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

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Slim Pickens, was an American actor and

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...

performer. Starting off in the rodeo, Pickens took up acting, and appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows. For much of his career, Pickens played cowboy roles. He played comic roles in '' Dr. Strangelove'', ''

Blazing Saddles ''Blazing Saddles'' is a 1974 American satirical postmodernist Western black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, who co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Alan Uger, based on a story treatment by Be ...

'', ''

1941 The Correlates of War project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 3.49 million. However, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program estimates that the subsequent year, 1942, wa ...

'', and his villainous turn in ''

One-Eyed Jacks ''One-Eyed Jacks'' is a 1961 American Western film directed by and starring Marlon Brando, his only directorial credit. Brando portrays the lead character Rio, and Karl Malden plays his partner, "Dad" Longworth. The supporting cast features Pin ...

'' with

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''

Early life and rodeo work

Louis Burton Lindley Jr., was born in Kingsburg, California, 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 pickins" (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 (in

Hanford Hanford may refer to: Places *Hanford (constituency), a constituency in Tuen Mun, People's Republic of China *Hanford, Dorset, a village and parish in England *Hanford, Staffordshire, England *Hanford, California, United States *Hanford, Iowa, ...

) and was a member of the

Future Farmers of America The National FFA Organization or FFA is an American nonprofit career and technical student organization, which offers middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. Future Farmers of Virginia (FFV) was founded in ...

. He joined the rodeo, billed as Slim Pickens, and eventually became a well-known

rodeo clown A rodeo clown, bullfighter or rodeo protection athlete, is a rodeo performer who works in bull riding competitions. Originally, the rodeo clown was a single job combining "bullfighting" — the protection of riders thrust from the bull — as wel ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he enlisted in the

U.S. 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, Lindley responded "rodeo"; misread on a form as "radio", he spent his entire enlistment at a radio station in the

Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

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 id ...

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 and American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Oliv ...

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

sidekick A sidekick is a close companion or colleague who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to those whom they accompany. Origins The first recorded use of the term dates from 1896. It is believed to have originated in pickpocket slang of ...

s to actors such as

Rex Allen Rex Elvie Allen Sr. (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 cont ...

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

stand-in A stand-in, sometimes a lighting double, 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 tele ...

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. Pickens appeared in dozens more films, including '' Old Oklahoma Plains'' (1952), '' Down Laredo Way'' (1953), ''

Tonka Tonka is an American brand and former manufacturer of toy trucks. The company was founded in 1946 and operated as an independent manufacturer of popular steel toy construction type trucks and machinery, until its sale to Hasbro in 1991. Histor ...

'' (1959), ''

'' (1961, with

), '' Dr. Strangelove'' (1964), '' Major Dundee'' (1965, with

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...

), 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 same s ...

of ''

Stagecoach A stagecoach (also: stage coach, stage, road coach, ) 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 ...

'' (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 American frontier, Western films, including his role as Cookie, the sidekick of Roy Rogers ...

), '' An Eye for an Eye'' (1966), '' Never a Dull Moment'' (1968), ''

The Cowboys ''The Cowboys'' is a 1972 American Western film starring John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Bruce Dern, and featuring Colleen Dewhurst and Slim Pickens. It was the feature film debut of Robert Carradine. Based on the 1971 novel of the sam ...

'' (1972, with

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...

), '' The Getaway'' (1972, with

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of counterculture of the 1960s, 1960s counterculture, made him a top box office draw for his films of the late ...

), '' Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'' (1973), '' Ginger in the Morning'' (1974, with

Fred Ward Freddie Joe Ward (December 30, 1942 – May 8, 2022) was an American character actor. Starting with a role in an Italian television movie in 1973, he appeared in such diverse films as '' Escape from Alcatraz'', '' The Right Stuff'', '' Remo Wil ...

), ''

'' (1974), '' Poor Pretty Eddie'', '' Rancho Deluxe'' (both 1975), '' Beyond the Poseidon Adventure'' (1979, with

Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over Michael Caine filmography, a career that spanned eight decades an ...

and

Karl Malden Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American stage, movie and television actor who first achieved acclaim in the original Broadway productions of Arthur Miller's '' All My Sons'' and Tennessee Will ...

), and ''

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

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

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...

's ''

'' (1979) in scenes with

Toshiro Mifune was a Japanese actor and producer. The recipient of numerous awards and accolades over a lengthy career, he is widely considered one of the greatest actors of all time. He often played hypermasculine characters and was noted for his commandin ...

and Christopher Lee; 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 Silver Dollar City is a theme park in Stone County, Missouri, near the cities of Branson, Missouri, Branson and Branson West, Missouri, Branson West. The park is located off of Missouri Route 76 on the Indian Point peninsula of Table Rock Lake ...

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 (from Ancient Greek ), is an individual who can shapeshifting, shapeshift into a wolf, or especially in modern film, a Shapeshifting, therianthropic Hybrid beasts in folklore, hybrid wol ...

sheriff Sam Newfield in '' The Howling'' (1981). 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, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

's '' The Apple Dumpling Gang''; that same year, the exploitation cult classic '' Poor Pretty Eddie'' 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 ''Pink Motel'' is a 1982 American sex comedy film. Premise A couple who own a cheap hotel (Phyllis Diller and Slim Pickens, in his final role) must deal with the various eccentric people who rent their rooms. The ''New York Times'' called the fi ...

'' (1982, with

Phyllis Diller Phyllis Ada Diller (née Driver; July 17, 1917 – August 20, 2012) was an American stand-up comedian, Actor, actress, author, musician, and visual artist, best known for her Eccentricity (behavior), eccentric stage persona, Self-deprecation, se ...

''Dr. Strangelove''

Pickens played B-52 pilot Major T. J. "King" Kong in 1964's ''Dr. Strangelove''.

Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American filmmaker and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick filmography, his films were nearly all adaptations of novels or sho ...

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''. Sellers featured on a number of hit comi ...

, 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: * Giving a monologue meant to steel his crew for their duty after he receives the definitive order to bomb a strategic target in the

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. * Reading aloud to his crew the contents of their survival kits: after listing the contents usable for barter with Russian women (including prophylactics - in possibly the first mention of

condom A condom is a sheath-shaped Barrier contraception, barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a Sexually transmitted disease, sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both external condo ...

s in a Hollywood film - nylons, lipstick, and a

M1911 pistol The Colt M1911 (also known as 1911, Colt 1911, Colt .45, or Colt Government in the case of Colt-produced models) is a single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered primarily for the .45 ACP cartridge. History Early histo ...

with ammunition), Major Kong says "Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good time in Big D allaswith all this stuff": this line had to be re-dubbed, with the reference to Dallas being changed to "weekend in Vegas", after the scheduled November 22, 1963 screening for critics was cancelled due to President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

's assassination. * Best known of all - and an enduring historical film image of the American-Soviet Cold War era - Major Kong 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 while 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 United States, Canada, Mexico, C ...

like a

performer riding a bronco or a bull, not knowing that 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 afterwards 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 one movie could make. He also said, though, 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. 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. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...

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

Scatman Crothers Benjamin Sherman "Scatman" Crothers (May 23, 1910 – November 22, 1986) was an American actor and musician. He is known for playing Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show ''Chico and the Man'', and Dick Hallorann in Stanley Kubrick's '' The ...

, 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 Bridger (March 17, 1804 – July 17, 1881) was an American mountain man, Animal trapping, 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 ...

and the

mountain man A mountain man is an Geographical exploration, explorer who lives in the wilderness and makes his living from hunting, fishing and trapping. Mountain men were most common in the North American Rocky Mountains from about 1810 through to the 1880s ...

fur-trade era. In 1977, he released the self-titled country album, ''Slim Pickens'', on Blue Canyon Records. The LP contained 12 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 photograph 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 song about a child who would not 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 ''Stories of the Century'' is a 39-episode Western (genre), Western historical fiction television series starring Jim Davis (actor), Jim Davis that ran in Broadcast syndication, syndication through Republic Pictures between 1954 and 1955. Synop ...

'' episode in which he played the

Sundance Kid Harry Alonzo Longabaugh (1867 – November 7, 1908), better known as the Sundance Kid, was an outlaw and member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch in the American Old West. He likely met Butch Cassidy (real name Robert LeRoy Parker) during a hunti ...

Joe Sawyer Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers; August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. Early life Sawyer was born August 29, 1 ...

Butch Cassidy Robert LeRoy Parker (April 13, 1866 – November 7, 1908), better known as Butch Cassidy, was an American train robbery, train and bank robbery, bank robber and the leader of a gang of criminal outlaws known as the "Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch, ...

, as well as four episodes of the syndicated Western series ''

Annie Oakley Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Mosey; August 13, 1860 – November 3, 1926) was an American marksman, sharpshooter and folk heroine who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Oakley developed hunting skills as a child to provide for her impoveris ...

'' (1956, with Gail Davis and Brad Johnson), a 1956 episode of ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in a ...

'', and three episodes of NBC's '' Wide Country'' (1962), a rodeo series starring Earl Holliman and

Andrew Prine Andrew Lewis Prine (February 14, 1936 – October 31, 2022) was an American film, stage, and television actor. Early life Prine was born in 1936, in Jennings, Florida. He was raised in a farming community. Career Early beginnings In the ...

. He appeared in the 1959-1960 Walt Disney Studios miniseries '' The Swamp Fox'' In 1961, he had a recurring role as Johnson in the 17-episode NBC series ''

The Americans ''The Americans'' is an American historical drama, period spy fiction, spy drama television series created by Joe Weisberg for FX (TV channel), FX. It aired for six seasons from 2013 to 2018. Weisberg and Joel Fields also served as showrunners ...

'', the story of how the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

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 originally aired for eight seasons on CBS from September 16, 1967, to March 13, 1975. The show was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer ...

'', ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne comprise two Native American tribes, the Só'taeo'o or Só'taétaneo'o (more commonly spelled as Suhtai or Sutaio) and the (also spelled Tsitsistas, The term for th ...

'', '' Sugarfoot'', ''

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

'', ''

Frontier Doctor ''Frontier Doctor'' is an American Western television series starring Rex Allen that aired in syndication from September 26, 1958, until June 20, 1959. The series was also known as ''Unarmed'' and ''Man of the West''.TV Guide Guide to TV. Bar ...

'', ''

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

'', '' 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 ...

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

Alias Smith and Jones ''Alias Smith and Jones'' is an American Western television series that originally aired on ABC from January 1971 to January 1973. The show initially starred Pete Duel (and, after Duel's death, Roger Davis) as Hannibal Heyes and Ben Murphy ...

'', ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 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 beyo ...

'', '' The Virginian'', ''

Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, '' The Twilight Zon ...

'', '' That Girl'', ''

Baretta ''Baretta'' is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The show was a revised and milder version of a 1973–1974 ABC series, '' Toma'', starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jersey police ...

'', ''

Vega$ ''Vegas'' (stylized as ''Vega$'') is an American crime drama television series starring Robert Urich that aired on ABC from September 20, 1978, to June 3, 1981, with the pilot episode airing April 25, 1978. ''Vegas'' was produced by Aaron Spel ...

'', '' How the West Was Won'', ''

Cimarron Strip ''Cimarron Strip'' is an American Western television series starring Stuart Whitman as Marshal Jim Crown. The series was produced by the creators of ''Gunsmoke'' and aired on CBS from September 1967 to March 1968. Reruns of the original show w ...

'', and ''

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...

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

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 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 from 1969 to 1993, and on TNN from 1996 to 1997. Reruns of the series were broadcast on ...

'' (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 CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

'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 September 19, 1970 ...

'', 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 British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

butler for a suburban American family. Pickens portrayed Grandpa Shoenfield in a two-part 1980 episode of ABC's ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Wilford Lloyd Baumes that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986. In addition, three TV movies aired before the regular series pre ...

''. 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 popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

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 Native American art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of Amer ...

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

. 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.

Final years and death

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 in a hospital in

Modesto Modesto ( ; ) is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,069 according to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it is the 19th-most populous city in California. Modesto is locate ...

on December 8, 1983, after surgery for a

brain tumor A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the Human brain, brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign ...

. He was survived by his wife and children, Thomas Michael Lindley and Margaret Louise Wittman (née Lindley), as well as his stepdaughter 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 were scattered over his favorite trail areas. His wife died in 2011.

Personal life

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 of America 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 politics in the United States, gun rights ...

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

The American Sportsman ''The American Sportsman'' is an American television series that aired from 1965 to 1986 on ABC which presented filmed highlights involving the program's hosts and celebrities participating in hunting and/or fishing trips along with outdoor recre ...

''.

Cultural references

The album '' Days Go By'' (2012) by

The Offspring The Offspring is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Garden Grove, California, in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Dexter Holland, Bryan "Dexter" Holland, ...

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'' (1952) as Slim Pickens * '' Thunderbirds'' (1952) as Private 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 ''Red River Shore'' is a 1953 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Harry Keller and starring Rex Allen, Lyn Thomas and Slim Pickens.England p.140 The film's sets were designed by the art director Frank Hotaling. Plot Cast * Rex ...

'' (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'' (1956) as Pete Bracken * ''

Gun Brothers ''Gun Brothers'' is a 1956 American western film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Buster Crabbe, Ann Robinson and Neville Brand. It was Crabbe's first feature film in six years. Plot Wyoming, 1879: Chad Santee, a former Cavalry sergeant ...

'' (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 * ''

'' (1961) as Deputy Lon Dedrick * '' A Thunder of Drums'' (1961) as Trooper Erschick * '' Savage Sam'' (1963) as Willy Crup * '' Dr. Strangelove'' (1964) as Major '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 Sergeant 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'' (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 * ''

'' (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 * ''

'' (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 * '' Poor Pretty Eddie'' (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! ''Hawmps!'' is a 1976 American Western slapstick comedy film about a United States Cavalry experiment to introduce camels into the service in the western United States, specifically Texas. The cast included James Hampton, Christopher Connelly ...

'' (1976) as Naman Tucker * '' Pony Express Rider'' (1976) as Bob Jay * '' Mr. Billion'' (1977) as Duane Hawkins * '' The White Buffalo'' (1977) as Abel Pickney * ''

The Shadow of Chikara ''The Shadow of Chikara'' (also known as ''Demon Mountain'', ''The Ballad of Virgil Cane'', ''Thunder Mountain'', ''Wishbone Cutter'', and ''The Curse of Demon Mountain'') is a 1977 American Western horror film written and directed by Earl E. S ...

'' (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 * '' Beyond the Poseidon Adventure'' (1979) as Dewey 'Tex' Hopkins * '' The Sacketts'' (1979) as Jack Bigelow * ''

'' (1979) as Hollis P. Wood * '' Spirit of the Wind'' (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 * ''

'' (1982) as Roy

Television

* ''

'' (1956) (Season 5 Episode 2: "The Sheriff of Smoke Tree") — Joe Boley * ''

'' (1956) (Season 5 Episode 10: "The Letter Bride") — Ed Jones * '' Sugarfoot'' (1957) (Season 1 Episode 1: "Brannigan's Boots") — Shorty * ''

'' (1957) (Season 2 Episode 14: "Big Ghost Basin") — Gary Owen * '' Lassie'' (1957) (Season 3 Episode 22: "The Chimp") — Eddie * ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western 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 program was ...

'' (1957 (Season 6 Episode 4: "Arsenic Springs") — Barfly (uncredited) * ''

Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology series, anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 onwa ...

'' (1957–1974) (19 episodes) — various roles * '' Sugarfoot'' (1958) (Season 1 Episode 18: "Short Range") — Harry * ''

'' (1958) (Season 6 Episode 21: "The Telescope Eye") — Wall Kennedy * ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'' (1958) (Season 2 Episode 10: "The Tent City Story") — Rafe Jeffers * '' Maverick'' (1958) (Season 2 Episode 14: "The Spanish Dancer") — Jed * ''

'' (1959) (Season 1 Episode 19: "Bittercreek Gang") — Slim * '' Sugarfoot'' (1960) (Season 4 Episode 1: "The Shadow Catcher") — Mark * ''

Bronco A bucking horse is any breed of horse, male or female, with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock. The harder they buck, the more desirable they are for ro ...

'' (1961) (Season 4 Episode 3: "One Came Back") — 1st Stage Driver (uncredited) * ''

'' (1961) (Season 1 Episode 8: "The Escape") — Johnson * ''

'' (1961) (Season 1 Episode 15: "The War Between the States") — Johnson * '' Maverick'' (1961) (Season 4 Episode 16: "A State of Siege") — Stagecoach Driver * '' Maverick'' (1961) (Season 4 Episode 30: "Benefit of a Doubt") — Roscoe * ''

'' (1961) (Season 6 Episode 36: "Final Arrangements") — Bradshaw * ''

'' (1962) (Season 6 Episode 12: "The Eve Newhope Story") — Grubstake Malloy * '' Route 66'' (1962) (Season 2 Episode 15: "A Long Piece of Mischief") — Jud * ''

'' (1963) (Season 4 Episode 18: "Half a Rogue") — Big Jim Leyton * '' The Virginian'' (1963) (Season 2 Episode 9: "Run Quiet") — Slim * ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 a ...

'' (1964) (Season 2 Episode 17: "The Jar") — Clem Carter * ''

'' (1964) (Season 5 Episode 21: "King of the Mountain") — Big Jim Leyton * ''

Rawhide Rawhide may refer to: *Rawhide (material), a hide or animal skin that has not been tanned * Whip made from rawhide Entertainment * ''Rawhide'' (1926 film), a Western directed by Richard Thorpe * ''Rawhide'' (1938 film), a Western starring baseball ...

'' (1964) (Season 7 Episode 9: "The Backshooter") — Sheriff McKay * '' The Fugitive'' (1964) (Season 2 Episode 5: "Nemesis") — Corbin * ''

'' (1964) (Season 9 Episode 18: "Once a Haggen") — Bucko Taos * '' The Virginian'' (1964) (Season 3 Episode 7: "Big Image... Little Man") — Hogy * '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' (1964) (Season 1 Episode 2: "The Iowa-Scuba Affair") — Clint Spinner * ''

Daniel Boone (1964 TV series) ''Daniel Boone'' is an American Action (genre), action-Adventure (genre), adventure television series, starring Fess Parker as the frontiersman Daniel Boone, that aired from September 24, 1964, to May 7, 1970, on NBC for 165 episodes, and was pro ...

'' (1966) (Season 2 Episode 18: "The Deserter") — Simon Harman * ''

'' (1966) (Season 3 Episode 1: "Dan'l Boone Shot a B'ar") — Cletus Mott * ''

'' (1966) (Season 11 Episode 17: "Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs") — Pony Beal * '' The Legend of Jesse James'' (1966) (Season 1 Episode 33: "Wanted: Dead and Only") — Sheriff Homer Brinks * ''

'' (1968) (Season 1 Episode 16: "Fool's Gold") — Malachi Grimes * ''

Gentle Ben Gentle Ben is a bear character created by author Walt Morey and first introduced in a 1965 children's novel, ''Gentle Ben''. The original novel told the story of the friendship between a large male bear named Ben and a boy named Mark. The story ...

'' (1968) (Season 1 Episode 28: "Ol' Joe's Gotta Go") — Lloyd Larkin * ''

'' (1968) (Season 10 Episode 7: "Catch as Catch Can") — Sheriff Gant * '' That Girl'' (1969) (Season 4 Episode 4: "Nobody Here But Us Chickens") — Major Culpepper * ''

'' (1969) (Season 2 Episode 15: "Only Giants Can Play") — Mike Ray * '' Ironside'' (1969) (Season 3 Episode 2: "Goodbye to Yesterday") — Sheriff Metcalf * ''

'' (1970) (Season 11 Episode 27: "What Are Pardners For?") — Sheriff * ''

'' (1970) (Season 16 Episode 10: "The Scavengers") — Colley * ''

'' (1971) (Season 1 Episode 24: "The 45-Year-Old Man") — Wild Jack Monroe * '' The Virginian'' (1971) (Season 9 Episode 18: "The Angus Killer") — Sheriff * ''

'' (1971) (Season 1 Episode 3: "Exit from Wickenburg") — Mike * ''

'' (1971) (Season 1 Episode 10: "The Man Who Murdered Himself") — Sheriff Benton * ''

'' (1971) (Season 2 Episode 1: "The Day They Hanged Kid Curry") — Sheriff Whittaker * ''

The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...

'' (1972) (Season 3 Episode 12: "Nag, Nag, Nag") — Will Fowler * ''

'' (1972) (Season 18 Episode 1: "The River: Part 1") — Charlie Utter * ''

'' (1972) (Season 18 Episode 2: "The River: Part 2") — Charlie Utter * ''

'' (1972) (Season 3 Episode 9: "The Strange Fate of Conrad Meyer Zulick") — Sheriff Sam * '' Hawaii Five-O'' (1973) (Season 6 Episode 4: "One Big Happy Family") — Sam * ''

'' (1973) (Season 3 Episode 16: "Die Now, Pay Later") — Sheriff Ned Harlow * ''

'' (1974) (Season 2 Episode 13: "Empty Pages of a Dead Book") — Bart Fisher * ''

McMillan & Wife ''McMillan & Wife'' (known simply as ''McMillan'' from 1976 to 1977) is an American police procedural television series that aired on NBC from September 17, 1971, to April 24, 1977. Starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in the title roles, ...

'' (1976) (Season 5 Episode 6: "Greed") — William Halstead * ''

The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams ''The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams'' is a 1974 independent feature film produced by Charles E. Sellier Jr. and Raylan D. Jensen for Sunn Classic Pictures. The film's popularity led to an NBC television series of the same name. The title ...

'' (1977) (Season 1 Episode 10: "The Unholy Beast") — Fine Hope * '' How the West Was Won'' (1978) (5 Episodes) — Tap Henry **(Season 2 Episode 6: "Cattle Drive") **(Season 2 Episode 7: "Robber's Roost") **(Season 2 Episode 8: "Deek") **(Season 2 Episode 9: "The Judge") (credit only) **(Season 2 Episode 10: "Gold") * ''

'' (1978) (Season 1 Episode 5: "Yes, My Darling Daughter") — Ben Handler * '' The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' (1979) (Season 1 Episode 5: "Run for the Money: Part 2" — Sergeant Wiley * '' The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' (1979) (Season 1 Episode 5: "Run for the Money: Part 2" — Sergeant Wiley * '' B.J. and the Bear'' (1979–1981) (5 episodes) — Sergeant Beauregard Wiley **(Season 2 Episode 1: "Snow White and the Seven Lady Truckers: Part 1") **(Season 2 Episode 2: "Snow White and the Seven Lady Truckers: Part 2") **(Season 2 Episode 6: "Run for the Money") **(Season 2 Episode 8: "Mary Ellen") **(Season 3 Episode 2: "B.J. and the Seven Lady Truckers: Part 2") * '' Jake's Way' (1980 unsold pilot) (TV movie) — Sam Hargis * ''

'' (1981-1983) — series regular

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 20th-century American male actors American clowns American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors American Presbyterians Deaths from brain cancer in California Male actors from California Male Western (genre) film actors Military personnel from California People from Kingsburg, California ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees Rodeo clowns United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II

Early life and rodeo work

Film career

''Dr. Strangelove''

Voice work and recordings

Television

Awards

Final years and death

Personal life

Cultural references

Filmography

Television

See also

References

External links