Slim Pickens

Slim Pickens was an actor mostly known for tough-talking cowboy roles, but I'll always remember him as 'Major King Kong' in the 1964 dark comedy "Dr. Strangelove". Who could ever forget his speech to his flight crew members, and for the scene in which he's 'riding the bomb' being dropped on Russia. Another memorable role, though, is as the head of the roughneck cowboy gang in the 1974 comedy "Blazing Saddles".

I sent Mr. Pickens this photo in 1981, to his home in Columbia, California, and he returned it within a month.

Here is a clip of his "Dr. Strangelove" speech to his crew.


Here's the scene of 'riding the bomb'.


And finally, a clip of his character 'Taggart' from "Blazing Saddles" (also featuring the recently deceased Harvey Korman).