Louis Burton Lindley Jr. (June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983), better known by his

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

Slim Pickens, was an American actor and rodeo performer. Starting off in the rodeo, Pickens transitioned to acting and appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows. For much of his career Pickens played mainly cowboy roles; he is perhaps best remembered today for his comic roles in '' Dr. Strangelove'', '' Blazing Saddles'' and ''

1941 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January– August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar E ...

'', and his villainous turn in '' One-Eyed Jacks''.

Early life and rodeo work

Louis Burton Lindley Jr. was born in

Kingsburg, California Kingsburg is a city in Fresno County, California. Kingsburg is located southeast of Selma at an elevation of 302 feet (92 m), on the banks of the Kings River. The city is from Fresno, and about from the California Central Coast and Sierra Ne ...

, the son of Sally Mosher (née Turk) and Louis Bert Lindley Sr., a Texas-born dairy farmer. Young Lindley was an excellent horse rider from an early age. Known as "Burt" to his family and friends, he grew bored with dairy farming and began to make a few dollars by riding broncos and roping steers in his early teens. His father found out and forbade this activity, but Lindley took no notice, went to compete in a rodeo, and was told by the doubtful rodeo manager that there would be " slim pickin's" (i.e. little chance of any prize money) for him. To prevent his father from discovering that he had competed, he entered his name as Slim Pickens, and won $400 that afternoon. Lindley graduated from Hanford High School,

Hanford, California Hanford is a city and county seat of Kings County, California, located in the San Joaquin Valley region of the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley. The population was 53,967 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. History ...

, and was a member of the

Future Farmers of America National FFA Organization is an American 501(c)(3) youth organization, specifically a career and technical student organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. It was founded in 1925 at ...

(FFA). He joined the rodeo, billed as Slim Pickens, and eventually became a well-known rodeo clown. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, he enlisted in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

. Reportedly when the recruiter asked him his profession, he responded "Rodeo". This was misread on a form as "radio", and he spent his entire enlistment at a radio station in the

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...

Film career

After nearly 20 years' rodeo work, Pickens's wide eyes, moon face, strong physical presence, and distinctive country drawl gained him a role in the

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US * Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that i ...

Rocky Mountain The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

'' (1950), which starred

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...

. He appeared in many more Westerns, playing both villains and comic

sidekick A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague (not necessarily in fiction) who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to the one they accompany. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, ...

s to actors such as

Rex Allen Rex Elvie Allen (December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999), known as "the Arizona Cowboy", was an American film and television actor, singer and songwriter; he was also the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his contribu ...

. Hollywood made good use of Pickens' rodeo background. He did not need a

stand-in A stand-in for film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting and camera setup. Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of film and television production. Stand-ins al ...

for horseback scenes, and he was able to gallop his own Appaloosa horses across the desert, or drive a stagecoach pulled by a six-horse team. In a large number of films and TV shows, he wore his own hats and boots, and rode his own horses and mules. Pickens appeared in dozens of further films, including '' Old Oklahoma Plains'' (1952), '' Down Laredo Way'' (1953), ''

Tonka Tonka is an American producer of toy trucks. The company is known for making steel toy models of construction type trucks and machinery. Maisto International, which makes diecast vehicles, acquired the rights to use the Tonka name in a line of ...

'' (1959), '' One-Eyed Jacks'' (1961, with Marlon Brando), '' Dr. Strangelove'' (1964), '' Major Dundee'' (1965, with

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film '' The Ten ...

), the

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the sa ...

of ''

Stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...

'' (1966; Pickens played the driver, portrayed in the 1939 film by

Andy Devine Andrew Vabre Devine (October 7, 1905 – February 18, 1977) was an American character actor known for his distinctive raspy, crackly voice and roles in Western films, including his role as Cookie, the sidekick of Roy Rogers in 10 feature f ...

), '' An Eye for an Eye'' (1966), '' Never a Dull Moment'' (1968), '' The Cowboys'' (1972, with John Wayne), '' The Getaway'' (1972, with Steve McQueen), '' Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'' (1973), '' Ginger in the Morning'' (1974, with Fred Ward), '' Blazing Saddles'' (1974), ''

Poor Pretty Eddie ''Poor Pretty Eddie'' is a 1975 American film starring Leslie Uggams, Shelley Winters and Michael Christian. Made on a relatively small budget, it is known for having an atypical narrative and directorial style, which combines elements of horr ...

'', '' Rancho Deluxe'' (both 1975), ''

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure ''Beyond the Poseidon Adventure'' is a 1979 American action-adventure disaster film and a sequel to '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972) directed by Irwin Allen and starring Michael Caine and Sally Field. It was a critical and commercial box office ...

'' (1979, with Michael Caine and

Karl Malden Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American actor. He was primarily a character actor, who according to Robert Berkvist, "for more than 60 years brought an intelligent intensity and a homespun aut ...

), and ''

Tom Horn Thomas Horn Jr., (November 21, 1860 – November 20, 1903) was an American scout, cowboy, soldier, range detective, and Pinkerton agent in the 19th-century and early 20th-century American Old West. Believed to have committed 17 killings as a ...

'' (1980, also with McQueen). He had a small but memorable role in

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spi ...

's ''

'' (1979) in scenes with

Toshiro Mifune was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 150 feature films. He is best known for his 16-film collaboration (1948–1965) with Akira Kurosawa in such works as '' Rashomon'', '' Seven Samurai'', '' The Hidden Fortress'', '' Throne of Blood'', a ...

and

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...

; during one scene, he enumerates the objects on his person, similarly to the way he does in the "Survival Kit Contents Check" scene in ''Dr. Strangelove''. In 1978, Pickens lent his voice to theme park Silver Dollar City as a character named Rube Dugan, for a ride called "Rube Dugan's Diving Bell". The diving bell was a simulation ride that took passengers on a journey to the bottom of Lake Silver and back. The ride was in operation from 1978 to 1984. He also played

werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposel ...

sheriff Sam Newfield in '' The Howling'' (1981). In 1960, he appeared with

William Bendix William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered for his role in ''Wake Island'', which earned him an Academy ...

and Doug McClure in the NBC Western series ''

Overland Trail The Overland Trail (also known as the Overland Stage Line) was a stagecoach and wagon trail in the American West during the 19th century. While portions of the route had been used by explorers and trappers since the 1820s, the Overland Trail was ...

'' in the episode "Sour Annie", with fellow guest stars

Mercedes McCambridge Carlotta Mercedes Agnes McCambridge (March 16, 1916 – March 2, 2004) was an American actress of radio, stage, film, and television. Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress." She won an Academy Award for Best Support ...

and Andrew Prine. Pickens appeared five times in NBC's ''Outlaws'' (1960–62) Western series as the character Slim. The program, starring

Barton MacLane Barton MacLane (December 25, 1902 – January 1, 1969) was an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He appeared in many classic films from the 1930s through the 1960s, including his role as General Martin Peterson on the 1960s NBC ...

, was the story of a U.S. Marshal in the

Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as ...

and the

outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so that anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them ...

s he pursued. In 1967, Pickens had a recurring role as the scout California Joe Milner in the ABC military Western '' Custer'', which starred Wayne Maunder in the title role. In 1975, Pickens was in another Western, playing the evil, limping bank robber in

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

's '' The Apple Dumpling Gang''; that same year, the exploitation cult classic ''

'' was released, with Pickens portraying twisted Sheriff Orville. He provided the voice of B.O.B. in the 1979 Disney science-fiction thriller '' The Black Hole''. His last film was his least notable, '' Pink Motel'' (1982, with

Phyllis Diller Phyllis Ada Diller (née Driver; July 17, 1917 – August 20, 2012) was an American stand-up comedian, actress, author, musician, and visual artist, best known for her eccentric stage persona, self-deprecating humor, wild hair and clothes, and ...

''Dr. Strangelove''

Pickens played

B-52 The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic aircraft, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the ...

pilot Major T. J. "King" Kong in 1964's ''Dr. Strangelove''.

Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...

cast Pickens after

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...

, who played three other roles in the film, sprained his ankle and was unable to perform in the role due to having to work in the cramped cockpit set. Pickens was chosen because his accent and comic sense were perfect for the role of Kong, a cartoonishly patriotic and gung-ho B-52 commander. He was not given the script for the entire film, but only those portions in which he played a part. Three memorable scenes featuring Pickens were: * A monologue meant to steel the crew for their duty after he receives the definitive inflight order to bomb a strategic target in the

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

. * Reading aloud to his crew the contents of their survival kits (possibly the first mention of

condom A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of inte ...

s in a Hollywood film). After listing the contents usable for barter with Russian women (prophylactics, nylons, lipstick, etc.), as well as a .45 semiautomatic pistol, Major Kong said, "Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good time in Big D allaswith all this stuff." This line had to be dubbed over, with the reference to Dallas changed to "weekend in Vegas", after the scheduled November 22, 1963 screening for critics was canceled due to President John F. Kennedy's assassination. * Best known of all, and an enduring historical film image of the American-Soviet Cold War era, Pickens riding a dropped

H-bomb A thermonuclear weapon, fusion weapon or hydrogen bomb (H bomb) is a second-generation nuclear weapon design. Its greater sophistication affords it vastly greater destructive power than first-generation nuclear bombs, a more compact size, a lowe ...

to a certain death, whooping and waving his

cowboy hat The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. Today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the western and southern United ...

(in the manner of a rodeo performer bronc riding or bull riding), not knowing its detonation will trigger a Soviet doomsday device. Pickens credited ''Dr. Strangelove'' as a turning point in his career. Previously he had been "Hey you" on sets, and afterward he was addressed as "Mr. Pickens". He once said, "After ''Dr. Strangelove'', the roles, the dressing rooms, and the checks all started gettin' bigger." Pickens said he was amazed at the difference a single movie could make. However, he also said that working with Stanley Kubrick proved too difficult due to Kubrick's perfectionist style of directing with multiple takes for nearly every shot, especially with the climactic H-bomb riding scene, which was done in just over 100

take A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production. Film In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each s ...

s. In the late 1970s, Pickens was offered the part of

Dick Hallorann Richard Hallorann is a fictional character created by Stephen King from his 1977 novel '' The Shining''. He has telepathic abilities he called "the shining" and is the head chef at the Overlook Hotel. He meets Danny Torrance, a young boy who is ...

in Kubrick's adaptation of

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high ...

's '' The Shining'', but Pickens stipulated that he would appear in the film only if Kubrick was required to shoot Pickens' scenes in fewer than 100 takes. Instead, Pickens' agent showed the script to Don Schwartz, the agent of Scatman Crothers, and Crothers accepted the role.

Voice work and recordings

Pickens lent his voice to the 1975 studio recording of Bobby Bridger's collection of Western ballads '' A Ballad of the West'', in which he narrated part 1, "Seekers of the Fleece", the story of

Jim Bridger James Felix "Jim" Bridger (March 17, 1804 – July 17, 1881) was an American mountain man, trapper, Army scout, and wilderness guide who explored and trapped in the Western United States in the first half of the 19th century. He was known as Ol ...

and the

mountain man A mountain man is an explorer who lives in the wilderness. Mountain men were most common in the North American Rocky Mountains from about 1810 through to the 1880s (with a peak population in the early 1840s). They were instrumental in opening up ...

fur-trade era. In 1977, he released the self-titled country album, ''Slim Pickens'', on Blue Canyon Records. The LP contained twelve selections (including Kinky Friedman's "Carryin' the Torch", which was issued as a single) and two songs written by Pickens. The record jacket featured a photo of the actor in his signature role in Dr. Strangelove, sitting in the cockpit. Pickens also recorded a one-off single, "Christmas in November" (a rather depressing number about a child who won't live to celebrate Christmas on time), on the Midsong label in 1980.

Television

Pickens appeared in numerous television guest shots, including a 1954 '' Stories of the Century'' episode in which he played the Sundance Kid to Joe Sawyer's Butch Cassidy, as well as four episodes of the

syndicated Syndication may refer to: * Broadcast syndication, where individual stations buy programs outside the network system * Print syndication, where individual newspapers or magazines license news articles, columns, or comic strips * Web syndication, ...

Western series '' Annie Oakley'' (1956, with Gail Davis and Brad Johnson), a 1956 episode of '' The Lone Ranger'', and three episodes of NBC's '' Wide Country'' (1962), a rodeo series starring Earl Holliman and Andrew Prine. In 1961, he had a recurring role as Johnson in the 17-episode NBC series ''

The Americans ''The Americans'' is an American period spy drama television series created by Joe Weisberg that aired on the FX television network for six seasons from January 30, 2013, to May 30, 2018. Weisberg and Joel Fields also serve as showrunners a ...

'', the story of how the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

divided families. Thereafter, he was cast in a first-season episode of NBC's espionage series '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.''. He appeared in episodes of ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private in ...

'', ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian languages, Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized tribe, federally recognize ...

'', ''

Sugarfoot ''Sugarfoot'' is an American Western television series that aired for 69 episodes on ABC from 1957-1961 on Tuesday nights on a "shared" slot basis – rotating with ''Cheyenne'' (first season); ''Cheyenne'' and '' Bronco'' (second season); an ...

'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', '' The Lone Ranger'', '' Frontier Doctor'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'', '' Route 66'', '' The Tall Man'', '' Maverick'' (in several episodes playing different characters), '' The Westerner'', ''

Riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury u ...

'', '' The Fugitive'', '' The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters'', '' The Legend of Jesse James'', ''

Alias Smith and Jones ''Alias Smith and Jones'' is an American Western series that originally aired on ABC from January 1971 to January 1973. The show initially starred Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes and Ben Murphy as Jedediah "Kid" Curry, outlaw cousins who are tr ...

'', ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the w ...

'', '' The Virginian'', '' Night Gallery'', '' That Girl'', '' Baretta'', '' Vega$'', '' How the West Was Won'', '' Cimarron Strip'', and ''

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to commo ...

''. Pickens was cast in recurring roles in '' Custer'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'', ''

Hee Haw ''Hee Haw'' is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. It aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, in syndication from 1971 to 1993, and on TNN from 1 ...

'' (where he was a semiregular from 1981 until his death), '' B. J. and the Bear'' with Greg Evigan, and '' Filthy Rich''. He played Wild Jack Monroe, the owner of station WJM, in CBS's ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. ...

'', and also guest-starred as Zeke in the 1963 episode "Higgins and the Hillbilly" of the ABC sitcom '' Our Man Higgins'', which starred Stanley Holloway as a British butler for a suburban American family. Pickens portrayed Grandpa Shoenfield in a two-part 1980 episode of ABC's '' The Love Boat''. In an episode of CBS's '' Hawaii Five-O'' he portrayed the patriarch of a family of serial killers. Pickens emceed NBC's short-lived

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, o ...

variety series ''The Nashville Palace'' in 1981.

Awards

In 1982, Pickens was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of Ame ...

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, an ...

. In 1986, Pickens was honored by the Rodeo Historical Society during his posthumous induction into the Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. In 2005, Pickens was posthumously inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs for his work as a rodeo clown. In 2006, Pickens was inducted into the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. In 2020, Pickens was inducted into the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame in Washington.

Personal life

In his last years, Pickens lived with his wife in

Columbia, California Columbia is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the Sierra Nevada foothills in Tuolumne County, California, Tuolumne County, California, United States. It was founded as a boomtown in 1850 when gold was found during the California Gold R ...

. He died on December 8, 1983, after surgery for a

brain tumor A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secon ...

. He was survived by his wife and children, Thomas Michael Lindley and Margaret Louise Wittman (née Lindley) as well as his step-daughter he chose to raise as his own, Daryle Ann Giardino (née Lindley). His funeral was held at Presbyterian Church of the Forty Niners in Columbia, California, where he was a member. His

ashes Ashes may refer to: *Ash, the solid remnants of fires. Media and entertainment Art * ''Ashes'' (Munch), an 1894 painting by Edvard Munch Film * ''The Ashes'' (film), a 1965 Polish film by director Andrzej Wajda * ''Ashes'' (1922 film), a ...

were scattered over his favorite trail areas. His wife died in 2011. His brother Samuel (1921–2001) was also an actor with the stage name Easy Pickens. Slim was a longtime supporter of the

National Rifle Association The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while cont ...

(NRA), appearing in promotional shots. He was an avid outdoorsman, appearing in several episodes of '' The American Sportsman''.

Cultural References

The album "Days Go By" (2012) by The Offspring features the song "Slim Pickens Does the Right Thing and Rides the Bomb to Hell" (Track 12, 2:36) which harkens back to his final scene from Dr. Strangelove.

Filmography

*'' Smoky'' (1946) as Rodeo Cowboy, uncredited *''

'' (1950) as Plank (CSA) *'' Colorado Sundown'' (1952) as Joshua Slim Pickens / Ma Pickens *'' The Last Musketeer'' (1952) as Slim Pickens *'' Border Saddlemates'' (1952) as Slim Pickens *'' The Story of Will Rogers'' (1952) as Dusty Donovan *'' Old Oklahoma Plains'' (1952) as Slim *''

South Pacific Trail ''South Pacific Trail'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by William Witney, written by Arthur E. Orloff, and starring Rex Allen, Estelita Rodriguez, Slim Pickens, Nestor Paiva, Roy Barcroft and Douglas Evans. It was released on O ...

'' (1952) as Slim Pickens *'' Thunderbirds'' (1952) as Pvt. Wes Shelby *'' Old Overland Trail'' (1953) as Slim Pickens *'' The Sun Shines Bright'' (1953) as Sterling, Lanky Backwoodsman *'' Iron Mountain Trail'' (1953) as Slim Pickens *'' Down Laredo Way'' (1953) as Slim *'' Shadows of Tombstone'' (1953) as Slim *'' Red River Shore'' (1953) as Deputy Slim Pickens *'' Phantom Stallion'' (1954) as Slim *'' The Boy from Oklahoma'' (1954) as Shorty *'' The Outcast'' (1954) as Boone Polsen *'' Santa Fe Passage'' (1955) as Sam Beekman *'' The Last Command'' (1955) as Abe *'' When Gangland Strikes'' (1956) as Slim Pickett *'' Stranger at My Door'' (1956) as Ben Silas *''

The Great Locomotive Chase ''The Great Locomotive Chase'' is a 1956 American adventure western film produced by Walt Disney Productions, based on the Great Locomotive Chase that occurred in 1862 during the American Civil War. Filmed in CinemaScope and in color, the ...

'' (1956) as Pete Bracken *'' Gun Brothers'' (1956) as Moose MacLain *'' Gunsight Ridge'' (1957) as Hank Moss *'' The Sheepman'' (1958) as Marshal *'' Escort West'' (1958) as Corporal Wheeler *''

'' (1958) as Ace *''Stump Run'' (1959) as Babe Gaskin *'' Chartroose Caboose'' (1960) as Pete Harmon *'' One-Eyed Jacks'' (1961) as Deputy Lon Dedrick *'' A Thunder of Drums'' (1961) as Trooper Erschick *'' Savage Sam'' (1963) as Willy Crup *'' Dr. Strangelove'' (1964) as Maj. 'King' Kong *'' Major Dundee'' (1965) as Wiley *'' In Harm's Way'' (1965) as C.P.O Culpepper *'' Up from the Beach'' (1965) as Artillery Colonel *'' The Glory Guys'' (1965) as Sgt. James Gregory *''

'' (1966) as Buck *'' An Eye for an Eye'' (1966) as Ike Slant *'' The Young Riders'' (1966) *''Un tipo dificil de matar'' (1967) *'' Rough Night in Jericho'' (1967) as Yarbrough *'' The Flim-Flam Man'' (1967) as Jarvis Bates *'' Will Penny'' (1967) as Ike Walterstein *'' Never a Dull Moment'' (1968) as Cowboy Schaeffer *''The Legend of Custer'' (1968) as California Joe Milner *'' Skidoo'' (1968) as Switchboard Operator *''

80 Steps to Jonah ''80 Steps to Jonah'' is a 1969 American drama film directed by Gerd Oswald, written by Frederick Louis Fox, and starring Wayne Newton, Jo Van Fleet, Keenan Wynn, Diana Ewing, Mickey Rooney and Sal Mineo. It was released by Warner Bros. in Decemb ...

'' (1969) as Scott *'' Rosolino Paternò, soldato...'' (1970) as General Maxwell *'' The Ballad of Cable Hogue'' (1970) as Ben Fairchild *'' The Deserter'' (1971) as Tattinger — American Scout *''Temporada salvaje'' (1971) as Lucky *'' The Cowboys'' (1972) as Anse *'' J.C.'' (1972) as Grady Caldwell *'' The Honkers'' (1972) as Clete *'' The Getaway'' (1972) as Cowboy *'' Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'' (1973) as Sheriff Baker *'' Blazing Saddles'' (1974) as Taggart *''Runaway on the Rogue River'' (1974) as Bucky Steele *'' The Gun and the Pulpit'' (1974) as Billy One-Eye *'' Bootleggers'' (1974) as Grandpa Pruitt *'' Ginger in the Morning'' (1974) as Sheriff *''The Legend of Earl Durand'' (1974) as Phil Chumley *'' Rancho Deluxe'' (1975) as Henry Beige *''

'' (1975) as Sheriff Orville *'' The Apple Dumpling Gang'' (1975) as Frank Stillwell *'' White Line Fever'' (1975) as Duane Haller *'' Banjo Hackett: Roamin' Free'' (1976, TV movie) as Lijah Tuttle *'' Hawmps!'' (1976) as Naman Tucker *''

Pony Express Rider ''Pony Express Rider'' is a 1976 American Western film directed by Robert Totten and starring Henry Wilcoxon, Maureen McCormick and Joan Caulfield. In 1860 young Jimmie Richardson joins the Pony Express to help find the man he believes killed h ...

'' (1976) as Bob Jay *'' Mr. Billion'' (1977) as Duane Hawkins *'' The White Buffalo'' (1977) as Abel Pickney *'' The Shadow of Chikara'' (1977) as Virgil Cane *'' The Swarm'' (1978) as Jud Hawkins *''Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws'' (1978) as Sheriff Ledy *''The Sweet Creek County War'' (1979) as Jitters Pippen *''

'' (1979) as Dewey 'Tex' Hopkins *'' The Sacketts'' (1979) as Jack Bigelow *''

'' (1979) as Hollis P. Wood *''

Spirit of the Wind ''Spirit of the Wind'' (also known as ''Attla'') is a 1979 American Northern film directed by Ralph Liddle and starring Chief Dan George, Slim Pickens, Pius Savage, and George Clutesi. Plot summary The film is a semi-biographical story base ...

'' (1979) as Obie *'' The Black Hole'' (1979) as B.O.B. (voice, uncredited) *''

'' (1980) as Sheriff Sam Creedmore *'' Honeysuckle Rose'' (1980) as Garland Ramsey *'' Christmas Mountain'' (1981) *'' The Howling'' (1981) as Sam Newfield *'' This House Possessed'' (1981, TV movie) as Arthur Keene *'' Pink Motel'' (1982) as Roy

Television

*'' The Lone Ranger'' (1956) — episode — The Letter Bride — Ed Jones *''The Lone Ranger'' (1956) — episode — The Sheriff of Smoke Tree — Joe Boley *''

'' (1957) — episode — Brannigan's Boots — Shorty *''Sugarfoot'' (1958) — episode — Short Range — Harry *''

'' (1957) — episode — Big Ghost Basin — Gary Owen *'' Lassie'' (1957) — episode — The Chimp — Eddie *'' Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'' (1957–1974) — 19 episodes — various roles *''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the progra ...

'' (1958) — episode — The Telescope Eye — Season 6 Episode 26 *''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'' (1958) — episode — The Tent City Story — Rafe Jeffers *'' Maverick'' (1958) — episode — The Spanish Dancer — Jed *'' Frontier Doctor'' (1959) — episode — Bittercreek Gang — Slim *'' Bronco'' (1961) — episode — One Came Back — 1st Stage Driver (uncredited) *''

'' (1961) — episodes — The Escape, and The War Between the States — Johnson *'' Maverick'' (1961) — episode — A State of Siege — Stage Coach Driver *''Wagon Train'' (1962) — episode — The Eve Newhope Story — Grubstake Malloy *'' Route 66'' (1962) — episode — A long Piece of Mischief — Jud *''

'' (1961) — episode — Final Arrangements — Bradshaw *''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' (1964) — episode — The Jar — Clem Carter *''

'' (1963–1964) — Episodes: "Half a Rogue" and "King of the Mountain" as Big Jim Leyton *'' Rawhide'' (1964) — episode — The Backshooter — Sheriff McKay *'' The Fugitive'' (1964) — episode — Nemesis — Corbin *''

'' (1964) — episode — Once a Haggen — Bucko Taos *'' The Virginian'' (1964) — episode — Big Image — Little Man — Hogy *'' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' (1964) — episode — The Iowa-Scuba Affair — Clint Spinner *'' Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)'' — Simon Harman - S2/E18 "The Deserter" (1966) *'' Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)'' — Cletus Mott - S3/E1 "Dan'l Boone Shot a B'ar" (1966) *''Gunsmoke'' (1966) — episode — Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs — Pony Beal *'' The Legend of Jesse James'' (1966) — episode — Wanted: Dead and Only — Sheriff Homer Brinks *'' Cimarron Strip'' (1968) — episode — Fool's Gold — Malachi Grimes *''Gentle Ben'' (1968) — episode — Ol' Joe's Gotta Go — Lloyd Larkin *''

'' (1968) — Episode: "Catch as Catch Can" as Sheriff Gant *'' That Girl'' (1969) — episode — Nobody Here But Us Chickens — Major Culpepper *''

'' (1969) — episode — Only Giants Can Play — Mike Ray *'' Ironside'' (1969) — episode — Goodbye to Yesterday — Sheriff Metcalf *''Bonanza'' (1970) — episode "What Are Pardners For?" as Sheriff *''Gunsmoke'' (1970) — episode — The Scavengers — Colley *'' The Mary Tyler Moore Show '' (1971) — episode — The 45-Year-Old Man — Wild Jack Monroe *''

'' (1971) — episode — Exit from Wickenburg — Mike *''Alias Smith and Jones'' (1971) — episode — The Man Who Murdered Himself — Sheriff Benton *''Alias Smith and Jones'' (1971) — episode — The Day They Hanged Kid Curry — Sheriff Whittaker *''

The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy. Jones plays a widowed mother, and Cassidy plays the oldest of her five children, in a family who embarks on a music career. It ran from ...

'' (1972) — episode — Nag, Nag, Nag — Will Fowler *''Gunsmoke'' (1972) — episodes — The River: Parts 1 & 2 — Charlie Utter *''Alias Smith and Jones'' (1972) — episode — The Strange Fate of Conrad Meyer Zulick — Sheriff Sam *'' Hawaii Five-O'' (1973) — episode — One Big Happy Family — Sam *'' Night Gallery'' (1973) — episode — Die Now, Pay Later — Sheriff Ned Harlow *''

'' (1974) — episode — Empty Pages of a Dead Book — Bart Fisher *'' McMillan & Wife'' (1976) — episode — Greed — William Halstead *'' The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams'' — episode — The Unholy Beast — Fine Hope *'' How the West Was Won'' (1978) — Episodes: #1.9, #1.10, and #1.11 — Tap Henry *'' Vega$'' (1978) — episode — Yes, My Darling Daughter — Ben Handler *'' B.J. and the Bear'' (1979–81) — episodes — Snow White and the Seven Lady Truckers: Part 2, Mary Ellen, and B.J. and the Seven Lady Truckers — Sgt. Beauregard Wiley *'' The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' (1979) — Run for the Money: Parts 2 & 3 — Sgt. Wiley

References

External links

* * *
The Colt Revolver in the American West – Slim Pickens' Single Action Army

Slim Pickens arrives at an airport 1970s
from

Texas Archive of the Moving Image The Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) is an independent 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2002 by film archivist and University of Texas at Austin professor Caroline Frick, PhD. TAMI's mission is to preserve, study, and exhibit Texas film ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pickens, Slim 1919 births 1983 deaths Male actors from California American clowns American male film actors Male Western (genre) film actors American male television actors American male voice actors Deaths from brain cancer in the United States People from Kingsburg, California Rodeo clowns 20th-century American male actors ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees American male comedy actors American Presbyterians United States Army personnel of World War II

Early life and rodeo work

Film career

''Dr. Strangelove''

Voice work and recordings

Television

Awards

Personal life

Cultural References

Filmography

Television

See also

References

External links