The Shepherd of the Hills, first published in 1907, became an immediate best-seller and one of the first million-selling books by an American author. The book was acclaimed novelist Harold Bell Wright’s second publication, and almost certainly his most famous work. It was translated into seven different languages and made into four movies, one starring John Wayne in his first Technicolor film. The book sparked the beginning of tourism in Branson, Missouri and the Ozark Mountain region of Missouri.
Based on actual people and events during the end of the 1800’s, this brilliant tale tells of the complicated lives of the Ozark pioneers. The story vividly portrays the account of the stranger the people called Dad Howitt. Having a mysterious past, his life was bound up with theirs more than they knew. The story also tells of a father bitter over the loss of his only daughter and seeking revenge; of magnificent, untutored Sammy Lane who wanted to become a lady so she would not embarrass Ollie Stewart her fiance; of Young Matt who loved her in silence; of Little Pete, the strange boy whom no one understood; and of the Baldknobber gang on their quest to control the region.
At The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theatre, Harold Bell Wright's epic story is immortalized every night on our star-lit stage. It takes over 80 actors and actresses, 40 horses, a flock of sheep, several guns and rifles, an actual burning log cabin, and a vintage 1908 DeWitt automobile to make the live action performance what it is - a legend.
Since our first season in 1960, the outdoor drama has entertained millions of Branson visitors. People who came to see the show as children come back to bring their own families. The cast members exhibit the loyalty and affection they have for the story itself. Several of them have been in the drama since its inception. The Shepherd of the Hills is not just another Ozarks show - it is the story of the Ozarks.
