Branson's wholesome brand of entertainment made it the nation's destination for family fun, but the vacation wonderland can't claim a spotless past. Murder and mischief dogged the town's efforts at respectability from the very beginning. The founder's own brother, Galba Branson, was a prominent member of the notorious vigilante gang the Bald Knobbers. He died in a picnic shootout that originated in a church prank. Branson's transformation into a showbiz mecca brought quarrel and scandal in its wake, from provoked orangutans to wire-tapped dressing rooms. Three comedians and authors—Ed and Karen Underwood and John Pinney—offer this backstage pass to the seamier side of Branson's history.
Authors of Forgotten Tales of Arkansas and Haunted Springfield, Missouri, Ed and Karen Underwood met John Pinney while performing in Branson. Their collaborative show, The Saucy Cabaret, takes the stage at comedy clubs, theaters and corporate events across the country. They have created a Wicked Branson page on their website, saucycabaret.com, full of additional fun facts and material on the town's history.