Slim Pickens: From Rodeo Clown to Western Icon
Slim Pickens, born Louis Burton Lindley Jr. in 1919, earned his memorable screen name and a lasting legacy in the Western genre through a combination of skill, luck, and hard work. Known later in life for his hefty physique, Pickens was once quite slim, which provided one justification for his screen name. Another story, perhaps apocryphal, recounts how Pickens acquired the name during his first rodeo as a teenager. Told by the manager that his winnings would be “slim pickin’s,” he instead walked away with a $400 prize and decided to keep the name for good luck.
Pickens began his performance career as a rodeo clown in the late 1930s and early 1940s, a dangerous but entertaining job that honed his showbiz skills. During World War II, he was assigned to a radio station, further developing his performance abilities.
Born on a dairy ranch in California, Pickens was a natural horseman and performed all his own riding in the Western films that marked the start of his acting career in 1946. His over 170 screen credits are predominantly in Westerns or comedies that capitalize on his cowboy persona. Early in his career, Pickens often played the comical sidekick in B movies alongside stars like Rex Allen.
By the late 1950s, Pickens began appearing on television shows such as Annie Oakley, The Lone Ranger, Cheyenne, and Death Valley Days, boosting his profile and leading to roles in more serious Westerns. His notable film roles include The Sheepman (1958) with Glenn Ford, One-Eyed Jacks (1961) with Marlon Brando, Major Dundee (1965) with Charlton Heston, the 1966 remake of Stagecoach, Will Penny (1967), The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970), The Cowboys (1972) with John Wayne, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), The White Buffalo (1977), and Tom Horn (1980) with Steve McQueen.
Pickens continued to appear on television in Westerns such as Bonanza, The Virginian, Gunsmoke, Alias Smith and Jones, How the West Was Won, and The Sacketts. His enduring presence in the Western genre solidified his status as a beloved figure in American entertainment until his passing in 1983.
