Commissions
Greenlit: Billy the Kid: New Evidence, Nat Geo
Billy the Kid: New Evidence (1 x 120′) – An infamous outlaw and fugitive of the Wild West, William H. Bonney — better known by his nickname Billy the Kid — has captured the imaginations of American history enthusiasts since his death in 1881. Since cameras were a new and rarified technology in his day, only one authenticated photo of the Kid was believed to exist … but that may be about to change.
This film traces the origins of a newly discovered tintype containing what appears to be a second image of the famed fugitive. It tells the story of the tintype’s fateful discovery in 2010 and investigates its origin and authenticity using modern methods and time period recreations to piece together a mystery more than 130 years in the making. If authenticated, the photograph could set a new record for the sale of a rare and highly prized collectible.
In a California memorabilia shop in 2010, Randy Guijarro, a collector of period artifacts, bought a 4-by-5-inch tintype for just $2. After enlarging the image, he saw what looked to be a familiar figure — Billy the Kid — playing croquet with his gang the “Regulators.” Guijarro also thought he recognized the Kid’s best friends Tom O’Folliard and Charlie Bowdre alongside him in the photo. As the gravity of the discovery began to set in, Guijarro initiated a chain of events that would lead him on a painstaking journey to verify the photograph’s authenticity. This would not prove easy.
The authenticity of the photo was called into question by the very experts who had authenticated the only verified photo of Billy the Kid known to exist. The stakes are incredibly high. The previously authenticated photo sold in 2011 for $2.3 million to billionaire William Koch. Should the new photo be authenticated, it could sell for several times the value of the first.
Guijarro enlists vintage-photo expert John McWilliams to assess the authenticity of the photo and hires private investigator Steve Sedarwall to pore over the area of Lincoln County, New Mexico, that resembles the terrain in the photo. Their hope is to find definitive proof of where the photo was taken and then to pinpoint where Billy the Kid and the Regulators were purported to be at the time.
The documentary will not only highlight the work of the authenticators and investigators, but could also reveal new information about Billy the Kid and his infamous posse. One burning question they hope to answer: While running from the law during the Lincoln County War, when could the most notorious bandits in American history have time to play croquet?
It brings together an unforgettable cast of current and historical characters, weaving together a suspenseful and high-stakes story that could leave one Americana collector handsomely rewarded for spending $2 at an antique store in California more wisely than he ever could have imagined.
Channel: National Geographic Channel
Producer: Leftfield Pictures / 18THIRTY Entertainment
TX: 18th October 2015
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