Miller Brothers 101 Ranch
Wild West Show
click above photograph
to see larger image
Click on
names below - the ones that don't have question marks
are positively identified by
Clark Gray
Will Rogers
-
Buck Jones -
C. F. Elton
-
William F. Cody -
Iron Tail
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Princess Wenona -
Joe Miller
Buckskin Bessie Herberg
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Billy Lorette -
Hoot Gibson
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Bee Ho Gray -
Ada Sommerville
-
Frenchy
Panorama Photograph
of the entire Cast and Crew of the Miller Brothers 101
Ranch Wild West Show. It features a posed portrait of
approx. 200 Cowboys, Cowgirls, Native American Indian
Men Women and Children, Clowns, Band Members, Trick Rope
Artists, Mexican Performers, management, road crew
members, members of the African American Band,
"Outlaws", "Heroes", etc. The photo was taken out of
doors in front of what appear to be large Circus Tents
and is titled in the negative "101 Ranch - Season 1913".
Photograph includes many of the most famous members of
the 101 Wild West Show including Bill Picket, the great
African American Rodeo Star; "Iron Tail", the Native
American Oglala Sioux Chief who's profile was to be
later found on the Buffalo / Indian Head Nickel; Hoot
Gibson and Tom Mix of later Movie Fame and even the
young Will Rogers.
The Millers' neighbor Major Gordon W. Lillie, who
performed as "Pawnee Bill", motivated the Millers to
produce a traveling Wild West Show of their own. The
Millers made their transition from putting on local
shows to the national scene in 1907, when they performed
at the Jamestown Exposition in Virginia. In 1908, the
Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West Show began the tour
circuit in Brighton Beach, New York. Joe Miller, the
eldest, was an exceptional equestrian and star
performer. Over the course of the show, it boasted
famous performers such as Bill Picket, Bessie Herberg,
Bee Ho Gray, Tom Mix, Hoot Gibson, Will Rogers, Chief
Iron Tail, Geronimo, Pecos "Bill" Higgins, Buck Jones,
Rex Ritter, Bee Ho Gray, Hank Darnell, Mabel Strickland,
Jack Hoxie, Mexican Joe, and eventually Buffalo Bill.
Bee Ho Gray
was my great uncle,
Here's a brief history of my great uncle. Bee Ho was
part Chickasaw, part Cherokee and Anglo. He was born in
Indian Territory in 1885 and was named by Quanah Parker
(Comanche chief).
He and his brother and both of their
wives performed with the 101 Ranch and all had 50-year
careers in Western performance. He was also with Irwin
Brothers, Colonel Cummins Wild West,
California Frank's All-Star Wild West, in 1914 he was
with Diamond Dick's Congress of World's Western
Champions, several circuses
and had his own Wild West show (Bee Ho Gray's Wild West,
ca. 1919-1932).
He escorted Iron Tail to New York to
model for the "Indian Head Nickel." He held the World
Champion Trick Roper title for several years. He taught
many of his best tricks to Will Rogers (as acknowledged
by Rogers in one of his books).
He was in several silent
Western films including the legendary "Greed" by Erich
von Stroheim. He performed with people like Fred Stone
and Bing Crosby until his death in 1951.
Clark Gray
American Wild West Show
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