Shows
Writing the WestThe Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California And Launched The Legend Of ZorroIn this episode of Writing the West, historian and author John Boessenecker joins the podcast to discuss his latest book, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta, a deeply researched examination of the man behind one of the most enduring legends of the American West. Often linked — loosely and inaccurately — to the creation of Zorro, Murrieta has long been portrayed as a folk hero and symbol of resistance. In this wide-ranging interview, Boessenecker draws on 19th-century primary sources to unpack the myths, trace the real history of Murrieta and his gang during the California Gold Rush, and explore how popu...
2026-01-2143 min
History of California Podcast173 - John Boessenecker, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta: The Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California and Launched the Legend of ZorroIn this episode of The History of California Podcast, host Jordan Mattox speaks with historian John Boessenecker about his new book, Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta: The Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California and Launched the Legend of Zorro.
Long remembered as a Robin Hood–like folk hero — and often portrayed as a symbol of resistance against Anglo oppression — Joaquin Murrieta has occupied a powerful place in California’s cultural imagination. But Boessenecker argues that nearly everything most people believe about Murrieta comes not from history, but from fiction, folklore, and deeply flawed research traditions.
The co...
2026-01-1456 min
CochiseCounty_Travels - Wild West History PodcastBring Me The Head of Joaquin MurrietaHistorian John Boessenecker and I discuss the life of Joaquin Murrieta, The Bandit Who Terrorized California.
2025-10-041h 04
Biopic: A Podcast StoryEpisode 65, Part 2: Tombstone, the Best Wyatt Earp Movie, Starring Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday and Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp!PART 2 of the most epic and definitive discussion of the greatest movie ever made: 1993’s Tombstone, a film we loved so much that we could not shut up about it and had to make our first two-parter.
There’s more talk about costumes and sets and history, but also a LOT more talk about the perfection of Val Kilmer, the one way America could be made great again (over-the-counter laudanum), continued hatred of 1994’s Wyatt Earp (known as “Boring Tombstone”), what is not Charlton Heston’s final acting role.
This movie is perfect and th...
2025-09-091h 03Biopic: A Podcast StoryEpisode 65, Part 1: Tombstone, the Best Wyatt Earp Movie, Starring Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday and Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp!Get in, losers, we’re going to Tombstone. We’re back from hiatus, and we love this movie so much that it gets pretty embarrassing. But what are you supposed to do when gazing upon the majesty of Kurt Russell with ALL the eyeliner on, Sam Elliot and his magical moustache, Powers Boothe’s goofy, over-the-top Curly Bill, and, of course, the miraculous Val Kilmer’s virtuoso turn as Doc Holliday?
Kevin Costner and “Boring Tombstone” catch plenty of strays as we praise this film’s costumes (no, seriously), the screenplay’s avoidance of clever subtext, it’s sort-of-a-sciento...
2025-09-021h 32
CochiseCounty_Travels - Wild West History PodcastThe Gunfighter Wyatt Earp HatedJohn Boessenecker and I discuss The Gunfighter Wyatt Earp Hated from the April 2025, Tombstone Epitaph Edition.
2025-04-2049 min
History DispatchesBlack Bart - the Wild West's Gentleman BanditImagine trying to rob a stagecoach. Now try to do it 29 times - with nothing but an unloaded shotgun, a flour sack mask, and your wits. Then do it without firing a single shot, and maintaining the highest level of decorum you can imagine. That is the story of Black Bart, the Wild West’s gentlemen bandit.Sources"Gentleman Bandit: The True Story of Black Bart, the Old West's Most Infamous Stagecoach Robber" by John BoesseneckerImage: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Bowles_aka_Black_Ba...
2025-03-2518 min
CochiseCounty_Travels - Wild West History PodcastJohn Boessenecker - UnpluggedJohn and I talk about the old west and historic badges
2025-01-111h 18
Outrageous History!The legacy of Wyatt Earp - respected lawman, vigilante, gambler, pimpA few years before his death, Wyatt Earp wrote to a friend, saying, "Notoriety has been the bane of my life. I detest it." As perhaps the most famous lawman in the United States, Earp and his brothers are well known for the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral, but those few minutes of gunfire are really only a slice of the Earps' struggle to tame the lawlessness in the town of Tombstone and other parts of the Western territories in the late 1800s. It didn't help that Wyatt and his brothers were not exactly model citizens themselves. But...
2024-12-0949 min
Tommy's PodCastStagecoach Robbers | John Boessenecker (TPC #1,629)book: https://www.amazon.com/Shotguns-Stagecoaches-Brave-Wells-Fargo/dp/1250184886 Support the podcast for as little as $1 a month FRANK SPEECH | https://frankspeech.com MYPILLOW | promo code TPC: https://www.mypillow.com/tpc Blue Light Therapy | Promo Code TOMMY https://www.bluroom.com GOLD | http://MikeLikesGold.com MYPILLOW | promo code TPC: https://www.mypillow.com/tpc PREPPER FOOD | MUST USE THIS LINK Heaven’s Harvest shelf food for 10% OFF: http://HeavensHarvest.com/tommy TESTOSTERONE SUPPLEMENTS | Promo Code TOMMY: https://www.nutronicslabs.com/?ref=TOMMY AIR & WATER FILTERS | Promo code TPC: https://airwaterhealing.com...
2024-11-251h 20Tommy's PodCastStagecoach Robbers | John Boessenecker (TPC #1,552)book: https://www.amazon.com/Shotguns-Stagecoaches-Brave-Wells-Fargo/dp/1250184886 Support the podcast for as little as $1 a month FRANK SPEECH | https://frankspeech.com MYPILLOW | promo code TPC: https://www.mypillow.com/tpc Blue Light Therapy | Promo Code TOMMY https://www.bluroom.com GOLD | https://www.genesisgoldgroup.com Call Genesis Gold today at (800) 200-GOLD, for a no-commitment, informative consultation with one of their experts, to find out if Genesis can be a fit for you that’s 800 200 GOLD, 800 200 4653 or visit them at www.genesisgoldgroup.com MYPILLOW | promo code TPC: https://www.mypillow.com/tpc
2024-08-161h 02
Ranking ‘76:The American West32. Pearl HartStay clear, she's feisty! Pearl Hart (Lily Davy) is a woman who demanded attention when she was alive. How well does she rank?
We are thrilled to announce that we
have been invited to @intelligentspeechconf on November 4th, 2023! Intelligent Speech brings you an online conference that connects diverse and independent content creators with their audiences.
Use the Promo Code: Rank to get 10% off your tickets!
Sources
Wildcat: The Untold Story of Pearl Hart by John Boessenecker
2023-09-251h 48
CochiseCounty_Travels - Wild West History PodcastThe Epic Life of Frank Hamer by John BoesseneckerJohn Boessenecker talks about the man who killed Bonnie and Clyde
2023-07-0858 min
The Happy Hour with King HapNY Times BESTSELLING AUTHOR & a man that is considered one of the leading authorities on crime & lawlessness in the Old West. John Boessenecker Joins "The Happy Hour"Send us a textJohn Boessenecker is an American historian, author, and a lawyer specializing in trust and estate litigation! He joins King Hap to discuss his new book, “Gentleman Bandit.” The true story of BLACK BART! The most infamous stagecoach robber in the old West!Knowing King Haps love of true crime and gangster violence information it is no wonder he loved hearing and reading about THE FIRST REAL GANGSTER!!Follow John on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100039302328585&mibextid=LQQJ4d (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php...
2023-05-0358 min
Scam GoddessThe Baddest Bitch Bandit of the West w/ Vanessa Bayer & Jonah BayerWhat’s poppin’ con-gregation? This week Vanessa Bayer and Jonah Bayer join the show to discuss Lady Bandit Pearl Hart, one of the wildest bandits in the Wild West. Plus, an investor attempted to purchase Manhattan’s iconic Flatiron Building for $190 million. Stay Schemin’! Research by Kaelyn Brandt https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2023/03/24/meet-the-mysterious-buyer-of-the-flatiron-building/https://time.com/4575757/pearl-hart-stagecoach-robber/https://nypost.com/2021/10/30/the-wild-life-and-death-of-old-west-feminist-bandit-pearl-hart/https://lithub.com/the-true-story-of-pearl-hart-straight-shooting-poetry-writing-woman-bandit/Wildcat: The Untold Story of Pearl Hart, the Wild West’s Most Notorious Woman Bandit by John Boessenecker
Subscribe to S...
2023-04-181h 07
Book BistroTrue CrimeThis week, Shannon, Melissa, Brooke, and Amber are delving into some true crime. Titles mentioned include:
Abigail Pesta, The Girls: An All-American Town, a Predatory Doctor, and the Untold Story of the Gymnasts Who Brought Him Down
Vincent Bugliosi & William Stadien, Lullaby and Good Night
Elon Green, Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder In Queer New York
John E. Douglas & Mark Olshaker, When a Killer Calls (Cases of the FBI’s Original Mindhunter #2)
Roxanna Asgarian, We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal In America
Don W. Weber & Charles Bosworth Jr., Si...
2023-04-0748 min
CochiseCounty_Travels - Wild West History PodcastJohn Boessenecker - Gentleman Bandit, The True Story Of Black BartJohn and I discuss the Gentleman Bandit. The True Story of Black Bart, The Old West’s Most Infamous Stagecoach Robber.
2023-02-2658 min
A Fine VintagePearl Hart: the Queen BanditEpisode NotesOn today's episode Sophia tells the tale of Pearl Hart, the Queen Bandit. An infamous, female stagecoach robber and a wildcat woman of the wild west. This story is paired with Domaine Zafeirakis's 2021 Assyrtiko. Visit us at www.afinevintagepodcast.com for more information and to purchase merchandise! Our sources include:Boessenecker, John. Wildcat: The Untold Story of Pearl Heart, the Wild West's Most Notorious Woman Bandit. 2021.
2023-02-151h 33
Voices of True CrimeJohn Boessenecker - Ride the Devil's Herd: Wyatt Earp's Epic Battle Against the West's Biggest Outlaw GangWyatt Earp is regarded as the most famous lawman of the Old West, best known for his role in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. But the story of his two-year war with a band of outlaws known as the Cowboys has never been told in full.The Cowboys were the largest outlaw gang in the history of the American West. After battles with the law in Texas and New Mexico, they shifted their operations to Arizona. There, led by Curly Bill Brocius, they ruled the border, robbing, rustling, smuggling and killing...
2022-12-0650 min
Tea Time CrimesThe Bandit Queen: Pearl HartIt’s the Wild West in the late 1800s, and we’re wrangling the past of the infamous Pearl Hart. Learn how she became a pants-wearing, gun-slinging lady bandit and everything she did to survive her dangerous childhood to her tumultuous fame.If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call 1-800-662-HELP.If you or someone you know is in a domestic abuse situation, call 800-799-7233.Tea of the Day: Texas Twist Theme Music by Brad FrankSources:Wildcat by John BoesseneckerPodcast: Legends of th...
2022-11-151h 11
Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast270: The Old West's "Bandit Queen" Pearl Hart w/ John BoesseneckerOn May 30, 1899, history was made when Pearl Hart, disguised as a man, held up a stagecoach in Arizona and robbed the passengers at gunpoint. A manhunt ensued as word of her heist spread, and Pearl Hart went on to become a media sensation and the most notorious female outlaw on the Western frontier. Hailed by many as “The Bandit Queen,” her epic life of crime and legacy as a female trailblazer provide a crucial lens into the lives of the rare women who made their mark in the American West.My guest, New York Time...
2022-11-101h 42Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast270: The Old West's "Bandit Queen" Pearl Hart w/ John BoesseneckerOn May 30, 1899, history was made when Pearl Hart, disguised as a man, held up a stagecoach in Arizona and robbed the passengers at gunpoint. A manhunt ensued as word of her heist spread, and Pearl Hart went on to become a media sensation and the most notorious female outlaw on the Western frontier. Hailed by many as “The Bandit Queen,” her epic life of crime and legacy as a female trailblazer provide a crucial lens into the lives of the rare women who made their mark in the American West.My guest, New York Time...
2022-11-101h 42
The Frontier Partisans PodcastEpisode 37 — Once Upon A Time in Los Angeles, Part VI — Tiburcio Vasquez: A Corrido of Dust and DreamsTiburcio Vasquez was a rock star. He had everything that a bandit needs to become a folk hero. He was handsome and charismatic, a swashbuckler who carried an air of daring and danger — but he could plausibly claim that he’d never taken a life. He could — and did — claim to be a rebel fighting for the oppressed. The image doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny, but since when has that mattered? People wanted to believe it. Still do, in fact.
The main source for this podcast episode is John Boessenecker’s magnificent biography “Bandido: The Life and Times...
2022-11-0935 min
CochiseCounty_Travels - Wild West History PodcastFred Nolan, His - Story with John BoesseneckerOn this podcast, John shares stories about his friendship with Fred Nolan. We also discuss Fred’s books and friends Bob Boze Bell and Peter Brand.
2022-07-0953 min
The Wild West ExtravaganzaJoaquin Murrieta | California BanditImagine for a second that you’re a young immigrant, lured to a foreign land with hopes of creating a better life for yourself and your family. Upon arrival, however, things don’t turn out quite like you dreamed and those in power decided to take everything from you that you hold dear. Your land is stolen, your brother murdered by so called vigilantes without benefit of a trial and you yourself tied up, horse whipped, and forced to watch your beautiful wife beaten and raped, raped to the point that she would die in your arms shortly thereafter. Soun...
2022-06-221h 03
Subject to ChangePearl Hart - the Wild West's most notorious woman banditIn 1889 a woman calling herself Pearl Hart holds up a stagecoach in Arizona. In this episode John Boessenecker talks about Pearl Hart and his book Wildcat. Pearl's life from poverty to prostitution to stage coach robbing and prison sounds miserable. But the woman herself was beautiful, smart, full of life and hard not to admire. In fact the whole family and in particular her sister Katie led fascinating lives. Highly recommended.
2022-01-0250 min
Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark HistoryWild West Canadians: The Lady Bandit — Pearl HartEpisode 198: If you’ve had any interest in the Wild West, you’ve no doubt heard of a many of the storied gunmen and bandits from the era like Butch Cassidy, Jesse James and Billy the Kid. You probably also think of the United States, but Canada has its own legends and colourful characters from the era on both sides of the border. For example, legendary gunslinger and lawman, Bat Masterson, was was born in Henryville, Quebec. Sometimes the outlaws were women, like one notorious Canadian-born, lady bandit and the subject of this episode, whose most famous alias was Pear...
2021-12-061h 09
2021-11-2600 min
The Cowboy Up PodcastE18S2: Pearl Hart: Wildcat of the Wild WestNot many women bandits have roamed the West. Probably the most notorious and the one who made headlines around the country is Pearl Hart. Author and historian John Boessenecker saddles up to the ranch to chat with Russell and Alan about WILDCAT, his new book about Pearl’s forays and adventures in the Arizona territory and beyond.
2021-11-0541 minThe Cowboy Up PodcastE18S2: Pearl Hart: Wildcat of the Wild WestNot many women bandits have roamed the West. Probably the most notorious and the one who made headlines around the country is Pearl Hart. Author and historian John Boessenecker saddles up to the ranch to chat with Russell and Alan about WILDCAT, his new book about Pearl’s forays and adventures in the Arizona territory and beyond.
2021-11-0541 min
Crime ScholarThe Sherman Courthouse Riot: The Lynching of George HughesParis' lifelong search for her family's genealogical records leads her to investigate the reason they are missing: the lynching of a 41-year-old African American man named George Hughes in 1930. Accused of assaulting a white woman in Sherman, located within Grayson County, Texas, George never gets his day in court. Instead, locals burn down the courthouse with Hughes trapped inside and later carry out a postmortem lynching. Special guest Melissa Thiel, a public historian and a native of Grayson County, joins Paris later in the episode to discuss her efforts in getting an historical marker placed at the county courthouse...
2021-11-041h 31
Power-Up With Your Day With A Uplifting Full Audiobook.Wildcat by John BoesseneckerPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/29683to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Wildcat
Author: John Boessenecker
Narrator: Courtney Patterson
Format: mp3
Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
Release date: 11-02-21
Ratings: 4 out of 5 stars, 21 ratings
Genres: Women
Publisher's Summary:
On May 30, 1899, history was made when Pearl Hart, disguised as a man, held up a stagecoach in Arizona and robbed the passengers at gunpoint. A manhunt ensued as word of her heist spread, and Pearl Hart went on to become a media sensation and the most notorious female outlaw on the Western frontier. Her early life, family, and fate after her later release...
2021-11-028h 04
CochiseCounty_Travels - Wild West History PodcastWildcat - The Untold Story of Pearl HartThis is John Boessenecker’s newest book about, Pearl Hart - The Wild West’s Most Notorious Woman Bandit. On this podcast we talk about John’s early life and how he became an author. #oldwest #history #pearlhart #arizona
2021-11-0150 min
Voices of the WestAuthor John Boessenecker, 10/23/21Author John Boessenecker joins us to talk about his latest book, Wildcat. It's the story about the west's most notorious female outlaw Pearl Hart.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/voices-of-the-west497/donations
2021-10-2400 min
Découvrez Bibliothèque et Archives Canada : votre histoire, votre patrimoine documentaireBill Miner : le dernier des bandits d’autrefoisLe 8 mai 1906, trois bandits armés et masqués prennent d’assaut l’express transcontinental du Canadien Pacifique à la gare de Duck, 17 milles à l’est de Kamloops, en Colombie-Britannique. Le cambriolage vire au cauchemar, et c’est peu dire. Les malfaiteurs ordonnent qu’on dételle la locomotive et le wagon-poste et que l'on conduise le train un mille plus loin sur la voie. Très vite, les malfaiteurs réalisent leur erreur : le coffre-fort contenant 35 000 $ en lingots d’or est resté dans le deuxième wagon-poste, toujours accroché aux voitures de passagers. De dépit, ils fouillent les sacs post...
2019-08-2758 min
Découvrez Bibliothèque et Archives CanadaBill Miner : le dernier des bandits d’autrefoisLe 8 mai 1906, trois bandits armés et masqués prennent d’assaut l’express transcontinental du Canadien Pacifique à la gare de Duck, 17 milles à l’est de Kamloops, en Colombie-Britannique. Le cambriolage vire au cauchemar, et c’est peu dire. Les malfaiteurs ordonnent qu’on dételle la locomotive et le wagon-poste et que l'on conduise le train un mille plus loin sur la voie. Très vite, les malfaiteurs réalisent leur erreur : le coffre-fort contenant 35 000 $ en lingots d’or est resté dans le deuxième wagon-poste, toujours accroché aux voitures de passagers. De dépit, ils fouillent les sacs post...
2019-08-2758 min
Discover Library and Archives CanadaBill Miner: Last of the Old Time BanditsOn May 8th of 1906, three armed and masked men held up the Canadian Pacific Railway’s Transcontinental Express, at a place called Duck’s Station, 17 miles east of Kamloops in British Columbia. It was a botched robbery to say the least. The bandits ordered the engine and mail car uncoupled, and moved the train a mile down the track. Realizing that the safe containing 35,000 dollars in gold had been mistakenly left behind in the second express car, which was still attached to the main passenger cars, they started going through the mail sacks. Overlooking a bag containing over...
2019-08-271h 04
Discover Library and Archives CanadaBill Miner: Last of the Old Time BanditsOn May 8th of 1906, three armed and masked men held up the Canadian Pacific Railway’s Transcontinental Express, at a place called Duck’s Station, 17 miles east of Kamloops in British Columbia. It was a botched robbery to say the least. The bandits ordered the engine and mail car uncoupled, and moved the train a mile down the track. Realizing that the safe containing 35,000 dollars in gold had been mistakenly left behind in the second express car, which was still attached to the main passenger cars, they started going through the mail sacks. Overlooking a bag containing over...
2019-08-271h 04
Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast111: Frank Hamer vs. Bonnie and Clyde w/ John Boessenecker - A True Crime History PodcastIn part two of this episode, John Boessenecker continues his tale of Frank Hamer, including his days as a Prohibition agent in the 1920s, a cold-case investigator, and his famous hunt of notorious Depression-era outlaws and murderers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.John Boessenecker is the New York Times bestselling author of "Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde".More about the author here: https://us.macmillan.com/author/johnboessenecker
2019-03-2259 minMost Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast111: Frank Hamer vs. Bonnie and Clyde w/ John Boessenecker - A True Crime History PodcastIn part two of this episode, John Boessenecker continues his tale of Frank Hamer, including his days as a Prohibition agent in the 1920s, a cold-case investigator, and his famous hunt of notorious Depression-era outlaws and murderers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.John Boessenecker is the New York Times bestselling author of "Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde".More about the author here: https://us.macmillan.com/author/johnboessenecker
2019-03-2259 min
Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast110: Frank Hamer: Texas Ranger and Gunfighter w/ John Boessenecker - A True Crime History PodcastMy guest is John Boessenecker, former police officer and New York Times bestselling author of "Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde". In this first part of the episode, he talks about Hamer's wild and bloody career in Texas law enforcement from 1906 until 1920, and makes the case that Hamer was the greatest American lawman of the twentieth century.More about the author here: https://us.macmillan.com/author/johnboessenecker
2019-03-2244 minMost Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast110: Frank Hamer: Texas Ranger and Gunfighter w/ John Boessenecker - A True Crime History PodcastMy guest is John Boessenecker, former police officer and New York Times bestselling author of "Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde". In this first part of the episode, he talks about Hamer's wild and bloody career in Texas law enforcement from 1906 until 1920, and makes the case that Hamer was the greatest American lawman of the twentieth century.More about the author here: https://us.macmillan.com/author/johnboessenecker
2019-03-2245 min
Immerse Yourself In This Ground-Breaking Full Audiobook And Feel The Difference.Shotguns and Stagecoaches by John BoesseneckerPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/92313to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Shotguns and Stagecoaches
Author: John Boessenecker
Narrator: Alex Hyde-White
Format: mp3
Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
Release date: 10-30-18
Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 109 ratings
Genres: Heists & Robberies
Publisher's Summary:
Shotguns and Stagecoaches tells the true stories of the Wild West heroes who guarded the iconic Wells Fargo stagecoaches and trains, battling colorful thieves, vicious highwaymen, and robbers armed with explosives....
2018-10-3010h 47