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The History of The Gunfighters and Lagniappe Productions
The Gunfighters have been entertaining audiences since 1978. But how did they get started? How did a group of guys playing cowboy evolve into the successful company that is now called Lagniappe Productions? Well, it all started over thirty years ago…
 Six Flags Over Texas
In the summer of 1975 three young, would-be actors, Michael Goggans, Benton Jennings, and Chris Whatley met while performing gunfight shows together at Six Flags Over Texas. After working together again during the 1976 season, the three struggling actors each went different directions in pursuit of their individual careers, but this was far from the end of their trail.
In 1978, Whatley, believing there was a viable market for well done, comedy gunfight shows outside of amusement parks, contacted Jennings and Goggans. Together, the three formed a partnership known as The Gunfighters and began to actively promote themselves for festivals, corporations, and special events throughout north Texas. Within two years of forming their company, The Gunfighters were booked in New York City at Madison Square Garden alongside The Charlie Daniels Band, Tony Randal, and a host of well known celebrities. The following night found them performing at what was then a nationally recognized New York City nightspot, “The City Limits.”
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Left to Right: Chris Whatley, Benton Jennings, Michael Goggans |
Nationwide Tours
Whatley, Jennings, and Goggans each continued to pursue other avenues of performance for both stage and screen while developing The Gunfighters’ reputation for delivering an exceptional show unsurpassed for quality within the western genre. With their own unique brand of western humor, they became a popular touring act performing for major festivals, corporate events, state fairs, and shopping malls from coast to coast. Their tour schedule averaged some 30 to 40 plus cities annually and had The Gunfighters sharing the stage as an opening act with The Dixie Chicks, Steve Warner, Bobby Bear, and Johnny Paycheck to name a few.
 In 1981 they filmed an educational film for seventh grade chemistry classes which won national acclaim and was exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. and is still in use to this day. In 1983 The Gunfighters were thrilled to work with many of the great western stars from the 1960’s as they were cast in The All American Cowboy performing alongside well known television greats Clint Walker, Ken Curtis, Ben Johnson, Chuck Conners, Johnny Crawford, Wilford Brimley, Jocko Mahoney, James Dury, Doug McClure and Buck Taylor.
From 1983 through the 1990’s The Gunfighters continued their rein as the premier western comedy gunfight company delighting audiences all across Texas and the nation. As proof of their amazing ability to provide the finest in comedy western gunfight shows, The Gunfighters won numerous performance competitions. This included winning the Texas Old West Show Championship, the premier competition of its kind in Texas, for four years straight - 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.
Transition
By the summer of 2000, having performed together as a professional acting company for 22 years, changes were afoot. Although Jennings had moved to Los Angeles to focus his efforts on a film career, he still found time to fly in for some of The Gunfighters bookings. Goggans’ direction was moving him towards other stage projects. In short, life was pulling each member of the group in a different direction. The talented trio that had entertained hundreds of thousands across the country since their inception in 1978 decided the future of The Gunfighters was best left solely in the hands of Whatley. It was a bittersweet farewell for a posse that had been together for so long, but the agreement was mutual and the decision made.
Determined to advance the scope of entertainment provided by The Gunfighters, Chris Whatley began to develop a wider range of entertainment options in addition to the signature comedy gunfight shows that had made the group’s reputation. In 2000, his soon-to-be wife, Phyllis Addison, introduced Saloon Girls to the lineup. Cowboy Musicians followed shortly thereafter. In 2001, Whatley married Addison who came with her own acting credentials and a passion for performing. She joined the company full time in 2003. Together they have continued to provide the level of quality entertainment that became a trademark of The Gunfighters over more than two decades of performances.
Lagniappe
The rapid expansion necessitated a change in the company name to something that represented more than just comedy gunfight shows. Thus, Lagniappe Productions was born. “Lagniappe” is a southern word of Cajun origin that means “an unexpected gift” or “a little something extra.” The name was perfect as it fit the company’s mission statement of “exceeding expectations with the highest level of integrity and professionalism.”
Lagniappe has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. The original three-person partnership of Whatley, Jennings, and Goggans has become a company with a roster of over 80 talented performers that produces some 1,300 shows annually. In 2003, Lagniappe introduced their Lone Star Murder Mysteries. An instant hit, these interactive Old West comedy who-done-its have been seen by over 49,000 people thus far. In 2005, The Gunfighters returned to their amusement park roots when Lagniappe Productions secured the contract to provide gunfight shows at Six Flags Astroworld in Houston. In 2006, the company came full circle when The Gunfighters returned to Six Flags Over Texas. Thirty years after performing at the park where he met Jennings and Goggans, Whatley was training a crew of young, would-be actors to perform on the very stage where it all started.
As for the original gunfighters, Benton Jennings is in LA pursuing his film career and has appeared in numerous films and TV shows including; Last of the Mohicans, In Her Shoes, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Drew Carey Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Without a Trace, JAG, Arliss, and Power Rangers, to name but a few. (A link to his web site can be found below.) Michael Goggans has pursued other theater and acting gigs in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and Chris Whatley is the President of Lagniappe Productions.
So there you have it. The history, more or less, of how we got to where we are now.
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