Movie sets can sometimes be dangerous places.
But did you know that one of Hollywood’s most beloved character actors met a tragic end, gored by a bull he had rented for breeding on his own farm?
For fans who grew up with the golden age of Westerns, few faces were as familiar on the silver screen as John Pickard — the rugged character actor whose presence could command a scene with just a glance, bringing countless cowboy adventures to life.
But outside the spotlight, life took a devastating turn.
In a tragic accident that stunned his community, Pickard lost his life not on a set, not in a stunt gone wrong, but on his own farm.
Pickard’s journey to Hollywood stardom began modestly in Lascassas, Tennessee, where he grew up on his family’s farm and attended high school. With his striking looks and commanding voice, he left the farm in the early 1940s and set his sights on New York City, ready to chase his dreams on the stage and screen.
Six feet, blond and a little-bitty waist
Pickard was able to afford his ticket to the Big Apple thanks to a win in an amateur singing competition. At just 22, he impressed the judges with his rendition of “I’ll Take You Home Tonight, Kathleen.” The prize — $400 — gave the aspiring actor a solid start on his journey.
Once in New York City, Pickard quickly made his mark.
“The big deal was he was over six feet, blond and had a little-bitty waist. He had the look, I guess, and a very distinctive voice,” Pickard’s son, John, told The Murfreesboro Post in 2010.
By 1936, he landed a role in Mary of Scotland at just 23, and soon after, he appeared on a U.S. Navy war bond poster. From 1942 to 1946, Pickard served in the military, spending much of that time on Guam in the South Pacific, entertaining troops through USO performances.
Pickard then returned to acting with renewed determination, eventually becoming a fan favorite in Westerns and dramas.
Sharing screen with John Wayne
He first shared the screen with John Wayne in the late 1940s, and over the next 40 years, Pickard became a familiar and beloved presence in American cinema.
His credits included the TV series Boots and Saddles, where he appeared in 38 episodes between 1957 and 1958, and later, a memorable role in the 1969 John Wayne classic True Grit, portraying Frank Ross, a part that cemented his place in the hearts of Western movie lovers.
In 1961, Pickard had a brief recurring role as Sergeant Major Murdock on the short-lived CBS Western Gunslinger, starring Tony Young.
Beyond Westerns, he also made his mark in a variety of dramatic TV series. He appeared four times on Perry Mason, always as a law-enforcement official, including one episode that reunited him with Walter Reed from their 1951 serial. His guest roles also spanned popular shows such as Lassie, The Twilight Zone, Ben Casey, Ironside, Mission: Impossible, and Cannon.
Almost landed the main role in Gunsmoke
In hindsight, it’s fair to say that Pickard’s biggest shot came with the Western series Boots and Saddles, where he played the lead role of Capt. Shank Adams, a part that suited him perfectly, given his years of experience portraying cavalrymen.
But had he landed the lead role in the iconic series Gunsmoke — which came remarkably close — Pickard’s name might be far more widely recognized today. His son recalled that it was almost him who was cast as Marshal Dillon, a role that ultimately made James Arness one of America’s most familiar faces.
Apparently, Pickard had a misstep during a love scene with Miss Kitty, which caused producer and writer Charles Marquis Warren to choose Arness instead.
Before he stepped away from acting, Pickard made three films with John Wayne: Wake of the Red Witch, Chisum, and True Grit. According to his son, Pickard really liked working with Wayne.
John Pickard’s death
Tragically, it was far from the sets and cameras where fate caught up with him. At age 80, during a family picnic on his Tennessee farm, Pickard was fatally gored by a bull he had rented for breeding purposes.
The 1,300-pound bull broke the neck of the former Hollywood actor and he was discovered in a pasture alongside roughly 15 to 20 mixed-breed cows and the bull.
According to news reports from 1993, it’s unclear what motivated the animal to attack Pickard. The accident shocked everyone who knew him, leaving behind his wife, a son, and three grandchildren.
Today, he rests just a few yards from the site of the incident.
Though he’s gone, Pickard’s legacy endures, from his earliest roles in films like Mary of Scotland, to his recurring TV appearances, to the many Westerns where his performances brought excitement and authenticity to the genre.
For fans who grew up with dusty trails, standoffs at high noon, and unforgettable character actors, his memory is inseparable from the Western films that defined a generation.
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