Tombstone Law

[MacGyverGirl]

Hi all!

Did NBC ever complete production and release "Tombstone Law"? It was promoted in 1993 with RDA as Wyatt Earp.

Thanks in advance!

[LTTPlits]

Great question, MacGyverGirl! That would have been awesome casting.

Here's the link to an article in the LA Times (6/3/1993) announcing the broadcast of the TV movie, "Tombstone Law," for the following season https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html. From this website archives (https://www.rdanderson.com/videos/pages ... onight.htm): Kate states in her summary notes for his June 10, 1993 appearance on Leno, that RDA explained his long hair and beard by saying "that he was, in fact, preparing to shoot a movie about Wyatt Earp called Tombstone Law (a movie which was never completed)." In the interview itself, he acknowledged the other projects out there about Wyatt Earp but noted that they had sold theirs first. He seemed pleased to be doing something with NBC and said that the shooting would begin in 9/1993 with a release date the following year. So, there you have it from Kate.

As to why? The major motion picture, "Tombstone" was released in the theaters on 12/25/1993, to financial success. It starred none other than Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp ! (and, MacGyverGirl, Dana Delany starred in it as well). Now, according to Wikipedia, the shooting for the movie began in May 1993, before that announcement in the LA Times. So, just the existence of the movie project wasn't an issue. According to Wikipedia again: "The film ["Tombstone"] was a financial success, and for the Western genre, it ranks number 16 in the list of highest-grossing films since 1979. Six months later, the similarly themed film Wyatt Earp was released with far less commercial success.[5]" That second film was "Wyatt Earp" by Lawrence Kasdan, shot in the summer of 1993 and released in the theaters in 1994. I wonder if the commercial failure of that second "similarly themed film" led NBC to scotch their plans. Just a thought.

Whatever the reason... What a shame! RDA loves westerns and he'd have been a great Wyatt Earp!
Maybe Kate knows the back story on this!

[MacGyverGirl]

Great question, MacGyverGirl! That would have been awesome casting.

Here's the link to an article in the LA Times (6/3/1993) announcing the broadcast of the TV movie, "Tombstone Law," for the following season https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html. From this website archives (https://www.rdanderson.com/videos/pages ... onight.htm): Kate states in her summary notes for his June 10, 1993 appearance on Leno, that RDA explained his long hair and beard by saying "that he was, in fact, preparing to shoot a movie about Wyatt Earp called Tombstone Law (a movie which was never completed)." In the interview itself, he acknowledged the other projects out there about Wyatt Earp but noted that they had sold theirs first. He seemed pleased to be doing something with NBC and said that the shooting would begin in 9/1993 with a release date the following year. So, there you have it from Kate.

As to why? The major motion picture, "Tombstone" was released in the theaters on 12/25/1993, to financial success. It starred none other than Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp ! (and, MacGyverGirl, Dana Delany starred in it as well). Now, according to Wikipedia, the shooting for the movie began in May 1993, before that announcement in the LA Times. So, just the existence of the movie project wasn't an issue. According to Wikipedia again: "The film ["Tombstone"] was a financial success, and for the Western genre, it ranks number 16 in the list of highest-grossing films since 1979. Six months later, the similarly themed film Wyatt Earp was released with far less commercial success.[5]" That second film was "Wyatt Earp" by Lawrence Kasdan, shot in the summer of 1993 and released in the theaters in 1994. I wonder if the commercial failure of that second "similarly themed film" led NBC to scotch their plans. Just a thought.

Whatever the reason... What a shame! RDA loves westerns and he'd have been a great Wyatt Earp!
Maybe Kate knows the back story on this!

JP,

Thank you for your research. Unfortunately, that is what I found too.

Kate, Can you come to our rescue?

Thanks!

[LTTPlits]

Figured you had found all of this, MacGyverGirl, but thought I'd put it out as a springboard for further discussion but you're right, maybe only Kate will know!

[KateR]

Kate's still travelling!

But that's the basic story. He had been looking forward to doing the Tombstone project, but it didn't happen.

I'm not sure how far into proeduction it actually went. There was a completed script - I have a copy. But about the time they were meant to go into production, they realized that there were already two other Wyatt Earp productions coming out (and I think maybe another one on the way?) and they felt there was no point in trying to flood the market. It was tabled, and then canceled.

(Would it have required another moustache?)

Kate

[MacGyverGirl]

Thank you for your reply while still traveling! It could have waited.

I was thinking that the project was canceled due to the market being flooded with Tombstone, the Earps, etc. Too bad because I believe he does like westerns.

At least we were saved from the mustache!

[LTTPlits]

Kate,

Thank you for going above and beyond and answering this while you're still traveling! Seemed the most likely explanation. As to the mustache, I have to say that the "head start" he was sporting on Leno looked great! Too bad it never saw action. I'm sure he'd have enjoyed playing that role and he'd have been a great Wyatt Earp. What planets had to be aligned that Kurt Russell played Wyatt Earp in "Tombstone," contributing to RDA not getting his shot at the role, and then played O'Neil in "Stargate," only to be upstaged and overshadowed in that role by RDA playing O'Neill in SG-1?!!

Thanks and enjoy the rest of your travels,
Jane