Biography
A graduate of the Nashville Conservatory and the model for U.S. Navy recruiting posters, John Pickard entered films in 1946 following a four-year stint in the navy. Pickard played supporting roles in scores of Westerns and action dramas before reaching stardom as Captain Shank of the U. S. Cavalry on the NBC television Western series
Boots and Saddles. Filmed entirely on location at Kanab, UT, the series enjoyed a two-season run (1957-1958) and also featured Gardner McKay as Lieutenant Kelly. Pickard earned a second stab at small-screen stardom in
Gunslinger (1961) and played supporting roles in nearly every other popular television drama, from
Gunsmoke to
Simon and Simon. He was tragically killed by a rampant bull while vacationing on a family farm in his home state of Tennessee. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide