American Primeval's Wild Bill Hickman: Who He Was & What Happened To Him

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American Primeval

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for American Primeval.

Wild Bill Hickman is one of the few characters based on a real-life historical figure in American Primeval. American Primeval is a new major Western streaming series that was released on Netflix on January 9, 2025. The series takes place on the frontier of the American West in 1857, particularly in the somewhat lawless terrain of Utah. American Primeval follows Sara who has a $1500 bounty on her head as she and her son seek the help of a loner frontiersman Isaac Reed for safe passage to Crooks Springs.

American Primeval was written by Mark L. Smith, who co-wrote the screenplay for The Revenant with Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor) directs all six episodes of American Primeval. Taylor Kitsch leads an ensemble cast, which features Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Shea Whigham, Lucas Neff, and Kim Coates. By the end of American Primeval, only a handful of the main characters are left alive as Brigham Young and Wild Bill Hickman take control of Fort Bridger.

Wild Bill Hickman In Real-Life: Brigham Young's Bodyguard & The Utah War

Wild Bill was baptized into the Latter-day Saints in 1839

Wild Bill Hickman (played by Alex Breaux in American Primeval) was Brigham Young's personal bodyguard during the time of the Utah War, which took place between May 1857 and July 1858. As a member of the Latter-day Saints, Wild Bill was baptized into the church in 1839 and was the bodyguard for Mormon founder Joseph Smith before Young became the group's second-ever president. Hickman was born in Warren County, Kentucky but moved to Missouri with his family when he was four.

American Primeval True Story Explained: Accuracy & Changes

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During the Utah War, Wild Bill carried out the will of Brigham Young to keep the threat of the U.S. government out of Utah Territory. That effort began with the burning of Fort Bridger and also included several burnings of U.S. military supply trains, which technically made Wild Bill a wanted outlaw. He also executed a spy named Richard Yates (via Utah History Encyclopedia). Before the Utah War, Wild Bill was also involved in the Battle at Fort Utah in 1850, which resulted in genocidal acts against the Timpanogos tribe and the beheading of their chief, Old Elk.

What Happened To Wild Bill Hickman

He was excommunicated from LDS in 1868

Despite Wild Bill's loyalty to the Latter-day Saints, he was ultimately excommunicated in 1868, which resulted in nine of his ten wives leaving him. He was ostracized after making several attempts to defame Young and other members of the LDS. In 1871, Hickman was arrested for murdering Richard Yates but was granted immunity by the U.S. government for agreeing to testify against Young if he were ever brought to trial.

Hickman confesses to murdering dozens of people and blamed Young for ordering Yates' murder in his autobiography, which was published years after the events of American Primeval. He died in August 1883 at the age of 68.

Source: Utah History Encyclopedia

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American Primeval is a Netflix limited series that follows the lives of several men and women in the middle of the expansion of the American West. Social dynamics clash as men and women battle for a piece of the new world against rivals and each other.

Release Date January 9, 2025

Network Netflix

Cast Taylor Kitsch , Jai Courtney , Dane DeHaan , Betty Gilpin , Nick Hargrove , Kyle Bradley Davis , Derek Hinkey , Saura Lightfoot Leon , Preston Mota , Shawnee Pourier , Joe Tippett

Character(s) Isaac , Sara Rowell , Gant , Buffalo Run , Jacob Pratt , Abish Pratt , Red Feather , James Wolsey , Virgil Cutter , Two Moons , Jim Bridger

Creator(s) Peter Berg , Eric Newman , Mark L. Smith

Producers Eric Newman , Mark L. Smith

Seasons 1

Writers Peter Berg , Eric Newman , Mark L. Smith

Directors Peter Berg

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