Polly Pry
Encyclopedia
Mrs. Leonel Campbell Ross O'Bryan (1857-1938), under the pen name
Polly Pry, was a controversial reporter for the Denver Post and later as a freelancer in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She is best remembered for her connection to the case of Alferd Packer
as an investigative reporter.
At one point during the trial, her skirts saved her publishers' lives by slowing down bullets from the gun of W.W. "Plughat" Anderson, who had attacked them in an unrelated matter.
When union workers boycotted the Post for her stance on labor issues and immigration
, she founded her own paper, Polly Pry. This brought further attacks from gunmen on her, this time in her home rather than her workplace.
She was a strong advocate of free speech, and came to the aid of French war orphans during World War I
.
(1980), she was portrayed by Cynthia Nessin. The incident with Anderson (who was not named, and called "Gunman" in the credits) was included, but after she begins telling Packer's story, she does not appear again in the film, involved or otherwise, and the shooting is not mentioned again. She is depicted as a hard-drinking and forceful person. Trey Parker
's Cannibal! The Musical
featured Toddy Walters
in the role, which went more deeply into her involvement with the case, though ignored the fact that she was married in order to make her a love interest
for Packer.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Polly Pry, was a controversial reporter for the Denver Post and later as a freelancer in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She is best remembered for her connection to the case of Alferd Packer
Alferd Packer
Alfred G. "Alferd" Packer was an American prospector who was accused of cannibalism during the winter of 1873-1874. First tried for murder, Packer was eventually sentenced to 40 years in prison after being convicted of manslaughter...
as an investigative reporter.
At one point during the trial, her skirts saved her publishers' lives by slowing down bullets from the gun of W.W. "Plughat" Anderson, who had attacked them in an unrelated matter.
When union workers boycotted the Post for her stance on labor issues and immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
, she founded her own paper, Polly Pry. This brought further attacks from gunmen on her, this time in her home rather than her workplace.
She was a strong advocate of free speech, and came to the aid of French war orphans during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In popular culture
Two film versions of the Alferd Packer story have included Polly Pry. In Jim Roberson's The Legend of Alfred PackerThe Legend of Alfred Packer
The Legend of Alfred Packer is a 1980 film by Jim Roberson from a script by Burton Raffel. It is a biopic of Alferd Packer starring Patrick Dray in the title role...
(1980), she was portrayed by Cynthia Nessin. The incident with Anderson (who was not named, and called "Gunman" in the credits) was included, but after she begins telling Packer's story, she does not appear again in the film, involved or otherwise, and the shooting is not mentioned again. She is depicted as a hard-drinking and forceful person. Trey Parker
Trey Parker
Trey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
's Cannibal! The Musical
Cannibal! The Musical
Cannibal! The Musical is a 1993 independent film directed by co-creator of South Park, Trey Parker, while studying at the University of Colorado at Boulder...
featured Toddy Walters
Toddy Walters
Toddy Elizabeth Walters is a former actress who is now a singer/songwriter.-Career:Walters went to the University of Colorado, where she met Trey Parker, who was casting for his student film Cannibal! The Musical. She was cast in the role of Polly Pry...
in the role, which went more deeply into her involvement with the case, though ignored the fact that she was married in order to make her a love interest
Romantic interest (theater)
The romantic interest is a stock character, an object of romantic admiration and attraction for the main character, or hero/heroine e/s...
for Packer.