BOURBON - A love of television westerns and a more recent interest in legendary lawman Wyatt Earp led a local man to fulfill a lifelong dream when he traveled west to appear in a movie about Earp.

Some men go to baseball camp and live the life of a major leaguer for a few days, and some men go to golf camp and immerse themselves in their favorite pastime. Jeff Worsham of Bourbon loves history, Wyatt Earp and the Old West, and the gleam in his eyes leaves no doubt that he is very glad he had this adventure and would do it again at the drop of a Stetson.

Worsham said he grew up watching "Gunsmoke" and Paladin, and "in the back of my mind I always thought it would be neat to be in a western even if it was only a walk-on, stand-in or bit part."

Worsham said his interest in history included Earp. When he learned a few years ago of a festival held in Tombstone, Ariz., commemorating Earp and the shoot-out at the OK Corral, he attended. "It was an eerie feeling to walk where the heroes of the Old West have walked," he said.

His fascination with the lawman increased when he learned of a re-enactment of the shoot-out, which was held last summer at Earp's birthplace in Monmouth, Ill. "I showed up dressed like a dime store cowboy with my video camera and the next thing I knew, the coordinator of the re-enactment pulled me out of the crowd and asked if I would videotape the two-and-one-half hour program."

Invited to a party after the show, Worsham was asked if he would like to join the cast. "Here I am a spectator in August and a participant in October at the 150th anniversary of Bettendorf, Iowa," he said.

Worsham saw an advertisement in a magazine offering the opportunity to play a part in a production of the historic event. The filming was to be done by Rio Macho Pictures of Apache Junction, Ariz., and the cost to participate was determined by the size of the part. The company is newly formed and has done only two productions this first year but plans to increase to 22 productions a year, each with a different set of wannabe cowboys.

"I thought, if I don't do this, I'm going to regret it. Even if I do make a fool of myself, at least I can say I've done it," Worsham said.

The first day of shooting in April saw him, along with 21 strangers with the same love of history, at the Apacheland Movie Studio ready to get into costume and character. The studio, located near Apache Junction, has been used for many westerns on TV and in the movies. Worsham was to portray Earp's younger brother, Morgan, the same character he portrays in the Monmouth re-enactment. "Supposedly he was high strung and had a mean streak in him. I had 59 scenes and seven lines (of dialogue) in my part."

Worsham said the other actors were from all walks of life. "One of the cowboys was a retired police officer and former SWAT team captain. Josie, Wyatt's girlfriend, owns and operates a limousine service in New York City, and Morgan's wife, Louisa, is an insurance underwriter. Johnny Ringo is a freelance artist and photographer, and Virgil, the town marshall, a retired investor from Las Vegas. Curly works for the National Parks Service at the Grand Canyon." Worsham is a machinist by trade.

"We saw how a movie was made. The Earps did their part, all their shooting, and then the cowboys did theirs. We didn't shoot at one another so no one would get hit with flying wads from the blank bullets. They shot us from all sides then will put the film together. It was great and believe me, I sure would do it all again." He will receive a tape of the performance.

He said there is a Wyatt Earp Museum in Monmouth owned by retired teacher Melba Matson and her husband, Robert. "That little four-room house at 406 South Third Street is chock full of memorabilia such as weapons, clothing, movie posters - all having to do with the Earp family." The Matsons are sponsors of the re-enactment performances.

Worsham displayed his guns: two .44-caliber cap and ball pistols, each about 14 inches long and weighing nearly three pounds. He carries them in a tooled leather holster made for him by Bourbon resident Dennis Dreibelbis.

The guns have six cylinders each, which are first loaded with black powder then cornmeal. That mixture is crimped or packed and then the chamber is sealed off with Crisco to form a gas seal. It is detonated with a percussion cap. "The cornmeal makes a smoke and fire and the powder makes a nice boom, very authentic," he said.

He said there is available a black powder wad made from cotton or wool felt soaked in beeswax but he said it can hurt if one is hit with it. "We stand 15 to 30 feet apart and the rule is that when you point at a person you are just a little bit off and down so it looks like you are shooting at them but it is safer."

He especially enjoys mixing with spectators after his performances where he is asked about his guns and his character, Morgan Earp. "There is genuine interest and we are keeping history alive. There is an increased interest in our history, especially in kids, and I'm part of it. I feel like I'm reliving it," he said.

He plans to continue to commute to Monmouth to take part in the re-enactments again this summer. [[In-content Ad]]