Bill Betenson Book Signing

The author of a new book on Butch Cassidy’s Wyoming days will be at Museum of Northwest Colorado on Friday, November 4, at 2 p.m. Bill Betenson loves to visit with people about his great-uncle Robert LeRoy Parker, aka Butch Cassidy, and to hear people share their stories of Butch. He will also sign and personalize copies of his new book, Butch Cassidy: the Wyoming Days, and his earlier book Butch Cassidy: My Uncle which won a Wyoming State Historical Society book award. * * * * When author Bill Betenson was four years old, he remembers going with his family to a private showing of the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, based on the exploits of his famous great-uncle known to the world as the outlaw Butch Cassidy. Bill’s 85-year-old great-grandmother Lula also attended the showing, and actors Robert Redford and Paul Newman were delighted to learn that Butch Cassidy’s sister was still alive and feisty. When introduced to Lula, Paul Newman said, “Hi, I’m Butch.” Lula said, without missing a beat, “Hi, I’m your sister.” Lula had been working on a book about Butch for years, and after the movie gained acclaim her book was published as Butch Cassidy, My Brother when Lula was 91. She said she was tired of the outrageous stories that had been written in books and newspapers about Butch, and she wanted to set the record straight. To the surprise of many, she revealed that Butch Cassidy was not killed in a gunfight in South America but had come back to Utah to visit his father and family. That revelation caused a controversy that still rages on today. Some believe that Butch and Sundance died in Bolivia, but when the purported graves were dug up, the DNA did not match. Many people in Wyoming have said that Butch visited old friends in the West after the date of his supposed death in Bolivia. To complicate the matter further, a man from Seattle impersonated Butch around the West. Who talked with Butch and who talked to a Butch imposter? Unanswered questions surround the life and death of Butch Cassidy and spur much interest and debate, especially in Wyoming where many residents heard stories from their grandparents about personally knowing Butch. * * * * Bill Betenson grew up on Butch Cassidy stories and has been adding to his storehouse of knowledge since he was old enough to sell t-shirts at the family’s tiny Butch Cassidy museum. He’s tracked down obscure letters in dusty attics, gone to Argentina in search of records and artifacts about Butch, and listened to accounts of old-timers who knew the outlaw. He’s appeared as the Parker family spokesman in TV documentaries and was recently featured on the tv series “Beyond Oak Island.” Now Bill has decided that it is time to write down what he knows about Butch Cassidy. He organized the information that is available about Butch Cassidy in a balanced manner and asks readers to draw their own conclusions. Bill has often said, “Just because we disagree doesn’t mean we have to be disagreeable.” Author Betenson says the best thing about being related to Butch Cassidy is that it gives him the opportunity to meet such interesting people. He believes that if he were going to choose an outlaw to be related to it would be Butch because Butch was known as a friend to many and a gentleman. Bill has a degree in mechanical engineering from Brigham Young University and has worked in the oil, gas, and pipeline industry for over 20 years. Those unable to attend the booksigning may call the Museum in advance to reserve a book and have it personalized.