Slim Pickens

Biography

Slim Pickens, an American actor and rodeo performer, spent nearly 20 years in rodeo before turning to acting. Born Louis Burton Lindley in Kingsburg, California, in 1919, he first appeared in the Western Rocky Mountain (1950) with Errol Flynn. He became known for cowboy roles, playing both villains and comic sidekicks. Stanley Kubrick cast him as Major T. J. King Kong in Dr. Strangelove (1964), a turning point that brought larger parts. His many films included One-Eyed Jacks (1961), Major Dundee (1965), In Harm's Way (1965), The Cowboys (1972), The Getaway (1972), Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), Blazing Saddles (1974), The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975), Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979), and The Howling (1981). He also voiced B.O.B. in The Black Hole (1979). In 1982 he was honored with induction into the Hall of Great Western Performers.

64years old at death

Born June 29, 1919Kingsburg
Died December 8, 1983Modesto
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
Louis Bert Lindley Jr. (birth name)Also credited as Louis Burton Lindley Jr.

Movie Career

Films: 37
Career span: 29 years1952 to 1981

Genres

Western54%, 20 films
Drama43%, 16 films
Comedy27%, 10 films
Action24%, 9 films
Adventure22%, 8 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Big break
Slim Pickens credited Dr. Strangelove as the turning point in his career, saying that afterward the roles, dressing rooms, and checks all started getting bigger.
A role that slipped away
Slim Pickens turned down the part of Dick Hallorann in Kubrick's The Shining because he would only appear if Kubrick shot his scenes in fewer than 100 takes; the role went to Scatman Crothers.
Own stunts
Because of his rodeo background, Pickens could handle horseback scenes himself, without a stand-in. He drove a stagecoach with a six-horse team and galloped his own Appaloosa horses over the desert.
Beyond film
Slim Pickens released a self-titled country album in 1977 on Blue Canyon Records, with 12 selections including two songs he wrote himself.

Slim Pickens movies on Netflix

The Howling1981IMDb rating 6.5as Sam Newfield
Honeysuckle Rose1980IMDb rating 6.3as Garland Ramsey
Tom Horn1980IMDb rating 6.8as Sheriff Sam Creedmore
Beyond the Poseidon Adventure1979IMDb rating 4.7as Dewey 'Tex' Hopkins
The Black Hole1979IMDb rating 5.9as B.O.B. (voice)
The Swarm1978IMDb rating 4.5as Jud Hawkins
Mr. Billion1977IMDb rating 5.4as Duane Hawkins
The White Buffalo1977IMDb rating 6.2as Abel Pickney
Hawmps!1976IMDb rating 5.4as Naman Tucker
Poor Pretty Eddie1975IMDb rating 5.5as Sheriff Orville
Rancho Deluxe1975IMDb rating 6.3as Henry Beige
The Apple Dumpling Gang1975IMDb rating 6.4as Frank Stillwell
White Line Fever1975IMDb rating 6.1as Duane Haller
Blazing Saddles1974IMDb rating 7.7as Taggart
Ginger in the Morning1974IMDb rating 5.3as Sheriff
The Gun and the Pulpit1974IMDb rating 5.7as Billy One-Eye
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973IMDb rating 7.2as Sheriff Colin Baker
The Cowboys1972IMDb rating 7.4as Anse
The Getaway1972IMDb rating 7.3as Cowboy
The Ballad of Cable Hogue1970IMDb rating 7.2as Ben Fairchild
The Desperate Mission1969IMDb rating 6.1as Three-Finger Jack
Skidoo1968IMDb rating 4.7as Switchboard Operator
Rough Night in Jericho1967IMDb rating 6.4as Yarbrough
Will Penny1967IMDb rating 7.0as Ike Walterstein
Stagecoach1966IMDb rating 6.1as Buck, Stagecoach Driver
In Harm's Way1965IMDb rating 7.3as C.P.O. Culpepper
Major Dundee1965IMDb rating 6.7as Wiley
The Glory Guys1965IMDb rating 6.1as Sgt. James Gregory
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb1964IMDb rating 8.3as Maj. 'King' Kong
Savage Sam1963IMDb rating 6.0as Willy Crup
A Thunder of Drums1961IMDb rating 6.0as Trooper Erschick
One-Eyed Jacks1961IMDb rating 7.1as Deputy Lon Dedrick
The Sheepman1958IMDb rating 6.8as Marshal
Stranger at My Door1956IMDb rating 6.6as Ben Silas
The Great Locomotive Chase1956IMDb rating 6.8as Pete Bracken
The Sun Shines Bright1953IMDb rating 6.9as Sterling, Lanky Backwoodsman
Colorado Sundown1952IMDb rating 6.2as Joshua Slim Pickens…

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb1964 Comedyas Maj. 'King' Kong
IMDb rating 8.3555K votes
Blazing Saddles1974 Comedy, Westernas Taggart
IMDb rating 7.7167K votes
The Getaway1972as Cowboy
IMDb rating 7.338K votes
The Ballad of Cable Hogue1970as Ben Fairchild
IMDb rating 7.211K votes
The Howling1981as Sam Newfield
IMDb rating 6.545K votes
One-Eyed Jacks1961as Deputy Lon Dedrick
IMDb rating 7.115K votes
The Black Hole1979as B.O.B.voice
IMDb rating 5.931K votes
Tom Horn1980as Sheriff Sam Creedmore
IMDb rating 6.86.8K votes

Most often with

Sam Peckinpah directed four of these films, Irwin Allen two and Otto Preminger two. Two actors appear in five of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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R.G. Armstrong

Ben Johnson

L.Q. Jones

Dick Miller

Dub Taylor

Roy Jenson

Sam PeckinpahDirector, 4 films Irwin AllenDirector, 2 films

Otto PremingerDirector, 2 films

Films together

R.G. Armstrong5 films together, 1965 to 1977
R.G. Armstrong's page
- Mr. Billion1977IMDb rating 5.4Pickens as Duane HawkinsArmstrong as Sheriff T.C. Bishop
- White Line Fever1975IMDb rating 6.1Pickens as Duane HallerArmstrong as Prosecutor
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973IMDb rating 7.2Pickens as Sheriff Colin BakerArmstrong as Ollinger
- The Ballad of Cable Hogue1970IMDb rating 7.2Pickens as Ben FairchildArmstrong as Quittner
- Major Dundee1965IMDb rating 6.7Pickens as WileyArmstrong as Reverend Dahlstrom
Ben Johnson5 films together, 1961 to 1978
Ben Johnson's page
- The Swarm1978IMDb rating 4.5Pickens as Jud HawkinsJohnson as Felix
- The Getaway1972IMDb rating 7.3Pickens as CowboyJohnson as Jack Beynon
- Will Penny1967IMDb rating 7.0Pickens as Ike WaltersteinJohnson as Alex - Flat Iron Ranch Foreman
- Major Dundee1965IMDb rating 6.7Pickens as WileyJohnson as Sergeant Chillum
- One-Eyed Jacks1961IMDb rating 7.1Pickens as Deputy Lon DedrickJohnson as Bob Amory
L.Q. Jones4 films together, 1965 to 1975
L.Q. Jones's page
- White Line Fever1975IMDb rating 6.1Pickens as Duane HallerJones as Buck Wessle
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973IMDb rating 7.2Pickens as Sheriff Colin BakerJones as Black Harris
- The Ballad of Cable Hogue1970IMDb rating 7.2Pickens as Ben FairchildJones as Taggart
- Major Dundee1965IMDb rating 6.7Pickens as WileyJones as Arthur Hadley
Dick Miller3 films together, 1975 to 1981
Dick Miller's page
- The Howling1981IMDb rating 6.5Pickens as Sam NewfieldMiller as Walter Paisley - Bookstore Owner
- Mr. Billion1977IMDb rating 5.4Pickens as Duane HawkinsMiller as Bernie
- White Line Fever1975IMDb rating 6.1Pickens as Duane HallerMiller as Birdie
Dub Taylor3 films together, 1965 to 1975
Dub Taylor's page
- Poor Pretty Eddie1975IMDb rating 5.5Pickens as Sheriff OrvilleTaylor as Justice of the Peace Floyd
- The Getaway1972IMDb rating 7.3Pickens as CowboyTaylor as Laughlin
- Major Dundee1965IMDb rating 6.7Pickens as WileyTaylor as Priam
Roy Jenson3 films together, 1967 to 1980
Roy Jenson's page
- Tom Horn1980IMDb rating 6.8Pickens as Sheriff Sam CreedmoreJenson as Lee Mendenhour
- The Getaway1972IMDb rating 7.3Pickens as CowboyJenson as Cully
- Will Penny1967IMDb rating 7.0Pickens as Ike WaltersteinJenson as Boetius Sullivan
Sam PeckinpahDirector, 4 films, 1965 to 1973
All films by Sam Peckinpah
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973IMDb rating 7.2Pickens as Sheriff Colin Baker
- The Getaway1972IMDb rating 7.3Pickens as Cowboy
- The Ballad of Cable Hogue1970IMDb rating 7.2Pickens as Ben Fairchild
- Major Dundee1965IMDb rating 6.7Pickens as Wiley
Irwin AllenDirector, 2 films, 1978 to 1979
All films by Irwin Allen
- Beyond the Poseidon Adventure1979IMDb rating 4.7Pickens as Dewey 'Tex' Hopkins
- The Swarm1978IMDb rating 4.5Pickens as Jud Hawkins
Otto PremingerDirector, 2 films, 1965 to 1968
All films by Otto Preminger
- Skidoo1968IMDb rating 4.7Pickens as Switchboard Operator
- In Harm's Way1965IMDb rating 7.3Pickens as C.P.O. Culpepper
Also three films together1 more actor
- Richard BrightRancho Deluxe (1975), Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) and The Getaway (1972)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Slim Pickens's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$351 million

17 of the 37 films have a worldwide figure.

17Worldwide figure
2US gross only
2Never in cinemas
16Figure not found

Top grosser

Blazing Saddles1974Taggart$120 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 86% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Blazing Saddles1974as Taggart
$120M34.1% of the total
2
The Apple Dumpling Gang1975as Frank Stillwell
$37M10.5% of the total
3
The Getaway1972as Cowboy
$37M10.5% of the total
4
The Black Hole1979as B.O.B. (voice)
$36M10.2% of the total
5
White Line Fever1975as Duane Haller
$35M10.0% of the total
6
The Howling1981as Sam Newfield
$18M5.1% of the total
7
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid1973as Sheriff Colin Baker
$11M3.1% of the total
8
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb1964as Maj. 'King' Kong
$9.5M2.7% of the total