In this episode of pplpod, we explore the turbulent life of John Henry "Doc" Holliday, the Georgia-born gentleman who traded his dental instruments for a six-shooter after a life-changing diagnosis of tuberculosis. Join us as we trace his journey from a reputable dental school graduate to a feared gambler in the American Southwest, where he forged a legendary friendship with lawman Wyatt Earp after reportedly saving his life in a Texas saloon.
We dissect the true story behind the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, where a deputized Holliday carried a concealable coach gun and allegedly fired the fatal shotgun blast that killed Tom McLaury. The episode also covers the bloody aftermath of the Earp Vendetta Ride, during which Holliday and Earp pursued the Outlaw Cowboys across the territory as a federal posse.
Finally, we separate the man from the myth. While folklore paints him as a mass killer, modern researchers believe the "deadly dentist" may have only killed between one and three men in his lifetime. We conclude with his final days in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where he died in bed at the age of 36, looking at his bootless feet and uttering his famous last words: "This is funny".
