He was Virginia City’s first goodwill ambassador and he died 41 years ago this week. Born Arnold Fryk in Wisconsin in 1912, Fryk headed west at an early age and found work in Hollywood as a stunt man and horse wrangler. He later worked at Death Valley, Calif., where dressed as a prospector, people would often pay to have their picture taken with him.
It was here at Bad Water Basin in Death Valley that Fryk became Bad Water Bill, a moniker that stayed with him for the rest of his life.