Billy the Kid

Henry McCarty (November 23, 1859–July 14, 1881) better known as Billy the Kid but also known by the alias William Henry Bonney, was a 19th century American frontier outlaw and murderer who was a participant in the Lincoln County War. He is reputed to have killed 21 men, one for each year of his life, but the figure is probably closer to nine (four on his own and five with the help of others). McCarty had blue eyes, smooth cheeks, and was unusually friendly; traits that few other outlaws in the American West had at the time.

In Film, Literature, and Music

Billy the Kid has been the subject or inspiration for many works of art, including:

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• Sam Peckinpah's 1973 motion picture Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
• Howard Hughes' 1943 motion picture The Outlaw
• Billy the Kid (1930) - directed by King Vidor and starring Johnny Mack Brown
• Christopher Cain's 1988 motion picture Young Guns
• 1988 film, Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure (portrayed by Dan Shor)
• Geoff Murphy's 1990 motion picture Young Guns II
• Aaron Copland's 1938 ballet, Billy the Kid
• N. Scott Momaday's novel The Ancient Child
• Chris LeDoux's song, Billy the Kid
• Billy Joel's song, The Ballad of Billy The Kid
• Jon Bon Jovi's album Blaze of Glory
• Pat Garrett's book The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid
• Jack Spicer's 1958 serial poem Billy The Kid
• Chisum, 1970 movie staring John Wayne as John Chisum dealing with Billy the Kid's involvement in the Lincoln County War. Portrayed by Geoffrey Deuel.