Wyatt and the Duke: The End of an Era, the Beginning of Another

"Wyatt and the Duke is one of those books that comes along all too rarely and is a pure delight." Ron F. Amazon Customer.

It's 1927, perhaps the most exciting year in the history of the nation. Hollywood is buzzing when heralded director William Desmond has a wild idea. He casts a young, unknown stuntman named Marion Morrison to play Wyatt Earp in the studio's first-ever talking picture. It's called "Wyatt Earp, Frontier Law Man" and is based on the true-to-life exploits of the Western legend. The budget and the stakes couldn't be higher. To make sure the 19-year-old turns in an authentic performance, Desmond hires none other than the real Wyatt Earp (now 79) to mentor him.

That's just the beginning of an unpredictable adventure that is a tour de force tale of Los Angeles in the 1920s, movie-making, romance, organized crime, murder, the quest for ultimate revenge, Western style, and a cross-generational friendship that is still talked about 100 years later.

"'Wyatt and the Duke' brings to life one of Hollywood's most intriguing legends--that an aging Wyatt Earp was the real-life mentor to a promising young actor named Marion Morrison, later known to the world as John Wayne. Did Earp really mold Wayne's uniquely American screen persona? Many believe he did, but one thing is for sure, Patrick Cirillo, a Hollywood insider himself, will make you believe it happened, or if it didn't, it damn well should have." -- Michael Sellers, Author

It's a Western written by Hollywood insider Patrick Cirillo. A successful screenwriter, his credits include "Tears of the Sun" and "Homer and Eddie," which won the Best Picture Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

Filmmaker Barry Rubinow writes, "Wyatt and the Duke is a lively, well-written novel about two legendary historical figures and some extremely colorful women who support and love them. John Wayne is just getting started in his acting career, and Wyatt Earp is nearing the end of his Western journey, just as talking pictures are coming into vogue and replacing silent films. Wyatt and Duke have an intense, complicated, and ultimately heroic relationship that is fun and funny, and filled with passion. Earp's wife and Duke's girlfriend/lover/movie star are two of the most memorable characters that I've come across in a long time. A wild, fun adventure."

"I highly recommend "Wyatt and The Duke." It's a great read, well-written, and entertaining from beginning to end. My Stetson's off to author Patrick Cirillo." -- Amazon Reviewer