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Billy Bob Thornton Helps Raise $1.3mil for Bryan Museum

Dave Rossman
Billy Bob Thornton Helps Raise $1.3mil for Bryan Museum

John Bryan, Mary Jon Bryan, Billy Bob Thornton, J.P. Bryan

MORE THAN 500 guests gathered in Galveston for the Bryan Museum Gala, an evening that celebrated both the 10th anniversary of the museum and some of the most influential names in Texas oil and gas. Titled the Wildcatters Gala, the event honored Ernie H. Cockrell, Mary Ralph Lowe, Trevor Rees-Jones and the families of Eddy C. Scurlock and R.E. “Bob” Smith — all recognized for their legacy of leadership and philanthropy in the industry.

Before dinner, guests explored the museum’s immersive exhibits, including a Boomtown-inspired façade, a Spindletop Saloon serving the night’s signature Rob Roy cocktails and a recreated 1980s oil executive office — complete with a vintage computer and slideshow of Astrodome-era memories.

Art lovers flocked to the Kermit Oliver & Hermès exhibition, featuring the work of Oliver — the first American artist to design scarves for the French luxury house. The collection of paintings and fashion pieces was recently featured in Garden & Gun and Texas Monthly.

During the program, J.P. Bryan offered heartfelt remarks about the honorees, who were each awarded a custom History Medal of Honor containing a rare silver coin from the 1500s.

Rodeo Houston auctioneer Randolph Holford kept the crowd on their toes, leading a lively auction featuring dream-worthy getaways (The Broadmoor, San Miguel de Allende, Croatia), a Versailles gala experience and even a chance to invest in a racehorse.

Dinner from Culinaire included a Gulf Coast wedge salad with shrimp and candied bacon, followed by an Angus filet with truffled potato purée and long bean lariat. And, can't have a gala in Texas without a decadent butter cake layered with chocolate, pecans, and cream cheese filling for dessert.

Then came the big finale: a performance by Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters, who delivered a crowd-pleasing set on the museum lawn. Earlier in the evening, VIPs enjoyed a private meet-and-greet with the Landman star inside the museum.

In total, the gala raised over $1.3 million in support of The Bryan Museum’s education and outreach programs.

Scott Rice, Kelley Sullivan Georgiades and George Georgiades

Kelli and Eddy Blanton

Kirby McCool, Lindsay Holstead, and Courtney Hopson

Russell & Jolyn Scheirman

Nicki and John Morris

Ernie and Janet Cockrell, Stephanie and Ernie Cockrell

Terry and Tom Smith

Dr. Jochen Reiser and Gerri Popov

Dianne and Fred Burns

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