Origins & Early Life

John Henry Holliday (August 14, 1851 – November 8, 1887), better known as Doc Holliday, was an American dentist, gambler, and gunfighter who was a close friend and associate of lawman Wyatt Earp. Holliday is best known for his role in the events surrounding and his participation in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. He developed a reputation as having killed more than a dozen men in various altercations, but modern researchers have concluded that, contrary to popular myth-making, Holliday killed between one and three men.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Holliday's colorful life and character have been depicted in many books and portrayed by well-known actors in numerous movies and television series. At age 20, Holliday earned a degree in dentistry from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery. He set up practice in Griffin, Georgia, but he was soon diagnosed with tuberculosis, the same disease that killed his mother when he was 15 and his sister before his birth, having acquired it while tending to his mother's needs. Hoping the climate in the American Southwest would ease his symptoms, he moved to that region and became a gambler, which was recognized as a reputable profession in Arizona at...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Asa Griggs Candler — Contemporary (Born in 1851) (1851): American business magnate and politician, most famous for founding the Coca-Cola Company.
• Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi — Contemporary (Died in 1851) (1851): Pioneering German mathematician known for elliptic functions and differential equations.
• Dean Mahomed — Contemporary (Died in 1851) (1851): Pioneering Indian immigrant, surgeon, and entrepreneur in the Western World.
• Alexander Borodin — Contemporary (Died in 1887) (1887): Russian Romantic composer, chemist, and physician known for 'Prince Igor' and symphonies.
• Arthur Rubinstein — Contemporary (Born in 1887) (1887): Master Polish and American pianist, celebrated for his interpretations of Chopin and classical repertoire.
• August Macke — Contemporary (Born in 1887) (1887): German Expressionist painter, key member of Der Blaue Reiter.
• Bertolt Brecht — Shared historical date (08-14 · Died) (1956): Pioneering German playwright and poet, master of epic theatre techniques.
• Bob Johnston — Shared historical date (08-14 · Died) (2015): Pioneering American record producer celebrated for shaping the careers of Dylan, Cash, and Cohen.
• Alain Delon — Shared historical date (11-08 · Born) (1935): Iconic French actor, producer, and cinematic leading man of the 20th century.
• Anne Lee Guinness — Shared historical date (11-08 · Died) (1889): Irish philanthropist known for establishing nursing homes and supporting the poor in Dublin.
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