombstone.

Looking back, he made the right choice. Tombstone became a cult classic, particularly praised for Val Kilmer’s performance as Doc Holliday. Meanwhile, Wyatt Earp struggled at the box office and was met with harsh reviews, earning only a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many critics calling its three-hour runtime excessive.

Source: MovieWeb