She was the toast of New York, Victorian London, Paris and eventually the world. She was "adopted" by Indian Chief Sitting Bull, charmed the Prince of Prussia, and entertained the likes of Oscar Wilde and Queen Victoria. Annie Oakley excelled in a man's world by doing what she loved, and won International fame and fortune as "Little Miss Sure Shot".

On Monday, May 8, "The Life and Times of Annie Oakley", a one-hour documentary produced with funding assistance from the Hunting Heritage Trust, will be featured on the popular PBS documentary series, The American Experience.

Phoebe Anne Moses, a five-foot, 100-pound sharp shooter who pulled herself out of the depths of poverty to become an iconic performer known the world over as Annie, first picked up a gun in 1875 at age 15 not to become a superstar, but to save her family from destitution. Annie taught herself to shoot and took to the woods of Greenville, Ohio to hunt quail, which she could sell at the general store. "She was a market hunter, and turning a very nice profit," says Mary Zeiss Stange, a professor of women's studies. "Certainly not something that was at all appropriate for a woman to be doing in that time and place." Thanks to her prowess with a shotgun, Annie was able to become the primary breadwinner in the house and to pay off the mortgage on the family farm.

Annie Oakley dazzled crowds around the world, first on the variety circuit, then with the circus, and eventually with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. Annie amazed her audiences by splitting playing cards in two, hitting countless moving targets, even once shooting a cigarette out of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia's mouth at 30 paces. She could shoot with her left hand, her right hand, upside down, and sideways.

The documentary has been many years in the making and received important support from the Hunting Heritage Trust in the early stages of production when funding was critical, according to Riva Freifeld, the documentary's producer. "People connected to the shooting sports were always supportive, but the folks at the Hunting Heritage Trust provided important funding at an important time. For me, that puts the Trust and its supporters in a special category," Freifeld commented.

The Heritage Trust's mission is to provide support for innovative programs and strategic actions that will help perpetuate America's hunting and shooting sports heritage. Additional information on the Trust may be obtained by contacting the Hunting Heritage Trust, 1770 Bucks Hill Road, Southbury, CT 06488 or by visiting www.huntingheritagetrust.org.

The American Experience airs Mondays at 9:00 pm on most PBS stations. Check your local listing or visit www.pbs.org for additional information.

Media Contact:
Bob Delfay
(203) 264-7390