Ned Buntline
Ned Buntline (born March 20, 1823 in Harpersfield , Delaware County , New York , † July 16, 1886 in Stamford , New York) was the pseudonym of Edward Zane Carroll Judson (EZC Judson), an American editor, journalist , writer and a publicist who is best known for his dime novels .
Life
Edward Zane Carroll Judson was the son of Levi Carroll Judson. In 1826 he and his parents moved to Bethany, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, where his father taught and wrote books. His father wanted him to study law and become a lawyer.
As a teenager, Edward Judson ran away from home and went to sea. Its later name "Buntline" is a nautical term from the sailing industry. It refers to a rope at the bottom of a sail.
As a seaman, he fought in the Seminole Wars , although he was hardly involved in combat himself. After four years he left the Navy as a midshipman . He then spent several years in the eastern United States and tried unsuccessfully to start newspapers.
He did, however, have success with a series of published stories about the Bowery , a small neighborhood in Manhattan , and the surrounding slums , which he published under the title "The Secrets and Misery of New York". Through his publications and good relationships with the notorious New York gangster gangs of his time, he was one of the instigators of the so-called " Astor Place riot ", in which 23 people were killed. As a staunch nativist, he was also involved in a nativist uprising in St. Louis . Buntline lectured nationwide on self-control despite being an alcoholic himself.
While on a lecture tour of Nebraska, he learned that Wild Bill Hickok was staying at Fort McPherson . Hickok was known to Buntline from a newspaper article and he was hoping to interview him and turn it into one of his dime novels. He found Hickok in a saloon and rushed over to him saying: “This is my husband! I want you! ”At that time, however, Hickok had an aversion to such surprises. He threatened Buntline with his Colt and advised him to leave town within twenty-four hours. Buntline took the matter seriously and left.
But because he still wanted information about Hickok, he tried to get friends of his. This is probably how he met Buffalo Bill , whose real name was William Cody. Buntline went on trips with Cody and an Indian scout and soon gave up his plan to write a novel about Hickok. Instead, he was so excited about the person of Cody that he wanted to write a novel about him. Although Cody was reluctant to be a hero, the novel "Buffalo Bill Cody - King of the Border Guards" was a fantastic success.
Buntline persuaded Cody to travel to the East and appear in a play there. Cody didn't like it, but after the trip was funded by some wealthy newspaper publishers, he agreed. After all, Cody even enjoyed his spotlight appearances. Buntline even wrote a play for him called Scouts of the Prairie, which premiered in Chicago in 1872 . Although theater critics tore the play up, it became a huge success. At the same time it was adopted and performed by many traveling theaters across the country.
Despite the success, Buntline was too eccentric for Cody and the two separated in June 1873. Buntline tried to write penny novels again, but they never became as successful as his earlier works. He eventually settled in Stamford, New York, where he died of a heart condition in 1886. By this time the once richest writer in America was already completely impoverished and his wife had to sell his beloved house "Eagle's Nest" to pay the bills.
Web links
- Ned Buntline in the nndb (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b EDWARD ZANE CARROLL JUDSON. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Buntline, Ned |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Judson, Edward Zane Carroll (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American editor, journalist, dime novel writer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 20, 1823 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Harpersfield , New York |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 16, 1886 |
| Place of death | Stamford , New York |