On 'Deadwood' set,
history comes alive

The language of “Deadwood” is decidedly mixed. While some characters talk like rough-hewn prospectors, others reflect East Coast roots.

Hawkes likens it to “Shakespeare of the Old West” — a pioneer-meets-patrician dialect that can be difficult to deliver. “I sometimes have to translate it first to understand exactly what I’m saying,” Parker says, laughing.

About the series’ profanity, Milch says: “This is the type of world you are in. Don’t expect any law.”

Perhaps the most astonishing realism is delivered by the army of extras who often populate the main street.

“We have a core group of about 150 guys and 30 to 40 women,” explains assistant director Kenny Roth, who’s responsible for making sure each muddy prospector is performing a bit of “business” that will add to the street scene’s realism.

“They basically have us do ‘Deadwood 101’ — just stand in front of your shop and sell something,” says Richard McMullen, who plays the gun shop owner.

“I love those days where the whole street’s working,” says Timothy Olyphant, who plays Seth Bullock. “I find I’m really taking them in, and it really helps us to connect into the environment and make it real.”

No dry-cleaners here
Dressing such a legion is the job of Le Dawson, the show’s wardrobe supervisor, who keeps about 360 costumes in a constant state of distress.

“These aren’t people who had money to go to a tailor and say, ‘Hey, I’m missing a button. Please fix it,”’ says Dawson.

The outfits were heavily researched by costume designer Katherine Jane Bryant, who gathered ideas from around the country. “So many people that came from everywhere ended up in Deadwood,” she said.

The “Deadwood” set is located on the site of Gene Autry’s old Melody Ranch, where his “singing cowboy” films were shot, and the new town utilized many of the existing structures.

“(Milch) told me he wanted the town of Deadwood to be a character,” explains production designer Maria Caso, and the set is literally loaded with thousands of authentic props.

Her staff is constantly buying antiques. “We can never have enough set dressing — the street just eats it up,” she says.

The realism created for “Deadwood” appears to be working — at least for Parker.

“I sometimes arrive at 4 in the morning for makeup and walk down (the main street) in the dark ... It’s totally magical,” she says. “Who knows what it would have felt like to be there. But you can at least imagine for a moment what it might have been like. Hard.”

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