# An Actor explained — The Life of Buffalo Bill > Chapter companion for The Life of Buffalo Bill by William F. Cody. ## What happens Buffalo Bill recounts his decision to leave scouting and the Nebraska legislature to become an actor, joining Ned Buntline's theatrical production 'The Scouts of the Plains' alongside Texas Jack. Despite initial embarrassment and lack of preparation, the show becomes a financial success across the country, though Cody is disappointed by his modest profits. After the tour, he and Texas Jack return west for a hunt. ## Themes in this chapter ### Self-Invention and Celebrity Cody reinvents himself from scout and legislator to a stage star, leveraging his frontier persona for fame and profit. ### The American West as a Land of Opportunity The success of the play demonstrates how the myth of the West could be commodified for national audiences. ### Masculinity and the Frontier Hero Cody and Texas Jack's stage portrayal of Indian fighting reinforces the rugged, heroic masculine ideal of the frontier. ## Character check-ins ### Buffalo Bill Narrates his transition from scout and legislator to stage actor, despite self-doubt and criticism from friends. ### Ned Buntline Urges Cody to join the stage, writes the play in four hours, and organizes the company. ### Texas Jack Accompanies Cody to Chicago, joins the stage as a co-star, and later returns west with Cody. ### Nixon Manager of the Chicago Amphitheatre who initially doubts the venture but later becomes Buntline's partner. ### Mr. Milligan Hosts Cody and Texas Jack at the Sherman House in Chicago. ## Key lines > I was frequently interrupted by rounds of applause. Whenever I began to 'weaken,' Buntline would give me a fresh start, by asking some question. In this way I took up fifteen minutes, without once speaking a word of my part; nor did I speak a word of it during the whole evening. Cody improvised his entire stage debut, never delivering his written lines, but kept the audience engaged with Buntline's prompting. _Highlights Cody's natural showmanship and the improvisational nature of early frontier theater._ > The Chicago Times said that if Buntline had actually spent four hours in writing that play, it was difficult for anyone to see what he had been doing all the time. A newspaper critic mocked Buntline's hastily written play, implying it showed no evidence of effort. _Illustrates the critical reception of the play and the low artistic expectations of the production._ > We played one week at the Boston Theater, and the gross receipts amounted to $16,200. ... There was not a single city where we did not have crowded houses. The tour was a massive financial success, drawing packed audiences in every major city. _Demonstrates the immense popularity of Cody's stage persona and the public appetite for Western entertainment._ > I found that I was only about $6,000 ahead. I was somewhat disappointed, for, judging from our large business, I certainly had expected a greater sum. Despite the tour's huge box office, Cody's personal profit was modest, leaving him disappointed. _Reveals the financial realities behind the theatrical success and Cody's growing business acumen._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_buffalo_bill_se/chapters/xxviii-an-actor - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_buffalo_bill_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_buffalo_bill_se/chapters