"Young Guns 1 & 2": Myths vs Facts Quiz

Answer: Pat Garrett

Fact: There is no doubt that Billy and Pat knew each other. They may have even ridden together for some period of time. However, no historian has ever found a shred of evidence that the two were as close as the movie suggested.

Movie: In "Young Guns 2", Billy and Pat were as close as two friends could be. They rode together, they killed together, they joked around with each other, etc. When Pat was contracted to hunt down Billy, their friendship quickly turned into a personal feud.

Answer: John Tunstall

Fact: Tunstall did hire Billy and the others to work for him. This is true. But, the men were merely hired guns to protect him and work on his ranch. Besides, Tunstall was only 24 when he died. Not exactly father figure material.

Movie: One scene in "Young Guns" showed John and the men having dinner together. John taught them manners and respect for each other. Tunstall was also shown teaching some of the men how to read.

Answer: Christian Slater

Fact: "Arkansas" Dave Rudabaugh? Nope. Sorry. There was no such person known by that name. If he did have a nickname, it was "Dirty" Dave Rudabaugh, but there is no proof he was called that either. Let's just call him Dave, shall we?

Movie: One of the recurring themes in "Young Guns 2" was how much of a narcissist Dave Rudabaugh was. Everywhere he went and seemingly everybody he came across, he would ask if they had heard of him. No, "Arkansas" Dave Rudabaugh, nobody had ever heard of you because you never existed.

Answer: Tom O'Folliard

Fact: This one was a huge historical error, and I have no idea how this got included in the movie. "Young Guns 2" took place after the Lincoln County War. But, Billy met Tom during the war, and became the best of friends. Tom was also portrayed as a kid from Pennsylvania. Oops. The real Tom was from Texas.

Movie: "Young Guns 2" claims that Tom's only mission in life was to ride with "The Kid". Poor young Tommy got his wish, and was shot and killed as a result.

Answer: Lawrence Murphy

Fact: Where to start? How about the fact that Murphy was nowhere near the events at McSween's house? Murphy was far away suffering from an illness. That illness was cancer, and that is what really killed him, not a bullet from Billy's revolver.

Movie: In "Young Guns", Billy believed that if Murphy was dead, the war would end. After he escaped the siege at McSween's house, Billy rode back and put a bullet right through the old man's forehead.

Answer: "Doc" Scurlock

Fact: Scurlock was already married to a woman by the name of Antonia Herrera. There was also no such woman belonging to Murphy that any of "The Regulators" fell in love with.

Movie: It was love at first sight for Scurlock. He met the "China Girl" at a party they both were attending. One night "Doc" risked his life and snuck into her room, and she would later risk her life by running into McSween's house under heavy gunfire to be with him. Sounds like true love to me.

Answer: Stinking Springs

Fact: Scurlock wasn't even at Stinking Springs that day. He actually lived a long life. He died in Texas at the age of 80 in 1929.

Movie: "Young Guns 2" has a song on its soundtrack by the name of "Blaze Of Glory" by Jon Bon Jovi. The song fits with what happened to Scurlock. Held up with his friends by Garrett and his posse, "Doc", Billy, and the rest shot their way out. Scurlock died in a blaze of glory.

Answer: Jose Chavez y Chavez

Fact: Chavez, like Scurlock, was not at Stinking Springs either, so he couldn't have been shot there. Chavez actually lived well into the 20th century.

Movie: The same shootout that took Scurlock's life also led to Jose's downfall in "Young Guns 2". Chavez took a bullet to the gut, but was able to escape arrest. He later met up with Billy, but could ride no longer. Jose went for a walk and awaited his "spirit horse".

Answer: pals

Fact: In 1904, a flood swept away Billy's original tombstone. The tombstone would be replaced with the word "pals" already etched into it. So, nobody ever snuck into the graveyard and chiseled anything into any tombstone of Billy's.

Movie: "Doc" Scurlock was the narrator of this bit. Aside from this bit, Scurlock also mentioned that he moved east, Chavez moved to California to work on a fruit ranch, and Billy remained in New Mexico, never to leave.

Answer: True

Fact: Jane Greathouse was based on the very real Jim Greathouse. Jim owned and ran the Greathouse Station and Tavern, not a brothel. However, the events depicted in the movie at Jane's brothel did happen though. The gun fight, the accidental killing of Deputy Carlyle, and the burning of the place, were all real events. They just didn't happen at a brothel.

Movie: Jane was a close friend of Billy. At one time she was also close with Pat Garrett. Upset at Garrett for his turn to the law, she was less than helpful with him when Pat came to inquire about Billy. Pat then decided to burn down her place of business.