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[[University of Southern California]]}}​

[[University of Southern California]]}}​

'''Walter Clarence Taylor, III''', known as '''Buck Taylor'''  (born May 13, 1938), is an [[United States|American]] [[actor]] best known for his role as gunsmith-turned-deputy Newly O'Brien in 174 episodes during the last eight seasons of [[CBS]]'s ''Gunsmoke'' [[television]] series. In recent years, he has painted the portrait of his friend and ''Gunsmoke'' star James Arness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucktaylor.com/paintingpages/jarness.htm |title=Buck Taylor Paintings |publisher=Bucktaylor.com | |accessdate=August 26, 2012; no longer on-line}}</ref> Taylor's painting specialty is the American West, and each year, he creates the posters for several [[Texas]] rodeos. Taylor lives with his second wife on a ranch near [[Fort Worth]].<ref name=tvcom>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/buck-taylor/person/33018/biography.html|title=Buck Taylor Biography|publisher=Tv.com|accessdate=August 26, 2012; no longer on-line}}</ref>

'''Walter Clarence Taylor, III''', known as '''Buck Taylor'''  (born May 13, 1938), is an [[United States|American]] [[actor]] best known for his role as gunsmith-turned-deputy Newly O'Brien in 174 episodes during the last eight seasons of [[CBS]]'s ''Gunsmoke'' [[television]] series. In recent years, he has painted the portrait of his friend and ''Gunsmoke'' star James Arness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucktaylor.com/paintingpages/jarness.htm |title=Buck Taylor Paintings |publisher=Bucktaylor.com |accessdate=August 26, 2012; no longer on-line}}</ref> Taylor's painting specialty is the American West, and each year, he creates the posters for several [[Texas]] rodeos. Taylor lives with his second wife on a ranch near [[Fort Worth]].<ref name=tvcom>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/buck-taylor/person/33018/biography.html|title=Buck Taylor Biography|publisher=Tv.com|accessdate=August 26, 2012; no longer on-line}}</ref>

==Background==

==Background==

 

Taylor was born in [[Hollywood]], [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Taylor, Jr. He has an older sister, Faydean Taylor Tharp (born c. 1931) of the Greater Los Angeles Area. His father was the character actor Dub Taylor, sometimes known as "Cannonball" Taylor, a native of [[Richmond]], [[Virginia]]. Buck Taylor was born in the same year that his father got his first acting role in the [[film]], ''You Can't Take It with You.'' Dub Taylor, one of cinema's most prolific supporting actors, appeared with dozens of leading actors, including [[John Wayne]] and the [[musician]]s Tex Ritter and Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Buck grew up on the various Hollywood sets and was close to his father's Texas friend, the western actor Chill Wills.<ref name=buck>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucktaylor.com/files/bio.htm|title=Buck Taylor, Actor and Western Artist|publisher=bucktaylor.com|accessdate=August 26, 2012; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

Taylor was born in [[Hollywood]], [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Taylor, Jr. He has an older sister, Faydean Taylor Tharp (born c. 1931) of the Greater Los Angeles Area. His father was the character actor Dub Taylor, sometimes known as "Cannonball" Taylor, a native of [[Richmond]], [[Virginia]]. Buck Taylor was born in the same year that his father got his first acting role in the [[film]], ''You Can't Take It with You.'' Dub Taylor, one of cinema's most prolific supporting actors, appeared with dozens of leading actors, including [[John Wayne]] and the [[musician]]s Tex Ritter and Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Buck grew up on the various Hollywood sets and was close to his father's Texas friend, the western actor Chill Wills.<ref name=buck>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucktaylor.com/files/bio.htm|title=Buck Taylor, Actor and Western Artist|publisher=bucktaylor.com|accessdate=August 26, 2012; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

Taylor graduated from North Hollywood High School and studied theatre arts at the [[University of Southern California]] in Los Angeles. In 1960, he tried out for the [[Olympic Games]] in [[gymnastics]]. He served two years in the [[United States Navy]].<ref name=tvcom/>​

Taylor graduated from North Hollywood High School and studied theatre arts at the [[University of Southern California]] in Los Angeles. In 1960, he tried out for the [[Olympic Games]] in [[gymnastics]]. He served two years in the [[United States Navy]].<ref name=tvcom/>​

 

==Acting career==

==Acting career==

===As Newly O'Brien===

===As Newly O'Brien===

Taylor's long-term role on ''Gunsmoke'' was not his first role in a weekly series. In the preceding 1966–1967 season, he starred in four episodes as John "Brad" Bradford, along with Michael Anderson, Jr., and Barbara Hershey in ABC's ''The Monroes,'' the story of a young orphaned family trying to survive in the [[Wyoming]] wilderness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060011/fullcredits#cast|title=The Monroes (1966) – Full cast and crew]|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=October 30, 2019}}</ref>

Taylor's long-term role on ''Gunsmoke'' was not his first role in a weekly series. In the preceding 1966–1967 season, he starred in four episodes as John "Brad" Bradford, along with Michael Anderson, Jr., and Barbara Hershey in ABC's ''The Monroes,'' the story of a young orphaned family trying to survive in the [[Wyoming]] wilderness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060011/fullcredits#cast|title=The Monroes (1966) – Full cast and crew|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=October 30, 2019}}</ref>

''Gunsmoke'' introduced Taylor on a weekly basis to millions of viewers. Dub Taylor also guest-starred numerous times on the series. Before Taylor was cast as handsome young gunsmith "Newly," he had appeared in an earlier segment of the series as an outlaw.  As Newly, however, he was clearly one of the "good guys" in the same tradition as James Arness as Matt Dillon. The Newly character superseded that of Clayton Thaddeus "Thad" Greenwood, played by Roger Ewing. Taylor got along so well with the ''Gunsmoke'' cast that he named his second and third sons Matthew Taylor and Cooper Glenn Taylor for James Arness' Matt Dilloon role and Glenn Strange (1899–1973), the character actor who played the bartender, Sam, and remained on the program until [[cancer]] claimed his life. Strange never knew of the honor, for Cooper Taylor was not born until 1975.

''Gunsmoke'' introduced Taylor on a weekly basis to millions of viewers. Dub Taylor also guest-starred numerous times on the series. Before Taylor was cast as handsome young gunsmith "Newly," he had appeared in an earlier segment of the series as an outlaw.  As Newly, however, he was clearly one of the "good guys" in the same tradition as James Arness as Matt Dillon. The Newly character superseded that of Clayton Thaddeus "Thad" Greenwood, played by Roger Ewing. Taylor got along so well with the ''Gunsmoke'' cast that he named his second and third sons Matthew Taylor and Cooper Glenn Taylor for James Arness' Matt Dilloon role and Glenn Strange (1899–1973), the character actor who played the bartender, Sam, and remained on the program until [[cancer]] claimed his life. Strange never knew of the honor, for Cooper Taylor was not born until 1975.

===After ''Gunsmoke''===

===After ''Gunsmoke''===

 

At the age of forty-three, Taylor was cast as the outlaw Dan Clifton, who died at thirty-one, in the 1981 film ''Cattle Annie and Little Britches,'' a fictional portrayal of the teenaged bandits Cattle Annie and Little Britches, played by Amanda Plummer and Diane Lane, respectively. Taylor is called "Dynamite Dick" in the film, but Clifton's nickname was "Dynamite Dan."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082145/fullcredits|title=Cattle Annie and Little Britches|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=October 30, 2019}}</ref>​

At the age of forty-three, Taylor was cast as the outlaw Dan Clifton, who died at thirty-one, in the 1981 film ''Cattle Annie and Little Britches,'' a fictional portrayal of the teenaged bandits Cattle Annie and Little Britches, played by Amanda Plummer and Diane Lane, respectively. Taylor is called "Dynamite Dick" in the film, but Clifton's nickname was "Dynamite Dan."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082145/fullcredits|title=Cattle Annie and Little Britches|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=October 30, 2019}}</ref>​

In 1983, Taylor appeared in the film ''The Triumphs of a Man Called Horse''. In the 1993 film ''Gettysburg,'' he played William Gamble. In the 2003 production ''''Gods and Generals,'' Taylor was cast as Maxcy Gregg.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Taylor,_Buck/Biography/ |title=Buck Taylor Biography|publisher=Starpulse.com |accessdate=August 26, 2012; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

In 1983, Taylor appeared in the film ''The Triumphs of a Man Called Horse''. In the 1993 film ''Gettysburg,'' he played William Gamble. In the 2003 production ''''Gods and Generals,'' Taylor was cast as Maxcy Gregg.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Taylor,_Buck/Biography/ |title=Buck Taylor Biography|publisher=Starpulse.com |accessdate=August 26, 2012; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

He appeared on CBS's ''Dallas'' series and Chuch Norris' ''Walker, Texas Ranger.''<ref name=buck/>​

He appeared on CBS's ''Dallas'' series and Chuck Norris' ''Walker, Texas Ranger.''<ref name=buck/>​

Taylor had a memorable role as "Turkey Creek" Jack Johnson in the 1993 film, ''Tombstone,'' and appeared in 1997 in the film, ''Rough Riders,'' both co-starring with Sam Elliott. He appeared in director John Lee Hancock's 2004 film, ''The Alamo'' and the Wyoming-based ''Flicka'' (2006), a loose adaptation of the novel ''My Friend Flicka,'' which was made into a 1956-1957 television series starring [[Johnny Washbrook]].<ref name=imdb>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0852076/|title=Buck Taylor|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=October 30, 2019}}</ref>​

Taylor had a memorable role as "Turkey Creek" Jack Johnson in the 1993 film, ''Tombstone,'' and appeared in 1997 in the film, ''Rough Riders,'' both co-starring with Sam Elliott. He appeared in director John Lee Hancock's 2004 film, ''The Alamo'' and the Wyoming-based ''Flicka'' (2006), a loose adaptation of the novel ''My Friend Flicka,'' which was made into a 1956-1957 television series starring [[Johnny Washbrook]].<ref name=imdb>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0852076/|title=Buck Taylor|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=October 30, 2019}}</ref>​

In 1981, Taylor was inducted as a trustee in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in [[Oklahoma City]] for his ''Gunsmoke'' role.<ref name=buck/> In 2006, he was awarded by the same organization with the "Wrangler" (or Western Heritage Award).<ref name=buck/> Taylor has a plaque on the Walk of Western Stars in Santa Clarita, California, that includes past recipients James Arness and other ''Gunsmoke'' alumni Dennis Weaver and Amanda Blake.<ref name=imdb/>​

In 1981, Taylor was inducted as a trustee in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in [[Oklahoma City]] for his ''Gunsmoke'' role.<ref name=buck/> In 2006, he was awarded by the same organization with the "Wrangler" (or Western Heritage Award).<ref name=buck/> Taylor has a plaque on the Walk of Western Stars in Santa Clarita, California, that includes past recipients James Arness and other ''Gunsmoke'' alumni Dennis Weaver and Amanda Blake.<ref name=imdb/>​

 

==Artistic pursuits==

==Artistic pursuits==

 

In 1993, Taylor began selling his paintings at the National Finals Rodeo in [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]]. These paintings are sold through his [[website]], private art shows and festivals, and at galleries. His private commissions can be found in the Loomis Fargo headquarters, the Franklin Mint, John Wayne Enterprises, the American Quarter Horse Association Museum in [[Amarillo]], the National Ranching Heritage Center museum in [[Lubbock]],  and in the hands of private collectors Roy Clark, Val Kilmer, Roger Staubach, Powers Boothe, Sam Elliott, and James Arness. Taylor is the official artist for several rodeos, including the Pendleton Round-Up in Pendleton, [[Oregon]], and state fairs.<ref name=buck/>​

In 1993, Taylor began selling his paintings at the National Finals Rodeo in [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]]. These paintings are sold through his [[website]], private art shows and festivals, and at galleries. His private commissions can be found in the Loomis Fargo headquarters, the Franklin Mint, John Wayne Enterprises, the American Quarter Horse Association Museum in [[Amarillo]], the National Ranching Heritage Center museum in [[Lubbock]],  and in the hands of private collectors Roy Clark, Val Kilmer, Roger Staubach, Powers Boothe, Sam Elliott, and James Arness. Taylor is the official artist for several rodeos, including the Pendleton Round-Up in Pendleton, [[Oregon]], and state fairs.<ref name=buck/>​