Buffalo Bill towards the end of his Wild West Show days, late 19th or early 20th century. One of the most colourful characters of the American West, Colonel William F 'Buffalo Bill' Cody (1846-1917) was a soldier, buffalo hunter and showman. He is best remembered for his travelling shows with Western themes which toured America and Europe in the late 19th century and early 20th century, which brought him celebrity status.