Doc Holliday
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Dr. John Henry "Doc" Holliday |
| Occupation: | dentist, gambler, gunman |
| Relationships: | friend of Wyatt Earp, lover of Kate Elder |
| Fandom: | Tombstone, Wynonna Earp |
| Other: | Played by Val Kilmer, Tim Rozon |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Doc Holliday is an historical figure of the American Old West, best known for his friendship with Wyatt Earp. He had a fatalistic attitude to life, having been diagnosed with consumption at the age of 21. While he was a qualified dentist, his illness led him to give up the practise and instead he earned his living as a gambler. Famously, he participated in The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, on the side of the Earps.
Doc has been a popular character in various films and television shows focusing on the Old West. Fans have been particularly interested in his portrayals in Tombstone and Wynonna Earp. There are currently 2122 fanworks on AO3 tagged with "Doc Holliday".[1]
Real Person Fiction
There are currently 109 fanworks on AO3's "19th Century CE RPF" tag that include Doc Holliday.[2] (The next most popular character in this tag is Alexander Hamilton.) Fanworks often focus on Doc himself, with some interest in the slash relationship Wyatt Earp/Doc Holliday, and a romantic relationship with Doc's cousin Mattie Holliday.
Examples include:
- That Last Day in Albequerque fic by JohnHHolliday (Methleigh), Wyatt/Doc. "In which John does something terrible, but he is very sorry and tries to pay for it but cannot really expiate it."
- Your Huckleberry art by hyperionwitch, Doc Holliday (image on the right).
Tombstone (1993)
The film Tombstone has been popular, especially for its portrayal of the unlikely yet devoted friendship between Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer). Of the current 87 Tombstone fanworks on AO3, 71 of them include Doc Holliday.[3] The most popular relationship is Wyatt/Doc, with some interest also in Doc/Original Female Characters, Doc/Johnny Ringo, and Doc/Kate Elder.
Examples include:
- Blood and Whiskey fic by astolat, Wyatt/Doc. "He was one of the most unpredictable, bad-tempered, quick on the trigger, vicious hombres as you would ever hope not to meet, at least if you listened to the stories folks told; for my part, I never had a lick of trouble with him."
- Musical Chairs fic by khaleesian. "There are men who want peace and all kinds of complicated things. Doc Holliday's never been one of them."
- Pillow Talk fic by McVetty, Doc/Ringo. "Doc Holliday has a death wish, always has. Problem is, no one will indulge his self destructive tendencies, so he goes to the one person he thinks will."
- Requiescat fic by Stew, Doc/Ringo, Doc/Wyatt. "Doc Holliday is surprised by Johnny Ringo and fascinated by Wyatt Earp."
- smoking and drinking and wrecking things fic by impertinences, Kate/Doc, Kate/Ringo, Kate/Doc/Ringo. "Each of them is surrounded by rumor. They intersect like wild rivers." (Oh my.)
- Doc Holliday art by gregchapin.
- To Tombstone art by sosooley, Doc/Wyatt - featuring Doc as a centaur!
Wynonna Earp (2016-2021)
The TV series Wynonna Earp features Wyatt Earp's great-great-grandaughter Wynonna (Melanie Scrofano) in the present day, and her on-again off-again relationship with Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon). Doc is in effect immortal, having been cursed with eternal health, when he just wanted to be cured of his tuberculosis so he could go help Wyatt. Of the current 6122 Wynonna Earp fanworks on AO3, 1800 of them include Doc Holliday.[4] The most popular of Doc's relationships is Wynonna Earp/Doc Holliday, with some interest in the backstory of Doc/Wyatt. For once, given the popularly of femslash pairing Wayhaught, the male characters and the het ships are not the fandom's main focus!
Some examples:
- The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea fic by pyes, Wynonna/Doc. "Doc thought it was quite the trick to aim a gun with his little finger, but Wynonna knew that was nothing. The real trick was to wrap the man around your little finger. Then you could aim the man who aimed the gun."
- love a la françoise fic by glitteration, Xavier Dolls/Wynonna/Doc. "That one time a curse made them do it."
- Homestead and Chill? fic by AdorableDisaster, Wynonna/Doc. "Wynonna and Doc know they need to talk, but it's hard to carve out time when you're constantly being attacked by demons. Finally, they carve out an evening at the homestead alone. They do get some things covered before, well, they get distracted."
- Doc Holliday art by Mimmu.
Links and Resources
- Doc Holliday (the real person) at Wikipedia
- Doc Holliday character page at the Wynonna Earp Wiki
References
- ^ Doc Holliday on AO3, accessed 18 February 2021.
- ^ 19th Century CE RPF on AO3, accessed 18 February 2021.
- ^ Tombstone (1993) on AO3, accessed 18 February 2021.
- ^ Wynonna Earp (TV) on AO3, accessed 18 February 2021.