Buck Taylor

A veteran character actor, Buck Taylor is best known for playing Newly in the long-running TV Western "Gunsmoke." The son of actor Dub Taylor, Buck Taylor grew up in Hollywood among actors and on film sets. He studied Theater at USC and served two years in the navy before embarking on his acting career. He was a frequent guest star on TV in the early and mid 1960s, especially on Westerns like "The Rebel" (where he made his debut), "Stoney Burke," and "12 O'Clock High." He made appearances in other genres as well, including multiple parts on the schoolroom drama "Mr. Novak" and the war program "Combat!" After earning a regular role on the Western "The Monroes" he was cast on the venerable James Arness show "Gunsmoke" as the young hero, Newly O'Brien. Taylor's role lasted until the series ended in 1975. Following his departure from the legendary show he continued working steadily, showing up in made-for-TV Westerns in the 1980s like the reunion film "Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge" and low-budget features like the action movie "Big Bad John." He had a recurring role on the primetime soap "Dallas" and could be seen in the new generation of Westerns, including "Wild Wild West," a 1999 Barry Sonnenfeld effort starring Will Smith.