For those of us who’ve watched and enjoyed HBO’s Deadwood, the town and its characters are absolutely larger than life. But was the show historically accurate? What is fact and what is fiction? My guest, Barbara Fifer, author of Deadwood Saints and Sinners, helps set the record straight. Her writing partner and co-author, the late Jerry Bryant, was a consultant on the Deadwood TV show, and has passed to her a treasure trove of historical research on both the town, and its biggest villain, Al Swearengen. She chats with me about both on this week’s episode.
Thank you for recording and sharing this conversation with my late sister Barbara Fifer. I jumped at the chance to hear her voice again. I’m curious as to when this was recorded, to figure out the timeline of this podcast in relation to her death in June, 2018. Growing up, I was always in awe in how much my sister could recall in such detail; she claimed she had a photographic memory. She valued her relationship with Jerry Bryant. She relied greatly on his notes and feedback, until his passing. I think she was so driven to complete the book being as authentic as she could be to Jerry’s notes, as a means to honor him.
I will be saving this podcast for future listening, perhaps playing it on her birthday, or the official date of her passing.
If you have any questions regarding Barbara, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thank you, again, for capturing my sister’s knowledge regarding Deadwood. I hope you enjoyed this podcast as much as I.
Sorry to hear about your sister, Linda. Glad you were able to find some joy from listening to her voice. We recorded the interview in May of 2016.