WAS ONE OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE BOOK SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS BY HARROLD
BELL WRIGHT BASED ON A REAL PERSON NAMED ORVILLE PRUITT ?

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Request for Question Clarification by aceresearcher-ga on 10 Jan 2003 20:55 PST

Hi, shirry55!

In order to be able to help you on this question, it's pretty
important for Researchers to know what caused you to think that there
might be a connection, so we have a starting point for our research.
You've got a full name! That's a lot more than some Customers are able
to provide! :) So we just need to know where you got the idea that a
character in this book was based on a real person named Orville
Pruitt. Once we know that, we'll have a better chance of finding
something for you.

Regards,

aceresearcher

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Clarification of Question by shirry55-ga on 10 Jan 2003 21:55 PST

The names of the real people in SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS were changed. I
met Maude Carney of Cassville, MO. several years ago, who was one of
the little girls in the book. She spoke of Orville Pruitt. I need to
know who he was in the book.

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Request for Question Clarification by duncan2-ga on 10 Jan 2003 22:47 PST

Hello shirry55,

While it's true that a number of the characters in the book were
derived from Wright's experiences with people he met, it's also
accepted that some of the characters in his book (such as "Little
Pete) were completely fictional, figments of Wright's imagination. 
Other characters appear to be combinations of various people that
Wright encountered in his travels.

I've worked on this for a while now and though I've found pages and
articles similar to the one that Nelly Bly points out in the comments
below (which list characters in the book and their known real-life
counterparts), I've yet to find any reference to an Orville Pruitt (or
for that matter, Maude Carney).

Can you give us any other details that might place Pruitt (i.e. do you
have any idea where he lived, or what about what age he was around
1904, when Wright was working on the book)?

Thanks,
Duncan2-ga

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Clarification of Question by shirry55-ga on 11 Jan 2003 05:23 PST

Maude Carney and Aurdey Bivens were celebrated around the Purdy MO
area for being the last remaining characters from the book. in 2000
Audrey was 93, Maude was 89. maude had several things around the house
which she had labled decades earlier.  One of the was  sheep shears
that were labled "these were Orville Pruitt's from the farm"  I was
told they belonged to the shepherd of the hills. I now own them, I
need proof.

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Clarification of Question by shirry55-ga on 13 Jan 2003 18:45 PST

THAT'S ALL I KNOW

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Request for Question Clarification by tutuzdad-ga on 13 Jan 2003 19:06 PST

I'm sorry, it appears that you may have overlooked the comments at the
very bottom of the page. I am continuing to devote time to helping you
discover your answer in spite of your dissatisfaction with my earlier
answer. I sincerely hope this provides you with what you are seeking.
Please refer to the comments at the bottom of the comment section
below. I'd also be interested to know if the information proves
helpful as I want to do whatever I can to make certain that your
experience here is a positive one.

Good luck;
tutuzdad-ga

Dear shirry55-ga;

Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.

I researched your question extensively and unfortunately I found
nothing to indicate that anyone in the book is a recreation of an
actual person by the name of ORVILLE PRUITT. If any character in the
book resembles a real person by that name it is likely known only to
the author. Unless other information surfaces from you to lead me to
believe otherwise, I am convinced that there is no verifiable
connection between any character in the original book and Orville
Pruitt.

Harold Bell Wright (1872 – 1944) was a minister who fell ill while
traveling though the Ozark Mountains of Missouri in the late 1800’s
when he was taken in and cared for by a very colorful community of
locals. Wright found their antics, their “language” and indeed their
daily life quite amusing and made notes of their activities that he
later published in the form of the book SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS. Wright
was a Best Selling American Author 1903 – 1942 and was the first
American writer to sell 1 million copies of a single title book
(SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS would eventually become the 4th most widely
read book in American publishing history).

I hope you find that that my research exceeds your expectations. If
you have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga



INFORMATION SOURCES


INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE
http://www.imdb.com/


HAROLD BELL WRIGHT
http://www.wrightconcept.com/Resume/wrighta.htm


SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS – OUR LITTLE EHISTORY
http://www.branson.com/branson/shepherd/history.htm





SEARCH STRATEGY


SEARCH ENGINE USED:

Google ://www.google.com


SEARCH TERMS USED:


“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” Pruitt

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” Pruett

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” Wright

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” history

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” characters

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” cast

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” “actual events”

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” Orville

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” “O Pruitt”

“SHERPHERD OF THE HILLS” “O Pruett”

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Request for Answer Clarification by shirry55-ga on 06 Jan 2003 13:37 PST

you did not answer my question.  why are you taking my money? why
didn't you just say i don't know?

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Clarification of Answer by tutuzdad-ga on 06 Jan 2003 14:09 PST

Dear shirry55-ga;
 
Your question was, "WAS ONE OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE BOOK SHEPHERD OF
THE HILLS BY HARROLD BELL WRIGHT BASED ON A REAL PERSON NAMED ORVILLE
PRUITT?". I have researched the issue and feel very comfortable with
the fact that I DO KNOW the answer...and the answer is NO.

I am sorry that you feel this has been a bad experience, but as a
researcher I have no control over your dissatisfaction with the facts.
The question, as you asked it, was indeed answered and unless there is
proof to the contrary I suspect that my research will stand. If you
prefer, you may request a refund by filling out this form
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=refundrequest and
explaining why you are dissatisfied.

Regards;
tutuzdad-ga

Your researcher tutuzdad-ga is disingenious/dishonest, and this is my
first time. I guess I  could have worded question better, it is
apparent I am more informed on subject than researcher,  what I
expected to hear was, this question can't be answered for $5.00, not
here's a stab in the dark, thank's for the $5.  My new question would
be, which character in the book SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS is based on the
real life person named ORVILLE PRUITT ?

A list of some of the "real life" characters from Shepherd of the
Hills can be found at
http://www.republic.k12.mo.us/highschool/teachers/kstephen/oz8c.htm
Unfortunately, it does not include Orville Pruitt.

A current member of the cast of the local production of Shepherd of
the Hills is named Judy Pruitt.
http://www.theshepherdofthehills.com/cast2.htm
Perhaps you could learn more by contacting the theater company.

By Phone
1-800-OLD-MATT (653-6288)
E-Mail
groups@tablerock.net

Address
Shepherd Of The Hills Homestead & Outdoor Theatre
W Hwy 76
Branson, MO 65616-0000

Nellie Bly
Google Answers Researcher

The following publications should answer your question beyond a doubt.
I believe that you will find, in referring to these references, that
my original answer was indeed correct:

"Dr. Joyce Kinkead on 'The Shepherd of The Hills'"
Copyright Joyce Kinkead, 1979. 
http://www.hbw.addr.com/kinkshep.htm 

"For further details on the characters and their true counterparts,
see Carla Roberts and Diana Foremen, "From Hills to Hotels,"
Bittersweet, 4 No. 4 (1977), 46-61, and J. K. Ross, "Old Matt's View
of It," White River Valley Historical Quarterly, 5, No. 7 (1975),
9-18."

Good luck;
tutuzdad-ga