Search results
Francis E. Butler (bapt. Tooltip baptised January 30, 1847 – November 21, 1926) was an Irish American marksman who performed in Wild West variety shows. He developed a shooting act with his performing partner John Graham, and when Graham fell ill the sharpshooter Annie Oakley stood in for him.
Biography: Frank Butler. Although he never expected to be shooting against a woman on the Thanksgiving Day when they met in 1875, Frank Butler accepted defeat from young Annie Oakley...
Jul 18, 2011 · Frank Butler, a budding star-shooter came to Greenville and bet $100 that he could outshoot anyone in town. The owner of the hotel where Frank was staying set up a match for Frank with the best shot in town: Annie.
Born in Ireland, eight-year-old Frank Butler was left in the care of an aunt while his parents searched for a better life in America. At age 13, he made his own way to the U.S. and took a...
- American Experience
- Early Life
- Marriage to Annie Moses
- A Star Is Born
- Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show
- Later Years
- Annie Oakley and Frank Butler Legacy
- Primary Sources
Frank was one of five children born to Michael Butler and Catherine Whelan in County Longford, Ireland. He immigrated to America when he was 13 years old and worked a number of odd jobs to make ends meet, including glassblowing and managing an on-stage dog show. In 1870, Frank married Henrietta Saunders (1852-1936) and had two children, Edward and ...
After his divorce, Frank created a shooting act to capitalize on the popularity of marksmanship demonstrations and toured with several variety shows. Frank and his shooting partner, John Graham, would make trick shots for about 20 minutes per show and then challenge a local sharpshooter to a contest. On Thanksgiving Day 1875, in Cincinnati, Ohio, F...
After they were married, Frank continued to perform with John Graham. One day in 1882, Graham fell ill and was unable to perform. Frank asked Annie to go on stage with him and hold the targets. He had several uncharacteristic misses during his performance that day, prompting someone in the audience to yell “let the girl shoot!” And shoot, she did. ...
After a stint with the Sells Brothers Circus, Frank and Annie, now known professionally as Annie Oakley (her hometown was Oakley, Ohio), joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in 1885. Annie was the first big female star in the male-dominated world of wild west shows. She dazzled crowds by shooting corks off bottles, snuffing candles, and splitting c...
In 1901, Frank and Annie took a hiatus from performing after a serious train accident. Frank took a job as a representative for a gun cartridge company to support them while Annie appeared in a theatrical production that was written for her. In 1903, Frank and Annie were horrified to find that the newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, had pub...
The legend of Annie Oakley and Frank Butler continues to be told through movies, television, and theatrical productions. The 1950 film Annie Get Your Gunis based on the romantic and professional life of Annie and Frank. It won the Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture and received three additional nominations. Annie was portrayed by B...
Sep 19, 2022 · Longford-born rifle marksman Frank E Butler and his wife and fellow sharpshooter Annie Oakley. Photograph: Columbus Metropolitan Library. Norman Freeman. Mon Sep 19 2022 - 19:10. A...
Feb 5, 2012 · In the late 1800’s and at the turn of the century there may not have been a more famous couple than Annie Oakley and the skilled sharpshooter Frank Butler. They were partners in marriage as well as partners in show business.
