#Slim Pickens

[bignaz8]

Peter Sellers was originally going to ride the atom bomb in "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964). Slim Pickens (born Louis Burton Lindley Jr.) got a phone call late one evening from Stanley Kubrick: "Peter has fallen and broken his hip, I need you for a day's shoot--I need you bad and I need you now. How soon can you get on a plane and make it to London?". Slim obliged and in his haste forgot that he didn't have a passport because he had never traveled outside the US before. His entrance was delayed while he had to go through the process of getting one before he was allowed to leave the airport. When Pickens showed up on the set of "Dr. Strangelove" fully dressed as a cowboy and speaking in a thick Southern accent, the British crew thought he was "Method" acting, not knowing that this was how he always dressed and acted. He explained how he got into the rodeo business: "Well, there was this big, lanky, 15-year-old California ranch kid, and he went into the rodeo manager's office and said, 'Mister, I want to sign up for the calf-roping but my paw says I ain't allowed to. So I can't use my right name'. And the manager said, 'Son, no matter what name you use, it'll be slim pickin's out there today'. So the boy said, 'That's as good a name as any, I reckon-put me down as Slim Pickin's'. The manager spelled it 'Pickens' and the boy won $400 that afternoon."

[chronophotographic-gun]

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

[swiftiesbuddie]

But I thought the lord forgot her gay awakening??

[citizenscreen]

Louis Burton Lindley Jr’s rodeo talents landed him the name he is known for, “Slim Pickens.”

[elvisomar]

James Earl Jones' very first film was (in my estimation) the best film ever made: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Until his passing today, Jones was the last surviving member of the cast of that film.

[nihillist-blog]

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

[filthydelinquent]

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb - Directed by Stanley Kubrick, 1964

[creepynostalgy]

Slim Pickens on set of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)

[coolthingsguyslike]

[eraserdude6226]

You know whose birthday it is today??

Louis Burton Lindley, Jr. (June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983), better known as Slim Pickens, and even better known than that as USAF Major T. J. "King” Kong commander and pilot of a Strategic Air Command B-52 bomber!

He will always be remembered for his eloquent and inspirational words...

"Now, boys, we got three engines out; we got more holes in us than a horse trader's mule; the radio's gone and we're leakin' fuel, and if we's flying any lower, why, we'd need sleigh bells on this thing. But we got one little bulge on them Rooskies, at this height, why, they might harpoon us but they dang sure ain't gonna spot us on no radar screen...."

Thank you Slim!! and Happy Birthday Major T. J. "King” Kong

[senorita-antisocial]

don’t talk to me. i’m unhinged rn

[femmefataleart]

[abs0luteb4stard]

W A T C H I N G

I've been wanting to watch this for probably 15-20 years and it's finally streaming FREE on KANOPY. 😭

[railwayhistorical]

James Earl Jones

We lost James Earl Jones yesterday, which jogged my memory...

In the early 1980s, I was living in Brooklyn, attending art school. Every so often, a couple of us would head into "the city" to hit the TKTS booth in Times Square. This is where one could get tickets to Broadway shows at a steep discount, depending upon availability—perfect for broke college students.

It was in this way I saw Jason Robards in a revival of Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh at the American National Theater in 1985. (Robards originally did the play in 1956.)

Prior to that, during the spring semester of 1982, I was able to take in a revival of Shakespeare's Othello at the Winter Garden Theatre. James Earl Jones enjoys top billing as the title character, with Dianne Wiest and Kelsey Grammer being listed prior to one of my favorite actors, Christopher Plummer, as Iago.

Even now I can still recall Jones's power and Plummer's elegance, but that's about it after more than forty years. The cast did 123 performances of Othello between February 3rd and May 23rd of 1982. If you're interested in more detail of the run, you can go here.

When I heard of James Earl Jones's death, I did not immediately recall attending this play, but first thought of him as a relatively young lad in his first film role—in Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove.

The actor exuded nervousness as his character (Lt. Lothar Zogg) struggled to get the bomb doors open of the B52 being flown by Slim Pickens (as Major Kong). For a taste of that, one can go here. Truly, this is one of the most memorable film scenes of the Cold War 1960s.

Of course, everyone knows Jones lent his powerful voice to the Star Wars franchise as well as a budding cable news network based in Atlanta. In any event, I'm happy to have seen him in person, on stage, way back when. Rest in Power Mr. Jones.

[citizenscreen]

Slim Pickens (June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983)

[libraryledge]

Welcome (Back) to the 60's

“Hey mama, hey mama, look around

Everybody's grooving to a brand new sound”

These are the opening lines in the song “Welcome to the 60’s” from the 2002 musical, Hairspray in which Tracy Turnblad sings to her mother about the new possibilities that the world has to offer in the 1960’s. Tracy is right because about 60 years ago, everyone was grooving to a new sound both literally and metaphorically. The 1960’s were a significant period of time culturally, politically, and socially. New artists like The Beatles, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan were emerging on the scene. Bumper bangs and miniskirts were all the rage. People were fighting for social justice and facing political unrest. Looking back on it from the lens of 2024, so much has changed, yet many elements of the 1960’s are still as relevant today as they were back then.

Without getting too political, it goes without saying that amidst a presidential election in America, people are anxious to see which direction the nation is headed. Student protests, assassination attempts, and ongoing wars are just some of the realities that are reminiscent of the climate of the 1960’s. Despite it all, it is the resilience of young people that triumphs amidst the uncertainty. Both in the 60’s and in the modern day, youth speak up for notable topics and underrepresented voices in their communities in order to spark change.

In terms of pop culture, many of the trends of the past are having a comeback. Sabrina Carpenter is a prime example of a Gen Z performer, whose musical style and fashion is making a retro statement in the twenty-first century. From her signature blowout bangs to her knee high boots to her short skirts, Carpenter’s style screams 60’s fashion. Her latest album, Short n’ Sweet pays homage to the vintage aesthetic as her music videos reference Bonnie and Clyde and songs allude to figures like Slim Pickens. Carpenter proves that the tendencies of decades prior are alive and thriving as ever.

Film is another area bringing the 1960’s back to the front lines. Case and point: the upcoming Bob Dylan film, A Complete Unknown starring Timothée Chalamet. It is safe to say that when the film is theatrically released, Bob Dylan and his story will not be a complete unknown as there will be a resurgence in the folk singer's music. This doesn’t imply that Dylan’s music ever disappeared from the scene, but rather that it will now be introduced to a younger audience after they view the film, proving that the iconic sound and lyricism of the 60’s is timeless.

When people reflect on the past, they may recall the good, or not so good old-times. While the moments themselves may have blown away in the wind, the impact of those times is still present. People in the 1960’s shared many of the anxieties and fears that we encounter today. This isn’t to say that the experiences in the 21st century aren’t unique, but rather, they serve as a reminder that history has been here before and we should use the examples of the past to guide us forward. As Tracy Turnblad sings:

“The future's got a million roads for you to choose

But you'll walk a little taller in some high-heeled shoes”

Embrace the old, but be willing to try something new. Create a future that is just right for you.