Slim Pickens
Louis Burton Lindley Jr. (June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983), better known by his stage name Slim Pickens, was an American actor and rodeo performer. Starting off in the rodeo, Pickens transitioned to acting, and appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows. For much of his career, Pickens played mainly cowboy roles. He is perhaps best remembered today for his comic roles in Dr. Strangelove (riding the atomic bomb to its target), Blazing Saddles, and 1941, and his villainous turn in One-Eyed Jacks with Marlon Brando. 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 pickin's" (i.e. little chance of any prize money) for him. To prevent his father from discovering that he had competed, he entered his name as Slim Pickens, and won $400 that afternoon. Lindley graduated from Hanford High School, Hanford, California, and was a member of the Future Farmers of America. He joined the rodeo, billed as Slim Pickens, and eventually became a well-known rodeo clown. During World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. 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. 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 Rocky Mountain (1950), which starred Errol Flynn. He appeared in many more Westerns, playing both villains and comic sidekicks to actors such as Rex Allen.
