"A mean-looking fellow dressed all in black — complete with dark hair, black stubble, a long, black handlebar mustache and a scowl that would encourage anybody to walk in the other direction — pushed his way through the swinging doors [of the saloon]. He was followed by three other guys who didn't look much nicer — in fact, all three of them looked like finalists in a mean-and-stupid contest." —From Back to the Future Part III by Craig Shaw Gardner (quote, page 67)

"Mad Dog? I hate that name. I hate it. You hear? Nobody calls me "Mad Dog"! Especially not some duded-up, egg-suckin' gutter trash!" —Buford Tannen's reaction at being called "Mad Dog" by Marty

Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen was a local outlaw in Hill Valley and the main antagonist in Back to the Future Part III, California in the year 1885. He was the paternal grandfather of Irving "Kid" Tannen and Frank Tannen, the great-grandfather of Biff Tannen and the great-great-great grandfather of Griff Tannen.[1]

Biography

Buford had a very short temper and a tendency to drool, thus earning him the nickname of "Mad Dog", a name he really hated. Buford did not seem to have any fixed address, and he and his gang of three[2] rode around the Hill Valley area, robbing, shooting and bullying the local people. For some reason, he took a hatred to Seamus McFly, warning the Irish farmer never to enter the Palace Saloon again. Seamus did not take much notice of Buford, though, and did not fight with him. Upon meeting Marty, Buford mistook him for Seamus, as Marty was at the time wearing one of Seamus's hats.

Little is known about Buford's family life, other than he would eventually have a son who would marry Gertrude and produce Kid Tannen.

Buford also had problems counting (for example, he did not know that '7' came after '6') and shared his great-grandson's penchant for mixed metaphors. At one point, he told Marty that "I'll hunt you and shoot you down like a duck" instead of "dog."

Buford shot twelve men, not including Indians or Chinamen, before 1884; records were stopped after Buford shot dead a newspaper editor who printed an unfavorable story about him in that year.

Note: The following section is considered non-canon or is disputed in canonicity.

In 1884 of the 1985A ABC timeline, Buford Tannen shot Biff Tannen, who had been sent back in time as an ambush by Doc.[3] This could mean that in the aforementioned ABC timeline, the library records on Buford Tannen quoted that he killed thirteen men, not twelve. However, this is uncertain as it is not known whether Biff was shot before or after the newspaper editor who caused records of Buford's murders to be discontinued.

Non-canon or disputable information ends here.

At some point between January 1 and September 1, 1885, Buford asked Dr. Emmett Brown, who had set up business as a blacksmith while trapped in 1885, to shoe his horse; Buford did not pay for this job. Later, the shoe came off and Buford shot the horse — forcing him to go and steal another.

Buford arrived in Hill Valley in the morning of September 3, 1885 looking for Doc, as due to the horseshoe incident he reckoned that Doc owed him $80 ($75 for the horse he shot, the other $5 for a bottle of "Red Eye" whiskey he had busted in the accident). He threatened Doc, who said that since Buford never paid him for the job that made them even. Buford told Doc to watch his back in the future.

Two days later on the night of September 5, 1885 at the Hill Valley Festival (celebrating 20 years since the town's founding and the arrival of the new clock), Buford confronted Doc again, pushed a single-shot derringer into Doc's back, and shot him. Bleeding internally, Doc lingered in pain for two days before passing away. Clara Clayton, whom Doc had unwittingly saved from death by meeting her at the train station, erected a gravestone in memory of her true love. She had the courage to mention Tannen by name as part of Doc's epitaph, having the inscription Shot in the back by Buford Tannen over a matter of 80 dollars added. The stone remained in the cemetery for the next 70 years.

Altered history

Luckily, Marty McFly in 1955 found the gravestone and headed back to 1885 in the DeLorean time machine to save Doc. After he accidentally called Buford "Mad Dog", Buford nearly hanged him from the courthouse — fortunately for Marty, Doc was able to save him. Buford now regarded 'Clint Eastwood' (the name Marty was using in 1885) as his enemy.

At the festival two days later, Doc escaped being shot in the back by Buford, as he now knew about it from Marty. Marty saved Doc from Buford's fatal shot by throwing a Frisbie Pie Company tin in the manner of a frisbee, deflecting Buford's shot which blew Doc's hat away. After hearing an unfamiliar phrase that he assumed to be an insult (it was; Marty yelled "Hey, lighten up, jerk!"), Buford challenged 'Clint' to a shootout Monday morning. Marty initially started to walk away, but Buford called him "yellow". Marty, whose one weakness was an insecurity about being thought of as a "chicken", unwisely agreed to square off against Buford. Familiar with Westerns, Marty assumed that the showdown would take place at "high noon", and was surprised when Buford set the time as 7 o'clock in the morning. Buford bragged, "I do my killing before breakfast." 'Mr. Eastwood' calmly responded that "I do my killing after breakfast," and got a minor concession of an hour by setting the challenge for 8 o'clock. As Seamus pointed out correctly, Marty had allowed Buford to manipulate him.

The next morning, Sunday, September 6, 1885, Buford and his gang robbed the Pine City Stage before spending the night by the lake (which would still be a popular place to spend the night a century hence). It is possible that this was their lair in the Hill Valley area. On Monday, September 7, 1885, they headed into town to meet 'Clint' outside the Palace Saloon at 8:00 a.m. Marty, hoping to get some insight as to what would happen if he actually went through with the duel, looked at the photograph of Doc's tombstone from 1955. The name EMMETT L. BROWN had been replaced by CLINT EASTWOOD, confirming Marty's fear that he could not win a gunfight against Buford. Confronted with the very real prospect of being killed, Marty finally realized that it did not matter what Buford — or anyone else — thought of him. He and Doc tried escaping out a back door. Unfortunately Buford spotted them and took Doc hostage, then announced that if Marty didn't face him, Doc would be shot. Marty had to face Buford after all. As everyone in town watched, Buford commanded Eastwood to draw. Marty intentionally dropped the firearm to the ground and said, "No. I thought we could settle this like men." Buford, who was no gentleman, responded "You thought wrong, dude!" and dropped Eastwood with one gunshot to the chest.

Buford laughed as he walked up to 'Eastwood', intending to finish him off with a second gunshot. He, and the whole town, were surprised when 'Eastwood' kicked the gun out of his hand and, very much alive, stood up to the would-be killer. Buford threw a punch at Eastwood and his fist smashed into metal. Marty had used the cover of a stove as a form of bulletproof vest (as foreshadowed in 1985A while Buford's descendant, Biff, was watching A Fistful of Dollars in his hot tub). Eastwood even used the stove cover as a weapon and punched Buford, before delivering a fourth punch. Knocked out cold, Buford fell face first into a cartload of manure, beginning a family tradition of sorts that his great-grandson would continue by repeatedly crashing his car into manure trucks. Buford was then arrested for robbing the Pine City Stage and led away. It is implied by Marshal James Strickland's deputy that Buford would be hanged for his crimes. Whether this happened in 1885 or not, Buford sired Biff's grandfather before his death. Marty returned to 1985 to find that Biff had not been "erased from existence" by the events of September 7, 1885.

Behind the scenes

"Just imagine Biff with guns. It's not a pretty picture!!" —Tom Wilson describing Buford in an interview

Buford's role in the trilogy is foreshadowed twice in the previous film. While in 2015 and meeting Buford's 3rd-great-grandson, Griff, Marty plays the video game Wild Gunman — the main character of which is named Mad Dog. When Marty returns to the 1985 that Biff Tannen has altered by way of time travel and Grays Sports Almanac , he finds that Biff now has a museum dedicated to his life. A video documentary shown at the museum makes mention of Buford Tannen. Buford's picture is also seen briefly and appears noticeably different than he does in the third film, sporting a large beard, as producers had not yet decided what Buford would look like in the third film. The simplest explanation is that Buford had trimmed his beard sometime prior to the events of Back to the Future Part III .

— the main character of which is named Mad Dog. When Marty returns to the 1985 that Biff Tannen has altered by way of time travel and , he finds that Biff now has a museum dedicated to his life. A video documentary shown at the museum makes mention of Buford Tannen. Buford's picture is also seen briefly and appears noticeably different than he does in the third film, sporting a large beard, as producers had not yet decided what Buford would look like in the third film. The simplest explanation is that Buford had trimmed his beard sometime prior to the events of . In the script for Paradox , Buford's nickname was "Black Biff".

, Buford's nickname was "Black Biff". Thomas F. Wilson has said his performance as Buford was inspired by Lee Marvin's character in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance .

. The animated series reveals him to have an uncle, Thaddeus Tannen, and an aunt, in 1875, although this is not taken as canon by many fans.

The actions of Marty and Doc apparently did not change the history of the Tannen family, as Biff Tannen had the same personality and relation to the McFly family as he did. This has led some fans to believe that Buford is not actually a direct ancestor of Biff, but a relative with the same last name, or possibly that Buford's son was already born before the events in Back to the Future Part III took place. The latter is more likely, as a documentary in Back to the Future Part II confirms that Buford is in fact Biff's great-grandfather. It is not unreasonable to assume his son was already born at this time, this would have made the son at least 70 in 1955 and therefore Gertrude being approximately the same age.

took place. The latter is more likely, as a documentary in confirms that Buford is in fact Biff's great-grandfather. It is not unreasonable to assume his son was already born at this time, this would have made the son at least 70 in 1955 and therefore Gertrude being approximately the same age. In the original version of Back to the Future Part III , Buford also shot Marshal Strickland while Strickland's son was present. This would have been what Tannen was arrested for at the end (and why Buford is arrested by Strickland's deputy and not by Strickland himself). However, this scene was cut as not being suitable for a Back to the Future movie, all of which were aimed at a family audience, though it was reinstated for the novelization. Back to the Future: The Game acknowledges the murder several times throughout the story, with Marty not recalling the event.

, Buford also shot Marshal Strickland while Strickland's son was present. This would have been what Tannen was arrested for at the end (and why Buford is arrested by Strickland's deputy and not by Strickland himself). However, this scene was cut as not being suitable for a movie, all of which were aimed at a family audience, though it was reinstated for the novelization. acknowledges the murder several times throughout the story, with Marty not recalling the event. Unlike Biff, Buford often asked for advice from his fellow gang and did not yell at them if they corrected him on what he incorrectly said. This implies that he has more respect for his gang than Biff does.

Note: The following section is considered non-canon or is disputed in canonicity.

Doc picks up Clara from 1885 to take her back to 1991, and Buford is bothering her. She stomps on his foot and pulls his hat over his head before getting in the DeLorean and heading home.

It is also possible that "Wild Bill" Tannen could have been a cousin to Buford. There was also a Beauregard Tannen in 1864, who could have been the father of Buford.

Non-canon or disputable information ends here.

Appearances

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References and notes



