STAGE TUBE: Sneak Peek - PBS's BILLY THE KID: THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Premieres Tonight
By: TV News Desk Jan. 10, 2012
On April 28, 1881, 21-year-old Henry McCarty, a.k.a. Billy the Kid, just days from being hanged for murder, outfoxed his jailors and electrified the nation with the latest in a long line of miraculous escapes. An outlaw with a deadly reputation, the young man was finally gunned down by the ambitious sheriff Pat Garrett just a few weeks later.
The felling of one of the most notorious criminals of the age made front-page news and marked the end of Henry - but it was the beginning of one of the West's most enduring legends. Demonized by the lawman that killed him, the Kid was soon mythologized by a stream of dime store novels and big-screen dramas, portrayed by everyone from Paul Newman to Roy Rogers to Emilio Estevez. But in all the tellings, Billy the Kid's real story has been obscured.
On January 10th, PBS will broadcast BILLY THE KID: THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE at 9:00 pm/et. The program features remarks by historians, writers and former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson.
To get a sneak peek at the upcoming special, click below!
Videos