History UsefulNotes / BillyTheKid

By this point sheriff Pat Garrett, [[WeUsedToBeFriends a former associate of Billy's]] before the Tunstall murder, had the ambition to bring Billy the Kid to justice. In 1880 he managed to capture him and brought him to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Billy was convicted of murder and sentenced to hanging. [[PrisonEscapeArtist He once again managed to escape]] by shooting both his guards and run away. Garrett managed to track him down again in 1881, where he was questioning someone in a darkened bedroom and Billy unexpectedly walked in. Billy was unable to see who was in the room and asked ''"Who is it? Who is it?"'' in Spanish. Garrett recognized his voice and put two bullets in him, killing him where he stood.

He was born as Henry [=McCarty=], but settled on "William H. Bonney" later in life instead. He was an orphan at age 14 and taken in by a neighbouring family, where he helped his adoptive parents to take care of a hotel. His criminal career began when he moved into a boarding house at age 15 and pursued odd jobs. In 1875 he was arrested for theft and placed in jail, where he escaped up the jailhouse chimney and became a fugitive. He was part of a gang of horse thieves and by 1877, at age 17, he committed his first murder, shooting a blacksmith who supposedly bullied and/or annoyed him. The youngster was force to flee and crossed the border from UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}} to UsefulNotes/NewMexico, joining a gang of cattle rustlers and later finding work on a cattle ranch. When the cattle ranch owner was murdered, Billy and a couple of accomplices started a CycleOfRevenge in which they killed the people who were responsible for the man's death. He and his gang became notorious all over TheWildWest.

By this point sheriff Pat Garrett had the ambition to bring Billy the Kid to justice. In 1880 he managed to capture him and brought him to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Billy was convicted of murder and sentenced to hanging. [[PrisonEscapeArtist He once again managed to escape]] by shooting both his guards and run away. Garrett managed to track him down again in 1881, where he was questioning someone in a darkened bedroom and Billy unexpectedly walked in. Billy was unable to see who was in the room and asked ''"Who is it? Who is it?"'' in Spanish, thus making Garrett able to recognize his voice and shoot him down with two bullets.

From then Billy's true legend began. Garrett published a sensationalized biography called ''The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid'', which made the outlaw infamous all over the world. A lot of urban legends about Billy are derived from this book, including several that painted Garrett in a much better light. The most common myth about Billy the Kid is that he supposedly murdered 21 people, each for the amount of years he lived. In reality there are only four confirmed murders by his hand.

* IHaveManyNames: Known as William H. Mccarty, William Antrim and William H. Bonney.

* TheSouthPaw: Because his photograph was often mirrored in reproductions some people thought he was actually left handed. This also explains the title of the film ''Film/TheLeftHandedGun'', with Creator/PaulNewman.

* WeUsedToBeFriends: A common interpretation of the legend paints Billy and Pat Garret as this.

* Has a cameo in ''Film/BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure''.

Billy the Kid, born Henry [=McCarty=]; also known as William H. Bonney (September 17, 1859 – July 14, 1881) was an infamous outlaw from TheWildWest, only matched in fame by UsefulNotes/JesseJames.

Despite a short life and a reputation that was more myth than fact he has become one of the most legendary characters in American history, inspiring countless appearances in popular culture.

* Creator/EmilioEstevez portrays him in ''Film/YoungGuns'' (1988).

'''Billy The Kid''', aka William H. Bonney (1859/1861 - 1881), was an infamous outlaw from TheWildWest, only matched in fame by UsefulNotes/JesseJames.

William H. Bonney was born as William [=McCarty=], but settled on the last name ''Bonney'' later in life instead. He was an orphan at age 14 and taken in by a neighbouring family, where he helped his adoptive parents to take care of a hotel. His criminal career began when he moved into a boarding house at age 15 and pursued odd jobs. In 1875 he was arrested for theft and placed in jail, where he escaped up the jailhouse chimney and became a fugitive. He was part of a gang of horse thieves and by 1877, at age 17, he committed his first murder, shooting a blacksmith who supposedly bullied and/or annoyed him. The youngster was force to flee and crossed the border from UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}} to UsefulNotes/NewMexico, joining a gang of cattle rustlers and later finding work on a cattle ranch. When the cattle ranch owner was murdered, Billy and a couple of accomplices started a CycleOfRevenge in which they killed the people who were responsible for the man's death. He and his gang became notorious all over TheWildWest.

By this point sheriff Pat Garrett had the ambition to bring Billy The Kid to justice. In 1880 he managed to capture him and brought him to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Billy was convicted of murder and sentenced to hanging. [[PrisonEscapeArtist He once again managed to escape]] by shooting both his guards and run away. Garrett managed to track him down again in 1881, where he was questioning someone in a darkened bedroom and Billy unexpectedly walked in. Billy was unable to see who was in the room and asked ''"Who is it? Who is it?"'' in Spanish, thus making Garrett able to recognize his voice and shoot him down with two bullets.

From then Billy's true legend began. Garrett published a sensationalized biography called ''The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid'', which made the outlaw infamous all over the world. A lot of urban legends about Billy are derived from this book, including several that painted Garrett in a much better light. The most common myth about Billy The Kid is that he supposedly murdered 21 people, each for the amount of years he lived. In reality there are only four confirmed murders by his hand.

!! Billy The Kid provides examples of:

* UrbanLegend: Billy The Kid's short life is the source of many myths and legends, already debunked in the introduction. However, in many novels, comic strips, cartoons, films, TV series,... where he makes an appearance he will be much tougher and deadlier than he was in real life.

* ''ComicBook/LuckyLuke'': Much like other legendary TheWildWest characters he appears in the stories ''Billy The Kid'' and ''The Escort'', where he is portrayed as a SpoiledBrat with buck teeth who scares everybody so much that he can do whatever he want, because nobody dares to testify against him.

* ''Film/PatGarrettAndBillyTheKid'' is perhaps the most famous modern movie adaptation, with Music/KrisKristofferson as Billy The Kid, Creator/JamesCoburn as Pat Garrett and a soundtrack by Music/BobDylan, who also acts in the film.

* Creator/WoodyGuthrie wrote the song ''Billy The Kid'' about him.
* Music/AaronCopland's ballet ''Billy The Kid'' is about the outlaw.

--> ''Made UsefulNotes/JesseJames and UsefulNotes/BillyTheKid look like law-abiding citizens''

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "Treehouse Of Horror XIII", Lisa brings him back to life, after reading a pacifist message on his gravestone, not knowing that William H. Bonney is in fact Billy The Kid. As a living skeleton he is joined by UsefulNotes/JesseJames, Frank James, Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid and Kaiser Wilhelm II to attack Springfield.

William H. Bonney was born as William [=McCarty=], but settled on the last name ''Bonney'' later in life instead. He was an orphan at age 14 and taken in by a neighbouring family, where he helped his adoptive parents to take care of a hotel. His criminal career began when he moved into a boarding house at age 15 and pursued odd jobs. In 1875 he was arrested for theft and placed in jail, where he escaped up the jailhouse chimney and became a fugitive. He was part of a gang of horse thieves and by 1877, at age 17, he committed his first murder, shooting a blacksmith who supposedly bullied and/or annoyed him. The youngster was force to flee and crossed the border from UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}} to UsefulNotes/NewMexico, joining a gang of cattle rustlers and later finding work on a cattle ranch. When the cattle ranch owner was murdered Billy and a couple of accomplices started a CycleOfRevenge in which they killed the people who were responsible for the man's death. He and his gang became notorious all over TheWildWest.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': [[spoiler:In ''Treehouse Of Horror XIII'' Lisa brings him back to life, after reading a pacifist message on his gravestone, not knowing that William H. Bonney is in fact Billy The Kid. As a living skeleton he is joined by UsefulNotes/JesseJames, Frank James, Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid and Kaiser Wilhelm II to attack Springfield.]]

!! '''Appearances in popular culture''':

* Creator/WoodyGuthrie wrote the song ''Billy The Kid'' about him.
* Music/AaronCopland's ballet ''Billy The Kid'' is about the outlaw.

* ''Music/GunfighterBalladsAndTrailSongs'' by Music/MartyRobbins features a song about his life.

* ComicBook/LuckyLuke: Much like other legendary TheWildWest characters he appears in the stories ''Billy The Kid'' and ''The Escort'', where he is portrayed as a SpoiledBrat with buck teeth who scares everybody so much that he can do whatever he want, because nobody dares to testify against him.

* WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons: [[spoiler:In ''Treehouse Of Horror XIII'' Lisa brings him back to life, after reading a pacifist message on his gravestone, not knowing that William H. Bonney is in fact Billy The Kid. As a living skeleton he is joined by UsefulNotes/JesseJames, Frank James, Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid and Kaiser Wilhelm II to attack Springfield.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'': Appears in an episode where he is a literal ManChild, walking around in diapers and sucking milk from a bottle. Our main heroes have to toughen him up.
* In ''VideoGame/CallOfJuarezGunslinger'', Silas [[TallTale claims]] to have been fighting at Billy's side when Pat Garret captured him and then assisted in his subsequent escape. He even says that ''he'' was the one who killed Bob Olinger with his own "mean-ass shotgun", but Billy took credit for that because he was a star already, while Silas was still a YoungGun.
* Michael Ondaatje's novel ''The Collected Works of Billy the Kid,'' which is partly about how Billy's reputation developed.
* Referenced in "Bad Meets Evil" from Music/{{Eminem}}'s ''Music/TheSlimShadyLP''
--> ''Two of the most wanted individuals in the county''
--> ''Made UsefulNotes/JesseJames and UsefulNotes/BillyTheKid look like law-abiding citizens''
* Music/BillyJoel's "The Ballad of Billy the Kid", from his album ''Songs in the Attic''.

By this point sheriff Pat Garrett had the ambition to bring Billy The Kid to justice. In 1880 he managed to capture him and brought him to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Billy was convicted of murder and sentenced to hanging. [[PrisonEscapeArtist He once again managed to escape]] by shooting both his guards and run away. Garrett managed to track him down again in 1881, where he unexpectedly was questioning someone in a darkened bedroom and Billy unexpectedly walked in. Billy was unable to see who was in the room and asked ''"Who is it? Who is it?"'' in Spanish, thus making Garrett able to recognize his voice and shoot him down with two bullets.

From then Billy's true legend began. Garrett published a sensational biography called ''The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid'', which made the outlaw infamous all over the world. A lot of urban legends about Billy are derived from this book, including several that painted Garrett in a much better light. The most common myth about Billy The Kid is that he supposedly murdered 21 people, each for the amount of years he lived. In reality there are only four confirmed murders by his hand.

* UrbanLegend: Billy The Kid's short life is the source of many myths and legends, already debunked in the introduction. However, in many novels, comic strips, cartoons, films, TV series,... where he makes an appearance he will be much tougher and deadlier than he was in real life.

* CharacterExaggeration: He is believed to have been a notorious outlaw who murdered many people in cold blood, yet in reality his body count is not higher than four and some even contest that most of it was self defense.

William H. Bonney was born as William Mccarty, but settled on the last name ''Bonney'' later in life instead. He was an orphan at age 14 and taken in by a neighbouring family, where he helped his adoptive parents to take care of a hotel. His criminal career began when he moved into a boarding house at age 15 and pursued odd jobs. In 1875 he was arrested for theft and placed in jail, where he escaped up the jailhouse chimney and became a fugitive. He was part of a gang of horse thieves and by 1877, at age 17, he committed his first murder, shooting a blacksmith who supposedly bullied and/or annoyed him. The youngster was force to flee and crossed the border from UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}} to UsefulNotes/NewMexico, joining a gang of cattle rustlers and later finding work on a cattle ranch. When the cattle ranch owner was murdered Billy and a couple of accomplices started a CycleOfRevenge in which they killed the people who were responsible for the man's death. He and his gang became notorious all over TheWildWest.

* {{Outlaw}}:

* YoungGun

By this point sherrif Pat Garrett had the ambition to bring Billy The Kid to justice. In 1880 he managed to capture him and brought him to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Billy was convicted of murder and sentenced to hanging. [[PrisonEscapeArtist He once again managed to escape]] by shooting both his guards and run away. Garrett managed to track him down again in 1881, where he unexpectedly was questioning someone in a darkened bedroom and Billy unexpectedly walked in. Billy was unable to see who was in the room and asked ''"Who is it? Who is it?"'' in Spanish, thus making Garrett able to recognize his voice and shoot him down with two bullets.

William H. Bonney was born as William Mccarty, but settled on the last name ''Bonney'' later in life instead. He was an orphan at age 14 and taken in by a neighbouring family, where he helped his adoptive parents to take care of a hotel. His criminal career began when he moved into a boarding house at age 15 and pursued odd jobs. In 1875 he was arrested for theft and placed in jail, where he escaped up the jailhouse chimney and became a fugitive. He was part of a gang of horse thieves and by 1877, at age 17, he committed his first murder, shooting a blacksmith who supposedly bullied and/or annoyed him. The youngster was force to flee and crossed the border from UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}} tot UsefulNotes/NewMexico, joining a gang of cattle rustlers and later finding work on a cattle ranch. When the cattle ranch owner was murdered Billy and a couple of accomplices started a CycleOfRevenge in which they killed the people who were responsible for the man's death. He and his gang became notorious all over TheWildWest.

* In ''VideoGame/CallOfJuarezGunslinger'', Silas [[TallTale claims]] to have been fighting at Billy's side when Pat Garret captured him and then assisting in his subsequent escape. He even says that ''he'' was the one who killed Bob Olinger with his own "mean-ass shotgun", but Billy took credit for that because he was a star already, while Silas was still a YoungGun.

* ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'': Appears in an episode where he is a literal ManChild, walking around in diapers and sucking milk from a bottle. Our main heroes have to toughen him up.