His family members were slaves of an arkansas state legislator by the name of william steele reeves. Apr 21, 2014 bass reeves family however, claims an alternative story which suggests that between 1861 and 1862, reeves attacked his owner in an argument over a card game and escaped into indian territory. Director wes miller shares black history story of bass. You may recall, at one point, morgan freeman was working on a bass reeves miniseries at hbo a few years ago. From the research i did on bass reeves, this film seems to be very historically accurate. This western action movie is adapted from the bestselling novel trilogy penned by author fred staff, and features real life exploits of u. Bass reeves finally gets his hollywood moment in hbos. Hired by judge isaac parker bobby dehay and marshal fagan james c rogers, jr, bass arrested more than 3, 000 outlaws in his career as deputy marshal. According to his daughter alice reeves spahn, bass reeves felt the high point of his career came in bringing to justice one bob dozier. Casting, bass reeves is coming, a western about the first u. With ron perlman, frank grillo, zahn mcclarnon, david gyasi. According to deadline, john sayles will script the project which will be based on burtons book of course. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the adventures of bass reeves. Bass reeves 1838 1910 1911addicts the premiere 1911.
A 25foot work of art honors the illustrious lawman, believed to be the first black u. A movie based on the true life story of bass reeves, a legendary tough african american cowboy in the wild west. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the legend of bass reeves. I found that the comedic spots in the film added to the liveliness of the story. Morgan freemans bass reeves project finally gets a lift, thanks to hbo. Explore the almostlost legend of one of americas greatest lawmen. A drama based on the life of bass reeves, the first africanamerican united states deputy marshal. This western action movie is adapted from the bestselling novel trilogy penned by. Theres a new movie about the real lawman watchmen depicts. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Biopics are in the works at amazon studios and hbo coproduced by morgan freeman. Yet another miniseries adapted from a biography is in the planning stages at hbo.
With derek ray duncan, samuel godwin, mauricio griffin, david guthrie. A black man becomes a united states deputy marshal in the 1875 west. Mar 11, 2020 i n hell on the border, a bmovie western set in arkansas, bass reeves saves the life of a judge, tracks down a dangerous outlaw, and is appointed deputy us marshal. Although reeves was an africanamerican and illiterate, he brought in more outlaws from eastern oklahoma and western arkansas than anyone else, according to the book, black gun, silver star. To any man or any criminal what was subject to arrest he did his full duty according to law. Parker, when the hanging judge first took the bench in fort smith, arkansas. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the legend of bass reeves. You can see a rebus in some of the speech bubbles, in which a small face is inserted in the text to substitute for the hostile names bass would have been called.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. From the people that brought you the innocence saga and other films comes bass reeves. The legend of bass reeves kindle edition by gary paulsen. Film maker, tyler perry, and film production company, alcon entertainment, were interested in the screenplay but didnt want to do a western film at the time.
So if your looking for a cool western to kick back and watch i believe that bass reeves is a great choice. The hbo series watchmen has familiarized audiences with the reallife deputy us marshal bass reeves, an africanamerican lawman in the old west. Dave kennedy, curator of collections and exhibits, said recently the museum is still in search of bass. Marshal bass reeves, a true legend of the american west. Bass reeves got his first name from his grandfather basse washington and took the surname of the reeves family who owned him as a slave. In 1860, reeves took the distraction of the civil war as an opportunity to esca. How watchmens bass reeves cameo ties into the original comic the first episodes film withina film ties into the comics vision of althistory pop culture. Another bass reeves movie project remains alive and well at. Arkansas, 1875, after shooting 5 men to save a judge and then going into indian territory after a lethal outlaw, bass reeves becomes the first black deputy marshal west of mississippi. This epic, actionpacked western tells the incredible true story of bass reeves gyasi, the.
Aug 06, 20 was bass reeves a former slave turned deputy u. In this timeline skills game, students show their knowledge of bass reeves by following context clues to order events and win artifacts. Bass reeves simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Reeves, bass the handbook of texas online texas state. No story of the conflict of governments officers with those. Marshall and tamed the western badlands, making over 3,000 felony arrests. Owned by a man named william reeves, a farmer and politician, bass took the surname of his owner, like other slaves of the time. In this bass reeves film, lawless, three outlaws divvy up a dead mans belongings. Hell on the border focuses on bass reeves, who was the first african american deputy marshall west of the mississippi river. Some of his shootings would sound like scriptwriter fiction from a cowboy movie if they werent firmly lodged as historical fact. Watch the trailer to hell on the border, about bass. Dec 30, 2008 the legend of bass reeves ebook written by gary paulsen. As were watching reevess moviewithinamovie, the camera pulls back to reveal a black child watching this very scene raptly inside a theater. And unlike the famous hero of radio, tv and film, reeves wore no mask.
Despite speculation that he inspired the creation of the lone ranger, few people know the epic story of bass reeves. Bass reeves video 2010 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. He was one of the first african americans to work in law enforcement west of the mississippi river. He settled in indian territory and in 1875 was hired to ride for judge issac c.
That is until they realize one of them is keeping a secret. He faced some of the most murderous outlaws known to. Instead, as the first black deputy us marshal west of the mississippi, he fought to clear the arkansas and oklahoma territories of criminals during the late 19th century. Born a slave in arkansas, reeves grew up in grayson county, texas, following the relocation of his owner, william s. Bass reeves little known black history fact black america web. See the full list of bass reeves cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. Bass reeves james a house was one of the first black federal deputy marshals. Wouldnt a film about reeves make one helluva movie. The official description for hell on the border reads. A 25foot monument that artfully honors the illustrious former slave turned respected lawman, bass reeves. On january 12, 1910, bass reeves died at the age of 71, in muskogee, oklahoma.
Bass reeves, a 2010 fictionalized account of reeves s life and career, stars james a. Files will be saved to your downloads folder, and then can be opened. The upcoming lionsgate film hell on the border brings reeves story to life. Aug 08, 2017 bass reeves, wearing his iconic push broom mustache. Bass reeves, american lawman who was one of the first deputy u. Jr, bass arrested more than 3, 000 outlaws in his career as deputy marshal. Many heroic lawmen of the wild west, familiar to us through television and film, were actually violent scoundrels and outlaws themselves.
The border is a 2019 action film based on the early law enforcement career of bass reeves. Bass reeves, overlooked american hero, gets hollywood closeup. He worked in arkansas and oklahoma territory and during his long career, he was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves, written by art burton. Bass reeves was a paris, texasborn slave who become one of the toughest men of the frontier in history. He was the epitome of dedication to duty, judge parkers most trusted deputy and one of the greatest lawmen of the western frontier. Morgan freemans bass reeves project finally gets a lift. He was born as a slave, but then escaped his abusive master. Bass reeves worked to bring about law and order to a terrible area, but when a democratic government was set up, it was worse than before for bass, brady said. An excellent profile of bass reeves 18381910, a former slave who became a deputy u. Though the truth has yet to be determined, historians consider it unlikely that reeves ever served in the last two battles.
The story of a reallife, historic blackfigure is an upcoming film. Deputy marshal during one time and he was the most feared u. Reeves health failed in january 1910, and he died of brights disease in that year. Bass reeves, a 2010 fictionalized account of reevess life and career, stars james a.
Bass reeves, despite his big frame, was a good man, polite in his ways, and had a good sense of humor. In the midst of this chaos, nine outlaws attempt to take over a saloon in the worst way. Apr 01, 2008 a finalist for the 2007 spur award, sponsored by the western writers of america, black gun, silver star tells bass reeves. Born to slave parents in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas, bass reeves would become the first black u.
Anticipation growing for hell on the border, bass reeves. Bass reeves, the first black commissioned united states deputy marshal west of the mississippi river, was born to slave parents in july 1838 in arkansas. His rendition of the great bass reeves son, bennie was riveting. Tales of the talented tenth, the author has chosen to highlight the racism with symbolic images that are called rebuses. He was seen on the first episode of hbos the watchmen, his life story portrayed in a silent film being watched by a young boy during the tulsa race riots in 1921. Download our free app for apple and android and kindle devices. The life and legend of frontier marshall bass reeves. Actor morgan freeman is one of the producers that will adapt the art t. Reports regarding reeves s activities and whereabouts. He passed away yesterday afternoon about three oclock and in a short time news of his death had reached the federal court house where the announcement was received in the various offices with comments of regret and where it recalled to the officers and clerks many incidents in the early days of the united states court here in which the old negro deputy featured heroically.
Bass reeves 18381910 was an african american sheriff in arkansas, who brought in hundreds of convicts. On par with much of his work, this film looks like a bunch of good. Bass reeves was born in july 1938 in crawford county, arkansas. During the civil war, bass became a fugitive slave and found refuge in indian territory. A western adventure from the author of the bass reeves stories kindle edition by ray, charles, thompson, paul l. The film claims that bass reeves shoots five guys before they even drew their revolvers, but we know that bass reeves was never in a gunfight like that, ever. There havent been many updates since it was announced and the project is likely dead. Marshals museum in fort smith has an impressive collection of guns and documents related to famed deputy u. This project takes us to the classic old west to play out the life of frontier marshal bass reeves.
Hell on the border is a 2019 action film based on the early law enforcement career of bass reeves, starring david gyasi. See more ideas about african, black history and black cowboys. A movie based on the true life story of bass reeves, a legendary tough. Reeves, bass the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and culture. Well, it looks like morgan freeman thought the same thing because hes teamed up with hbo for a miniseries based on the bass reeves life. Sep 03, 2017 bass reeves is on his most dangerous mission yet, facing one of the most notorious outlaws in the indian territory. Bass reeves james a house was one of the first black federal deputy. How watchmens bass reeves cameo ties into the original comic. Morgan freeman brings bass reeves miniseries to hbo. Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nations history. There was no bass reeves movie in 1921nor would there be one for another century or so. Instead, reeves s story seemed to fade into the general tapestry of wild west myth.
Bass reeves july 1838 january 12, 1910 was an american law enforcement officer. He worked mostly in arkansas and the oklahoma territory. The conversations created to put the bones on the known storyring. Starring david gyassi as bass reeves the movie boasts are strong. Reeves family, moved to grayson county, texas, in 1846. During his long career, he was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. Apr 20, 2017 wouldnt a film about reeves make one helluva movie. The real lone ranger was black, and now there is a movie about him watch the trailer to hell on the border, about bass reeves, the first black u. Hell on the border is a 2019 action film based on the early law enforcement career of bass reeves. Yes, the film is telling an amazing story, but the historian in me takes issue when they try to take that much artistic license, kennedy added. Reports regarding reevess activities and whereabouts.
Bass reeves relative donates gun and badge talk business. A former slave, bass reeves became the first black deputy u. Bass reeves has quietly worked his way into current pop culture, more than 110 years after his death. Bass reeves, the first black federal lawman commissioned west of the mississippi, had fled texas as a fugitive slave during the civil war. Us marshals museum searches for bass reeves relatives. Owned by farmer and politician george reeves, bass worked as water boy and later as his owners personal servant. Reeves, born into slavery, served for 32 years under federal judge isaac c. Nov 7, 2018 bass reeves july 1838 12 january 1910 was one of the first african americans possibly the first to receive a commission as a deputy u.
Born into slavery, bass reeves became the most successful us marshal of the wild west. Bass reeves could well have been one of the greatest lawmen of the wild west. In the year 1875 the indian territory was the most dangerous place in the united states, because there was virtually no law to govern the land. Fearless and formidable, legend has it that he was the inspiration for the lone ranger. These characteristics allowed him to be favored by his masterhe became the buddy and personal servant of george reeves. During the civil war, george reeves joined the confederate army and tagged along with him bass reeves weiser, 2009. Bass reeves blazed a trail as the first black deputy u.