Buffalo Bill on the silver screen

Published in 2013 by the University of Oklahoma Press, Buffalo Bill on the Silver Screen serves as a scholarly examination of the cinematic legacy of William F. Cody. Author Sandra K. Sagala, a historian recognized for her extensive research into Cody’s life and cultural impact, wrote this work to catalog and analyze the portrayal of the legendary showman across various film formats. The book acts as a comprehensive record, tracing how the myth of the American West was constructed and disseminated through the evolving medium of motion pictures.

The design and content of the volume reflect the rigorous academic standards of the University of Oklahoma Press, which specializes in Western history. Sagala’s approach focuses on the intersection of historical fact and the dramatized persona of Buffalo Bill, documenting everything from early silent films to later portrayals. The book was received by critics as an essential reference for film historians and scholars of the American frontier, noted for its meticulous archival research and objective analysis of Cody's complicated transition from the arena to the silver screen.