Buck Taylor

[on his on- and off-screen chemistry with James Arness] You know, just a terrific gentleman, a very humorous guy, very humble, kind of a reclusive person, you know. He came to work, did his job and left. While he was there, he was just wonderful to talk to and to be around. I didn't say too much to him, for eight8 years. I didn't want to infringe on his privacy and I really respected that and I respected the way he conducted himself and his personal life. I got to know him real good, later, and a great friendship. Show less «

I was at the Fort Worth stockyards in 1948 or '47, I was on tour with my dad, and Wild Bill was in the stockyards with some horses. I got to see Wild Bill there, never knowing that in years to come I'd be creating a poster of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Show less «

[on how he felt about James Arness, who played Matt Dillon] James Arness is still my hero. He's a humble and shy guy. I named my son Matthew after his character. He's a patriotic American, wounded in World War II. When I painted a portrait of him, he asked me to make him look like he did on Gunsmoke (1955). Show less «

[About his introduction to James Arness] It was hard to work with him, because he was a funny guy. He had a great sense of humor. I'd run into the marshal's office in the rehearsal, out of breath, and say, "Marshal, there's a fight in the Long Branch!" He'd look at me and go: "Oh, all right now. OK. We've got ourselves a serious actor. Let's just wait till the take before we do all that stuff, Buck". And then when I would try to be serious, he'd start laughing. Once they got to laughing, they'd laugh for weeks. Milburn Stone [who played crusty but lovable Doc Adams], they were all the same way. You've got to have a sense of humor and have some fun. We had some great times. Show less «

[When asked about reports James Arness had a great memory] That's true, he had a photographic memory and he wouldn't read a script, to come in on the first day of filming for Matt Dillon; and the director would say, "Tell 'em the story, you know, bad guys come into town, you're out of town, Festus goes dutchy, you come in, and beat the bad guy up and that's it". Basically, that's what happened every week; and then, you go and have a drink in the Long Branch. Well, he said, "In this scene, these are pages, it'll be about five pages, you have a scene at noon". Well, he had all the dialogue--I mean, there were several lines and he looked at them, put some other actors in the scene. You'd take them up, round them up, throw waste in the basket, over there and they looked at them. Show less «

[Of James Arness] He was great. With his boots on he was about six-foot-eight. He was huge. John Wayne loved Jim and introduced him for an award once. Jim walked on stage, and the Duke said: "You're bigger than I am!" Jim said, "Taller, maybe". You never felt intimidated by his height. He was a very gracious and humble man . . . In my travels around the country with my artwork, people always ask about Gunsmoke (1955). They still revere "Gunsmoke" over a half-century later. It's amazing. I was at the right spot at the right time. That show had great writing, but a simple premise: Some special friends that would do anything for each other . . . I would like to play in an action movie like Iron Man (2008). Maybe something with Mickey Rourke. I could play his dad [laughs]. He acts like I paint--extemporaneous and bold. Don't be afraid of color and breaking rules; make it different and interesting. If it turns out good, it's a happy accident. I have happy accidents. Show less «

I thought, "God, was their mother a buffalo?"

[on how he was brought into the cast after a guest appearance in the 13th season of Gunsmoke (1955)] They liked me [from that guest appearance] so much they decided to test me as Newly O'Brien, who was a gunsmith and U.S. Deputy Marshal. Six months later, I was on the show. Show less «

[describing his mentors] Milburn Stone [Doc] and Ken Curtis [Festus] of Gunsmoke (1955) told me early on, "When you go in public, you're going to meet people that let you into the privacy of their homes, into their bedrooms. They'll think of you as part of their family, so they'll feel like they know you. Some will want to hug you. When they do that, don't disappoint them". That's my advice to any actor--respect those that got you there. Enjoy those that you've made happy. My dad was like that also. That's old school, I guess. Show less «

[asked about himself being recognized as Newly O'Brien] I don't know how they recognize me now. Even little kids, although their parents usually have to tell them who I am. Show less «