<i> BAT MASTERSON, V/O: IN THE
WANING DAYS OF THE WILD WEST,</i> <i> ONE COWBOY WAS DETERMINED
TO PRESERVE</i> <i> A VANISHING WAY OF LIFE.</i> CHARLIE, THIS IS NANCY COOPER. I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE AN
ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST,
MR. RUSSELL. TRULY, I HAVE NEVER
SEEN THEIR LIKE. THAT'S ALL YOU
EVER SAW IN ME WAS DOLLAR SIGNS. <i> [KNOCKING METAL CUP]
[OPENING FLASK]</i> I'VE NEVER KNOWN
ANYONE LIKE YOU. BUT I NEED YOU TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT. <i> BAT MASTERSON, V/O:
THIS IS THE TRUE STORY</i> <i> OF CHARLES RUSSELL,
THE COWBOY ARTIST.</i> <i> [TRAIN WHISTLE]</i> <i> I WAS JUST A YOUNG MAN
WHEN I FIRST HEADED WEST.</i> <i> IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED,
I BECAME</i> <i> A COWBOY...
A GUNSLINGER...</i> <i> AND EVEN SERVED AS SHERIFF
OF DODGE CITY,</i> <i> ONE OF THE MOST LAWLESS TOWNS
IN THE COUNTRY.</i> <i> MY NAME IS BAT MASTERSON.</i> <i> NOW I'M A REPORTER AND I'VE
COME WEST AGAIN</i> <i> TO CHRONICLE THE WORLD
THAT I KNOW BEST...</i> <i> THE AMERICAN WEST.</i> <i> THE LURE OF GOLD, LAND, AND
DESTINY FLOODED THE</i> <i> FRONTIER WITH MEN,
BOTH GOOD AND BAD.</i> <i> THESE ARE THE INCREDIBLE
TRUE TALES OF THE WILD WEST.</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> MRS. CHARLES RUSSELL,
I PRESUME. PLEASE, MR. MASTERSON,
CALL ME NANCY. I HOPE YOU DIDN'T DRAG
THAT CRATE ALL THE WAY FROM MONTANA ON MY ACCOUNT. IT WAS NO PROBLEM. GENTLE.
GENTLE. MAGNIFICENT. NANCY: I'LL LET YOU IN
ON A LITTLE SECRET. THAT FELLOW ON THE HORSE... THAT'S CHARLIE. I HAD NO IDEA YOU'D GO TO SO
MUCH TROUBLE TO SHOW ME CHARLES' WORK...
IN PERSON. WE LIKE TO SAY
"ON CANVAS". MR. MASTERSON,
THERE'S NOTHING I WOULDN'T DO TO
INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO CHARLES RUSSELL,
COWBOY ARTIST. I LIKE THAT. WHEN YOU REACHED OUT,
ASKING ABOUT DOING A PIECE ON CHARLIE
AND HIS WORK, WELL, I HAD TO MAKE SURE
YOU SAW HIS ART AND SEE HOW
TRULY SPECIAL IT IS. SO IS...
MR. RUSSELL GONNA... OH... HIS WORK TAKES UP
A GREAT DEAL OF HIS TIME. WHEN YOU WROTE, ASKING
ABOUT AN INTERVIEW, WELL, I'M HAPPY
TO STEP IN. AS WHAT?
A PROUD WIFE? OR HIS AGENT? DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU? I GUESS IT SHOULDN'T. SO, HOW'D YOU COME BY
THIS ARRANGEMENT? IT'S NOT EXACTLY
THE WORD I'D USE. FAIR ENOUGH. WHEN DID YOU FIRST
GET ACQUAINTED? IS THIS WHAT YOU
INTEND TO WRITE ABOUT, MR. MASTERSON? BAT, PLEASE.
INDULGE ME? MOST ALL BOYS DREAM
OF BEING A COWBOY. BUT CHARLIE ACTUALLY DID IT. <i> [CATTLE MOOING]</i> <i> HE LEFT THE COMFORTS
OF ST. LOUIS FOR MONTANA</i> <i> AND SPENT 10 YEARS RANCHING
AND RIDING ROUND-UPS.</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> BAT: CHARLES WAS STILL
A YOUNG MAN</i> WHEN HE QUIT RANCH LIFE. WHAT CHANGED? DO YOU REMEMBER THE
WINTER OF '87? <i> HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF CATTLE DIED IN THE SNOW,</i> <i> FROZEN AND STARVING.</i> <i> WHEN THE OWNERS WROTE,
ASKING HOW BAD IT WAS,</i> <i> WELL, CHARLIE KNEW WORDS
WOULDN'T CUT IT.</i> <i> SO, HE PAINTED THEM
A PICTURE.</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> WHEN THE SNOW
FINALLY THAWED, THE CARNAGE WAS
UNSPEAKABLE. THAT PAINTING WAS
PASSED AROUND HELENA AND SOON, ALL MONTANA
KNEW THE NAME CHARLES RUSSELL. I'VE SEEN HIS TALENTS,
I'M STARTING TO DISCERN YOURS. WHERE'D YOUR PATHS
FINALLY CROSS? NOW, WE'RE GETTIN'
TO THE GOOD PART. I WAS LIVING IN
CASCADE, WORKING FOR
THE ROBERTS FAMILY. GOOD PEOPLE. THEY TOOK ME IN
AFTER MY MOTHER DIED. DID I TELL YOU THAT I KNEW
THE RUSSELLS IN HELENA? THEY MUST BE BESIDES THEMSELVES
THAT CHARLES HASN'T SETTLED DOWN BY NOW. HOW MANY MORE POTATOES
DO WE NEED AGAIN? BUT I SAY IT'S JUST
A MATTER OF TIME, AND CIRCUMSTANCE... BEN: I'M BACK. BROUGHT COMPANY. CHARLES RUSSELL. YOU'RE LOOKING MORE HANDSOME
THAN EVER. NANCY, COME ON OUT HERE. SOMEONE I WANT YOU TO MEET. CHARLIE...
THIS IS NANCY COOPER. SHE'S THE ONE THAT'S BEEN
HELPIN' LELA AROUND THE HOUSE. <i> ♪</i> ♪ PLEASED TO MEET YOU,
MR. RUSSELL. I'VE HEARD A GOOD DEAL
ABOUT YOU. NO CAUSE FOR ALARM,
I HOPE. <i> ♪ ♪</i> OH...<i>
[CHUCKLING]</i> I COULD USE A SCRUB. OF COURSE. <i> ♪</i> ♪ HMM... CHARLIE. YOU NEVER TOLD US WHAT
YOU WERE UP TO OUT IN CANADA. SOME WORK...
LOT OF PAINTING. LIVED WITH THE BLOOD TRIBE
FOR A SPELL. CHARLIE HERE'S GOT A SOFT SPOT
FOR THE NATIVES.
- OH MY. BEN: HE PAINTS THEM MORE THAN
ANYBODY ELSE. WELL, SOMEONE HAS TO. BEFORE THEY'RE ALL GONE. LELA: WELL, THAT'S A NOBLE
SENTIMENT. BUT IT'S HIGH TIME THAT YOU
START LOOKIN' TO THE FUTURE. START A FAMILY OF YOUR OWN? <i> [LAUGHTER]</i> WELL, I FIGURE THE GAL
HAS TO ROPE ME. WELL, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE AN ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST,
MR. RUSSELL. STARVIN' ARTIST MORE LIKE. WELL, MAYBE I'VE SEEN
YOUR WORK SOMEWHERE. YOU'LL FIND MOST OF IT
LINING THE WALLS OF BARS AND BROTHELS. BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE A PRETTY
GIRL LIKE YOU WOULD FREQUENT SUCH
ESTABLISHMENTS. <i> [LAUGHTER]</i> LELA: REALLY, CHARLES! <i> [LAUGHTER]</i> BEN: NO.
CHARLIE: IT'S TRUE. NOW, HE'S HAD SIX PAINTINGS
IN THE ST. LOUIS ART SOCIETY. ALL HANDSOMELY MOUNTED. AND NONE SOLD. I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT ART,
BUT I DO ADMIRE MR. REMINGTON'S WORK.<i>
[CHARLIE COUGHS]</i> THE PAINTINGS IN HARPER'S
MAGAZINE? [WHISPERING] HAVE I SAID
SOMETHING WRONG? WELL... APART FROM BEIN' AN
ACADEMY SNOOT... HE'S A FRAUD. DOESN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
THE WEST. TO HIM, THE WEST IS ALL
JUST SAVAGERY. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SELLS. NOTHING NOBLE ABOUT IT. HMM.
STILL, HE'S QUITE SUCCESSFUL. THERE'S MORE TO IT
THAN MAKIN' MONEY. WELL, I BELIEVE ART IS A THING
TO BE SHARED. THE WAY YOU SEE THINGS
DOESN'T MATTER IF NO ONE ELSE GETS THE CHANCE
TO SEE YOUR WORK. <i> ♪</i> ♪ <i> ♪ ♪</i> BAT: OH, I LOVE THIS ONE. IT'S CALLED "WATER HOLE". <i> ♪</i> ♪ SEEMS TO ME, YOU MET CHARLES
AT A CROSSROADS. COWBOY LIFE WAS BEHIND HIM
AND... ARTIST LIFE HADN'T QUITE
TAKEN OFF YET. THE CROSSROADS IS A FINE
PLACE TO MEET SOMEONE. CHANCES ARE THEY'VE BEEN
WAITING FOR YOU. <i> ♪</i> ♪ <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> [STUMBLING]</i> CHARLIE: OH...<i>
[DRUNKEN LAUGHTER]</i> NANCY: WHAT IN THE WORLD? I WAS ATTEMPTING TO SIT. I WAS BETRAYED. SHH.
KEEP QUIET. YOU'LL WAKE THE WHOLE HOUSE. YEAH.
AH... I'D BE ASHAMED TO BE SEEN
IN YOUR CONDITION. AW, DON'T WORRY, MISS NANCY. THE WORLD STILL SPINS... SAME WITH THIS ROOM. WELL, I SUGGEST YOU
SLEEP IT OFF. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,
WAIT, WAIT. UNHAND ME. WHY? BECAUSE I TOLD YOU TO. YOU'RE AFRAID. I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU,
MR. RUSSELL. OH, NOT OF ME? OF EVERYTHING ELSE. OF ALL THE OTHER NASTY SURPRISES
LIFE'S GOT IN STORE FOR YOU. YOU DON'T KNOW ME
AT ALL. I KNOW YOU'RE ALONE... <i> ♪ ♪</i> NOT LONELY;
WE ALL GET LONELY. I MEAN WELL AND TRULY ALONE. <i> ♪ ♪</i> WE GOT THAT IN COMMON. AND WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO- IS THIS YOUR IDEA
OF A COURTSHIP? IF YOU'VE SOMETHIN'
TO SAY TO ME, SAY IT NOW. <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> THAT'S HOW I SAY IT. <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> I SUPPOSE YOU TWO
DIDN'T WASTE ANY TIME GETTIN' HITCHED. WE RENTED A PLACE
IN GREAT FALLS. OUR BASEMENT LEAKED AND MY KITCHEN GOT
TURNED INTO A STUDIO. <i> [LAUGHTER]</i> AH, TWO NEWLYWEDS
LIVING OFF PAINTING... TIMES MUST HAVE BEEN TOUGH. WE WERE HAPPY THERE. BUT CHARLIE STILL
HADN'T LEARNED HIS OWN WORTH. <i> ♪ ♪</i> COFFEE?
MR. CAMERON? MY THANKS,
MRS. RUSSELL. I MUST CONFESS,
I FIND MYSELF TRANSPORTED BY YOUR HUSBAND'S RUSTIC
CORNUCOPIA. A SPIRIT OF MANIFEST DESTINY
IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THIS STUDIO. YES, WE'RE VERY PROUD
OF CHARLIE'S WORK AND WE'RE ANXIOUS TO SHARE IT
WITH FOLKS. AS AM I, MADAM. TRULY, I'VE NEVER SEEN
THEIR LIKE. YEAH? WELL WHAT ABOUT THEM
STRIKES YOUR FANCY? IN A WORD, SIR... FIDELITY. THESE SCENES OF A LAWLESS WEST
LONG GONE... AND THE CHARACTERS WHO MADE UP
ITS POPULOUS. THE STEADFAST COWBOY... THE RUSTLING HORSES... AND THE RUGGED TERRAIN. THEY ARE VIVID
BECAUSE THEY'RE TRUE. YOU HAVE WOVEN INTO THE VERY
FABRIC OF THESE CANVASES THE ELUSIVE SPIRIT
OF THE OLD WEST. MR. CAMERON. CHARLIE AND I ARE MIGHTY
IMPRESSED WITH YOUR MAGAZINE. QUITE RIGHT. MR. RUSSELL, I'LL ARRIVE
AT THE POINT AND LET US NEITHER
DITHER NOR DELAY. ALL RIGHT. NO, NO DITHERIN'. I WOULD LIKE TO PRINT
THIS PIECE IN FIELD AND STREAM. WHAT IS YOUR PRICE? AW, I DON'T KNOW. WHATEVER YOU THINK IT'S WORTH. HMM. THOUGH IT SEEMS GARISH
TO PLACE A PRICE ON ART... WE MUST... $40! <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> [CHUCKLING]</i> FORGIVE ME. I'M NOT SURE WHICH
PARTY I'M NEGOTIATING WITH. YOU SAID NAME YOUR PRICE. AS A SHOW OF GOOD FAITH,
MRS. RUSSELL, BUT DO LET'S BE
REASONABLE. $40 SEEMS MORE THAN
REASONABLE FOR A PAINTING
THAT'S GOT SUCH... FIDELITY...
AND VIVIDNESS. <i> ♪</i> ♪ MR. RUSSELL... I'M AFRAID YOU'VE HITCHED YOUR
PROVERBIAL WAGON TO A... JESTER. <i> ♪</i> ♪ GOOD LUCK TO YOU. <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> 35. I BEG PARDON? NANCY: $35 AND THE PAINTING'S
ALL YOURS. <i> ♪ ♪</i> 15. 30. 20. 30. <i> ♪ ♪</i> 30. <i> ♪</i> ♪ I'LL SEND A COURIER TO COLLECT
IT WITHIN A WEEK. GREAT. GOOD DAY, MR. CAMERON. <i> ♪ ♪</i> NOW CHARLIE...
DON'T BE CROSS. IT'S HIGH TIME SOMEBODY
PAID YOU WHAT YOU'RE WORTH AND IF YOU THINK I'M GONNA
STAND HERE AND FEEL GUILTY, WELL I'M NOT. <i> [LAUGHTER]</i> 30 DOLLARS! <i> [LAUGHTER]</i> NO GOIN' BACK AFTER THAT
WAS THERE? WELL, I ALREADY
HAD A PERSONAL STAKE IN THE CHARLES RUSSELL
BUSINESS. I JUST KNEW BUSINESS
COULD BE BETTER. I GUESS YOU HAD TO
LEARN ON THE JOB. WELL, FIRST THING
I LEARNED WAS THAT CHARLIE
WAS AS KNOWN AS HE'D EVER BE
IN MONTANA. SO, I HAD TO GET
HIS WORK ONTO A BIGGER STAGE. <i> ♪</i> ♪ THIS IS IT, CHARLIE! THIS IS THE CHANCE WE'VE
BEEN WAITING FOR. THE FAIR? NOT JUST A FAIR. THE ST. LOUIS WORLD'S FAIR! THE GATEWAY TO THE WEST. THERE'S GONNA BE
A MONTANA PAVILION. AND THE PALACE OF FINE ARTS
WILL SHOW THE BEST PIECES OF WESTERN ART FROM ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY. NANCY? I THINK WE SHOULD SEND FIVE... NO 10 PAINTINGS. CHARLIE? YOU'RE GONNA NEED
TO CREATE SOME NEW WORK. AND I MEAN PAINT LIKE YOU'VE
NEVER DONE BEFORE. NANCY. I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT. BUT... THIS... IS A FARCE. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I MEAN, THESE CITY FATHERS
WANT TO PUT ON A SHOW! SELL PEOPLE A WEST
THAT WASN'T REAL. WELL THEN GIVE THEM
SOMETHING REAL. WELL, I GUESS THEY'LL
FILL UP THE GALLERY SOMEHOW. I CAN ONLY GUESS HOW MANY
PAINTINGS REMINGTON WILL SUBMIT. <i> [SIGH]</i> <i> ♪</i> ♪ <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> WE SUBMITTED
SIX PAINTINGS. I'D NEVER SEEN HIM
WORK SO HARD. HOW LONG DID
THE WAITING LAST? WEEKS. WE KNEW OTHER ARTISTS
WERE GETTIN' IN, BUT NOT A WORD
ABOUT CHARLIE. THAT MUST HAVE PUT
A STRAIN ON THINGS. LOOKIN' BACK... I DIDN'T REALIZE THE PRESSURE
I'D PLACED ON HIS SHOULDERS. <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? NANCY, DARLIN'. NOT SO LOUD. I SAT UP HALF THE NIGHT
SCARED TO DEATH. YOU HAVE THE GALL
TO COME HOME DRUNK? WELL... I WANT TO SET IT RIGHT. I'VE HAD AN EPIPHANY,
YOU SEE. CHARLIE, YOU'RE NOT
GONNA PAINT RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE GONNA TALK TO ME. I'M NOT GONNA PAINT. NOT TONIGHT. NOT EVER. <i> [SCREAM]</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> NO! NO! WHAT'S THE POINT
OF ALL THIS, HUH? THIS WHOLE ROOM REEKS OF... DEATH. BEAT YOURSELF UP,
IF YOU LIKE. BUT YOU WILL NOT DO THIS. THAT'S OUR FUTURE! THAT'S ALL I AM TO YOU. ISN'T THAT RIGHT? CHARLIE. THAT'S ALL YOU EVER
SAW IN ME... WAS DOLLAR SIGNS. WELL, THIS IS WHAT
YOU GOT. <i> [KNOCKING ASIDE METAL CUP]</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> [OPENING FLASK]</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> CHARLIE. I'VE NEVER KNOWN
ANYONE LIKE YOU. I LOVE YOU. AND I BELIEVE
IN YOUR TALENT. BUT I NEED YOU TO
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT. I'D RATHER BE ALONE
THAN LIVE LIKE THIS. <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> [FLASK CLATTERS TO FLOOR]</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> [BIRDS CHIRPING]</i> <i> [DOOR OPENS]</i> I DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK. I'VE... LIVED TOO LONG IN THE PAST TRYING TO KEEP HOLD OF SOMETHING
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S REAL. THIS... <i> ♪ ♪</i> THIS IS REAL. WHATEVER ELSE I DO, I WANT YOU
RIGHT THERE BESIDE ME. <i> ♪</i> ♪ THIS JUST ARRIVED. IT'S FROM THE FAIR. YOU READ IT? NO, GO AHEAD. <i> ♪</i> ♪ <i> ♪ ♪</i> NANCE? <i> ♪</i> ♪ FOUR. <i> ♪</i> ♪ THEY'RE TAKING FOUR PAINTINGS. THEY'RE GONNA HANG THEM IN THE
PALACE OF FINE ARTS. CHARLIE, YOU'VE DONE IT! NO, NO. <i> ♪</i> ♪ WE DID IT. <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> BAT MASTERSON, V/O:
CHARLES RUSSELL,</i> <i> "THE COWBOY ARTIST" PRODUCED
CLOSE TO 4,000</i> <i> WORKS OF ART IN HIS LIFETIME.</i> <i> NANCY RUSSELL WORKED TIRELESSLY
TO PROMOTE HER HUSBAND</i> <i> AND HIS WESTERN ART,
MAKING THE NAME</i> <i> CHARLES M. RUSSELL
WORLD FAMOUS.</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> <i> ♪ ♪</i> THANKS AGAIN,
MRS. RUSSELL. SEEING YOUR HUSBAND'S WORK
IN PERSON- ON CANVAS <i> [LAUGHTER]</i> WAS A RARE TREAT. WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH
FOR SHARING CHARLIE'S WORK WITH YOUR READERS. MY READERS... WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING
ABOUT THE TRUE WEST. WHICH WE BOTH KNOW IS...
DISAPPEARING. BUT I NOW KNOW, THANKS IN PART
TO YOUR UNWAVERING BELIEF IN YOUR HUSBAND, CHARLES RUSSELL'S PRESERVING
A LITTLE BIT OF THAT REAL WEST. FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
