Other facts the writers seemed to have ignored.

Yes, I know this is a work of fiction, but still they took a lot of liberties with facts.

As others have pointed out, the big problem was that during the time period this movie was to have taken place, Wyatt Earp had been dead for about four months....died January 13, 1929 while the 1st Academy Awards were in May. Add to that he was happily married until his dying day and had moved to Los Angeles in 1906 where he lived in a small apartment. Some time after 1910, he became a consultant on silent movies, so this wouldn't have been his first consulting job. Both John Wayne and John Ford said they knew him in the silent era. Wayne said he brought him coffee when Wayne was just an extra on films. Told Hugh O'Brien he based his image on Earp. William S. Hart knew him best as Hart knew Earp from his childhood.

As for Tom Mix, he too was married and had a seven year old daughter named Tomasina. He also never did a film where he played Wyatt and had known Earp for years. Both he and Hart were pallbearers at Earp's funeral.

Ellen McNulty: Oh, go on, I've stepped on better things.