HBO's Deadwood - Fact & FictionThis is a very cool article.
Im watching thru the box set again, and was curious to see how Bill Hickock actually died, and I discovered to my shock that a LOT of the deadwood characters and storylines are based on fact.
Sure I knew that they were using historical figures, but I thought on the whole it was a bit of fiction, just cribbing themes and people from here and there.
Im not too knowledgable about much of early american history, so I found it a very interesting read, if, like me, this is news to you.
Just finding out the following gave me goosebumps:
There was a real Al Swearengen, who operated the Gem Theater, with the aid of his ruthless henchmen Johnny and Dan.
If ever I thought a name was made up for TV it's Al Swearengen.
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Anyhoo, its a nice read and details what happened to the town of Deadwood around and after the time that the show was set, so you can get an idea of future plot lines for what could have been.
Most shocking revelation: Whilst most of the "real" characters used are fairly close to their real counterparts, one is wildly off base :
EB Farnum sounds like he was a great man, and I feel a little guilty for pouring such scorn and bile on his actions, but in the show he is a just a master of the lovable hate figure.
I feel a little guilty for enjoying all of his bad situations. 
...and so forth.
