SHE MARRIED WYATT EARP - NOT REALLY

IS SHE OR ISN'T SHE? THE STRANGE CASE OF JOSIE MARCUS EARP - ABOUT THREE DECADES AGO, A PERSONAL FRIEND OF MINE, GLENN G. BOYER, EDITED THE MEMOIRS OF JOSEPHINE MARCUS. The result was the publication of the book 'I MARRIED WYATT EARP - THE RECOLLECTIONS OF JOSEPHINE SARAH MARCUS EARP' edited by Glenn G. Boyer. The book, a controversial handling of the infamous Earp - Marcus decades long love affair, spawned a TV movie starring Bruce Boxleitner as Wyatt Earp and Marie Osmond as Josie Marcus. So, what does this have to do with the history of photography? Well, that all has to do with the controversy surrounding the true pedigree of a semi nude portrait, purportedly of Josie Marcus, that Glenn used as a cover illustration for his book. The use of this photograph has spurred a bitter quarrel among experts as to the photo's authenticity. I'm not interested in taking sides in the argument over the portrait. If you're interested in pursuing the question, you can follow the blow by blow verbal fisticuffs online. My point is that for good or bad, this now iconic photograph will forever be entwined with the Earp - Clanton - Tombstone - OK Corral gunfight mythology. In a very real sense, the actual facts no longer matter. The history of the Gunfight at OK Corral has become so mired in legend and mythology that fact has become obscured by fiction. Just as it does not matter that the gunfight did not actually take place inside the corral, it no longer matters whether the photograph is genuine. Of much more importance is that countless viewers of the blockbuster movie 'TOMBSTONE' watched as Josie had that very photo taken at Fly's Photography Studio as the infamous gunfight was taking place in the corral next door. Never mind that neither Glenn nor his critics contend that the photo was made during the gunfight or at C. S. Fly's studio, All that really matters is that it was portrayed that way on the big screen. Larry Elkins Elkinsphotos Fine Art Photography