Sunset Carson

In August-September, 2012, Steve Winters e-mailed asking for info on a pair of Colt Bisley .45 calibre six-shooters that he owns ... and whether these once belonged to Sunset Carson. Below is a collage showing some of the digital images of the guns and case. Serial numbers are 317740 and 272799. Note the "SC" initials on the presentation case. If anyone has info, shoot the Old Corral webmeister an e-mail and I'll pass it along to Steve.

(Courtesy of Steve Winters)

(Courtesy of Dick Hite)

In May, 2002, Dick Hite and ye Old Corral webmaster connected. Dick owns the above Sunset Carson gunbelt and wanted info on it. My inclination was that this was one of the belts that Sunset wore when he had his own Wild West show and not when he worked with Doc Tommy Scott's show. Though it somewhat resembles the ornate style of gunbelt that Sunset wore in his later Republic oaters, it certainly is not one that he wore in those films ... and there is the K I T monogram and the bullets appear to be .22 calibre.

Anybody help with more solid information?

A couple of e-mails arrived with more on the gunbelt:

... was built by a man named Les Thompson, a would-be character actor who was employed (by Sunset) in his Wild West Show to "handle" the front door and act as the announcer. Les was a saddle maker/leather craftsman who went by the name Colonel Mel B. Hood.

Sunset went by Kit Carson when he lived in Australia and if he did not make the gun belt himself - I think it was probably the man named on the gunbelt, maybe in Melbourne since the "Melb" on the holster.

Perhaps the answer is in the two above e-mail tidbits: the gunbelt was crafted by Les Thompson (COL. HOOD) while Sunset was in Melbourne, Australia (MELB).