Stuart Lake's book was based on four articles that originally appeared in SEP on 25 Oct 1930, 1 Nov 1930, 8 Nov 1930 and 15 Nov 1930. (For more information, please see the entry for the 1934 Fox film, Frontier Marshal, in AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.1491.) Wyatt Earp (1848--1929) was made assistant marshal of Dodge City, KS in 1878. While there, he became friendly with Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson, among others. In 1879, he moved to Tombstone, AZ, where his brother Virgil was deputy U.S. marshal. Shortly after, they were joined by their brothers Morgan and James. After Marshal Fred White was shot, Wyatt arrested Curly Bill Brocius for the crime and Virgil became town marshal. This began a feud between the Earps and local cowboys led by "Old Man" Clanton and his sons Ike, Phin and Billy. On 26 Oct 1881, Wyatt, Morgan, Virgil and Doc Holliday faced Ike and Billy Clanton and Frank and Tom McLaury in a gunfight at the O.K. Corral. (Some sources state that Holliday was not at the O.K. Corral. Old Man Clanton died before the famous gunfight occurred.) The McLaurys and Billy were killed. Later, Virgil was dismissed from office and, two months later, was shot and wounded in an ambush. In 1882, Morgan was killed and Wyatt shot Frank Stilwell and Florentino Cruz, whom he suspected of Morgan's murder. Near the end of his life, Wyatt moved to Hollywood. Director John Ford met with him and claimed that he filmed the gunfight just as Earp described it. For more information about Holliday, please consult entry above for the 1941 Universal film Badlands of Dakota. For more information about Masterson, please See Entry for the 1943 United Artist release The Woman of the Town.
       Studio press material announced that Jeanne Crain and Vanessa Brown had been signed for the film, but neither appears in the completed picture. Much of the film was shot in Monument Valley, AZ on the Navajo reservation, where the studio constructed a replica of Tombstone, and other scenes were shot in Kayenta, AZ. Grant Withers was borrowed from Republic for the production. A 21 Mar 1946 HR news item announced that the film would be shot in Technicolor. According to information in the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department, located at the UCLA Arts--Special Collections Library, Ronald "Jack" Pennick was contracted to play the "Stage driver," but CBCS credits Robert Adler with that role.
       According to modern sources, Darryl Zanuck cut thirty minutes from Ford's version, clarifying the exposition and story line. In 1995, the UCLA Film Archives released a 102 minute print struck from original nitrate masterpositives, which restored some of the cut footage. The first reel of the film remained the same as the released print, but the ending differs. In the released print, Earp kisses Clementine goodbye, while in the original Earp shakes Clementine's hand. The 1995 version also contains extra dialogue and shots and drops the frequent playing of the song "My Darling Clementine" from the soundtrack.
       On 28 Apr 1947, Henry Fonda and Cathy Downs were joined by Richard Conte in performing a Lux Radio Theatre version of the film. Stuart Lake's book was also the basis of the 1934 Fox film Frontier Marshal, starring George O'Brien and directed by Lew Seiler, and the 1939 film of the same title, directed by Allan Dwan and starring Randolph Scott and Cesar Romero. (See AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.1491 and F3.1492.) In 1953, Lake's book provided the source material for the film Powder River, directed by Louis King and starring Rory Calhoun, Corinne Calvet and Cameron Mitchell.