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 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 va ...

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 ''Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'', known simply and more commonly as ''Dr. Strangelove'', is a 1964 black comedy film that satirizes the Cold War fears of a nuclear conflict between the Soviet Union and t ...

'', '' 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 Eu ...

'', 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 ...

''.

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 ...

, 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 A bucking horse is any breed or either gender of horse 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 rod ...

and roping

steers Steers is one of South Africa's most recognizable quick-service restaurant brands. The company is well known for serving burgers and chips. Other menu items include chicken burgers, ribs as well as ice cream and milkshakes, among other things. ...

in his early teens. His father found out and forbade this activity, but Lindley took no notice, went to compete in a

, 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 High School is a public high school located on the northern edge of Richland, Washington. It is part of the Richland School District. The school's mascot is the falcon, and its school colors are purple and gold. The high school, buil ...

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 Vi ...

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

rodeo clown A rodeo clown, bullfighter (in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) or rodeo protection athlete, is a rodeo performer who works in bull riding competitions. Originally, the rodeo clown was a single job combining "bullfightin ...

. 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, 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 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-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 contribut ...

. 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 a ...

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 ''Old Oklahoma Plains'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by William Witney and written by Milton Raison. The film stars Rex Allen, Slim Pickens, Elaine Edwards, Roy Barcroft, John Crawford and Joel Marston. The film was released on ...

'' (1952), ''

Down Laredo Way ''Down Laredo Way'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by William Witney and starring Rex Allen, Dona Drake and Slim Pickens.Pitts p.93 The film's art direction was by Frank Arrigo. Plot Cast * Rex Allen as Rex Allen * Koko as Kok ...

'' (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), ''

'' (1961, with

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...

), ''

'' (1964), ''

Major Dundee ''Major Dundee'' is a 1965 American Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, Jim Hutton, and James Coburn. Written by Harry Julian Fink, the film is about a Union cavalry officer who leads a content ...

'' (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 C ...

), 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 ...

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 fil ...

), ''

An Eye for an Eye "An eye for an eye" ( hbo, עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן, ) is a commandment found in the Book of Exodus 21:23–27 expressing the principle of reciprocal justice measure for measure. The principle exists also in Babylonian law. In Roman c ...

'' (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 same name ...

'' (1972, with

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

), '' 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 the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...

), ''

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid ''Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'' is a 1973 American Revisionist Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah, written by Rudy Wurlitzer, and starring James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Richard Jaeckel, Katy Jurado, Chill Wills, Barry Sullivan, Jason ...

'' (1973), ''

Ginger in the Morning ''Ginger in the Morning'' is a 1974 comedy-drama film starring Sissy Spacek as a hitchhiker. It was only the third theatrical film for Spacek, and the first American film appearance of Fred Ward. The film was later released on home video by Trom ...

'' (1974, with

Fred Ward Freddie Joe Ward (December 30, 1942 – May 8, 2022) was an American actor and producer. Starting with a role in an Italian television movie in 1973, he appeared in such diverse films as '' Escape from Alcatraz'', ''Southern Comfort'', '' The R ...

), '' 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 horror ...

'', ''

Rancho Deluxe ''Rancho Deluxe'' is a 1975 Neo-Western comedy film directed by Frank Perry. Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston star as two cattle rustlers in modern-day Livingston, Montana, who plague a wealthy ranch owner, played by Clifton James. The film als ...

'' (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 offic ...

'' (1979, with

Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...

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. Spie ...

'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'', and '' ...

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 Silver Dollar City is a amusement park in Stone County, Missouri, near the cities of Branson and Branson West. The park is located off of Missouri Route 76 on the Indian Point peninsula of Table Rock Lake. Silver Dollar City opened on May 1, 19 ...

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 purposely or ...

sheriff Sam Newfield in ''

The Howling ''The Howling'' is a 1977 horror novel by Gary Brandner. It was the inspiration for the movie ''The Howling'' (1981), although the plot of the movie was only vaguely similar to that of the book. Brandner published two sequels to the novel, '' T ...

'' (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 Douglas Osborne McClure (May 11, 1935February 5, 1995) was an American actor whose career in film and television extended from the 1950s to the 1990s. He is best known for his role as the cowboy Trampas during the entire run from 1962 to 1971 o ...

in the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

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 w ...

'' 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 Andrew Lewis Prine (February 14, 1936 – October 31, 2022) was an American film, stage, and television actor. Early life and career Prine was born in Jennings, Florida. After graduation from Miami Jackson High School in Miami, Prine attend ...

. 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 The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforce ...

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 th ...

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 ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

military Western ''

Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, b ...

'', which starred

Wayne Maunder Wayne Ernest Maunder (December 19, 1937 – November 11, 2018) was a Canadian-born American actor who starred in three American television series between 1967 and 1974. Three television series From September 6 to December 27, 1967, Maunder star ...

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 ''The Apple Dumpling Gang'' is a 1971 novel by Jack Bickham, about a group of orphaned children during the California gold rush. They encounter a gambler who reluctantly helps them, as well as a pair of hapless robbers who are after the gold ...

''; 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 ''The Black Hole'' is a 1979 American science fiction film directed by Gary Nelson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Maximilian Schell, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Anthony Perkins and Ernest Borgnin ...

''. 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 ''The N ...

'' (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 e ...

''Dr. Strangelove''

Pickens played

B-52 The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, 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 United States Air ...

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 ''Gung ho'' () is an English term, with the current meaning of "overly enthusiastic or energetic". It originated during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) from a Chinese term, ( zh, hp=gōnghé, l=to work together), short for Chinese I ...

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 nationa ...

. * 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 in ...

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

allas Allas is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * (born 1950), Swedish politician * Teet Allas (born 1977), Estonian footballer * Yasmine Allas (born 1967), Somali-Dutch actress and writer See also *Alla (surname) *Allas Sea Pool Al ...

with 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 John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

'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 Unit ...

(in the manner of a

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 ...

'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 Benjamin Sherman Crothers (May 23, 1910 – November 22, 1986), known professionally as Scatman Crothers, 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 Hallo ...

, 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 ''A Ballad of the West'' is a three-part story by Bobby Bridger told in Homeric Verse (poetry), verse and song about the Mountain Men, William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, and the Lakota Sioux people inspired by John G. Neihardt's ''A Cycle 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 Old ...

and the mountain man 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 Richard Samet "Kinky" Friedman (born November 1, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician, and former columnist for ''Texas Monthly'' who styles himself in the mold of popular American satirists Will Rogers and Mar ...

'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 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 ...

's Butch Cassidy, 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 sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. Oakley developed hunting skills as a child to provide for her impoverished family in western ...

'' (1956, with

Gail Davis Gail Davis (born Betty Jeanne Grayson; October 5, 1925 – March 15, 1997) was an American actress and singer, best known for her starring role as Annie Oakley in the 1950s television series ''Annie Oakley''. Life and career Early years The d ...

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 ...

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

Earl Holliman Henry Earl Holliman (born September 11, 1928) is an American actor, animal-rights activist, and singer known for his many character roles in films, mostly Westerns and dramas, in the 1950s and 1960s. He won a Golden Globe Award for the film ' ...

and

. 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 that aired on the FX (TV channel), FX television network for six seasons from January 30, 2013, to May 30, 2018. Weisberg ...

'', 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 states th ...

divided families. Thereafter, he was cast in a first-season episode of NBC's espionage series ''

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by MGM Television, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who wo ...

''. 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 inves ...

'', ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...

'', ''

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); and ...

'', ''

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 ren ...

'', ''

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. Barnes ...

'', ''

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 character ...

'', '' Route 66'', '' The Tall Man'', ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

'' (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 un ...

'', '' The Fugitive'', ''

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters ''The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters'' is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel written by Robert Lewis Taylor, which was later made into a short-running television series on ABC from September 1963 through March 1964, featuring Kurt Russell as Jaimi ...

'', ''

The Legend of Jesse James ''The Legend of Jesse James'' is a 1980 country music concept album written by English songwriter Paul Kennerley, based on the story of American Old West outlaw Jesse James. The album features Levon Helm singing the role of Jesse James, Jo ...

'', ''

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 tryin ...

'', ''

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 we ...

'', '' 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 Zone ...

'', ''That Girl'', ''Baretta'', ''Vegas (1978 TV series), Vega$'', ''How the West Was Won (TV series), How the West Was Won'', ''Cimarron Strip'', and ''Kung Fu (1972 TV series), Kung Fu''. Pickens was cast in recurring roles in ''

'', ''Bonanza'', ''Hee Haw'' (where he was a semiregular from 1981 until his death), ''B. J. and the Bear'' with Greg Evigan, and ''Filthy Rich (1982 TV series), Filthy Rich''. He played Wild Jack Monroe, the owner of station WJM, in CBS's ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', 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 United Kingdom, 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 (1968 TV series), Hawaii Five-O'' he portrayed the patriarch of a family of serial killers. Pickens Master of ceremonies, emceed NBC's short-lived country music 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 in Oklahoma City. 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. He died on December 8, 1983, after surgery for a brain tumor. 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 Cremation, ashes 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 (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 film), 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 *''

'' (1952) as Slim *''South Pacific Trail'' (1952) as Slim Pickens *''Thunderbirds (1952 film), 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 *''

'' (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 film), The Outcast'' (1954) as Boone Polsen *''Santa Fe Passage'' (1955) as Sam Beekman *''The Last Command (1955 film), The Last Command'' (1955) as Abe *''When Gangland Strikes'' (1956) as Slim Pickett *''Stranger at My Door (1956 film), Stranger at My Door'' (1956) as Ben Silas *''The Great Locomotive Chase'' (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 *''

'' (1961) as Deputy Lon Dedrick *''A Thunder of Drums'' (1961) as Trooper Erschick *''Savage Sam (film), Savage Sam'' (1963) as Willy Crup *''

'' (1964) as Maj. 'King' Kong *''

'' (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 *''

'' (1966) as Ike Slant *''The Young Riders'' (1966) *''Un tipo dificil de matar'' (1967) *''Rough Night in Jericho (film), 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 (film), 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 (1970 film), The Deserter'' (1971) as Tattinger — American Scout *''Temporada salvaje'' (1971) as Lucky *''

'' (1972) as Anse *''J.C. (film), J.C.'' (1972) as Grady Caldwell *''The Honkers'' (1972) as Clete *'' The Getaway'' (1972) as Cowboy *''

'' (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 film), Bootleggers'' (1974) as Grandpa Pruitt *''

'' (1974) as Sheriff *''The Legend of Earl Durand'' (1974) as Phil Chumley *''

'' (1975) as Henry Beige *''

'' (1975) as Sheriff Orville *''

'' (1975) as Frank Stillwell *''White Line Fever (film), 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'' (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 film), 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'' (1979) as Obie *''

'' (1979) as B.O.B. (voice, uncredited) *''

'' (1980) as Sheriff Sam Creedmore *''Honeysuckle Rose (film), Honeysuckle Rose'' (1980) as Garland Ramsey *''Christmas Mountain'' (1981) *''

'' (1981) as Sam Newfield *''This House Possessed'' (1981, TV movie) as Arthur Keene *''

'' (1982) as Roy

Television

*''

'' (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 (1954 TV series), Lassie'' (1957) — episode — The Chimp — Eddie *''Disney anthology television series#Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961–1969), Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'' (1957–1974) — 19 episodes — various roles *''Death Valley Days'' (1958) — episode — The Telescope Eye — Season 6 Episode 26 *''Wagon Train'' (1958) — episode — The Tent City Story — Rafe Jeffers *''

'' (1958) — episode — The Spanish Dancer — Jed *''

'' (1959) — episode — Bittercreek Gang — Slim *''Bronco (TV series), Bronco'' (1961) — episode — One Came Back — 1st Stage Driver (uncredited) *''

'' (1961) — episodes — The Escape, and The War Between the States — Johnson *''

'' (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 *''Bonanza'' (1963–1964) — Episodes: "Half a Rogue" and "King of the Mountain" as Big Jim Leyton *''Rawhide (TV series), 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 *''

'' (1964) — episode — The Iowa-Scuba Affair — Clint Spinner *''Daniel_Boone_(1964_TV_series), Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)'' — Simon Harman - S2/E18 "The Deserter" (1966) *''Daniel_Boone_(1964_TV_series), 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 *''

'' (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 *''Bonanza'' (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 (1967 TV series), 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'' (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 (1968 TV series), Hawaii Five-O'' (1973) — episode — One Big Happy Family — Sam *''

'' (1973) — episode — Die Now, Pay Later — Sheriff Ned Harlow *''Kung Fu (1972 TV series), Kung Fu'' (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 (TV series), How the West Was Won'' (1978) — Episodes: #1.9, #1.10, and #1.11 — Tap Henry *''Vegas (1978 TV series), Vega$'' (1978) — episode — Yes, My Darling Daughter — Ben Handler *''B. J. and the Bear, 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 {{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