Pick Temple

Lafayette Parker "Pick" Temple (January 20, 1911 - December 21 1991) was an American cowboy folksinger who starred in The Pick Temple Giant Ranch television show from 1948 through 1961.

Early life and career

Temple was born and grew up in the Washington, D.C., area.

Prior to his career in show business, Temple had been employed as an economic statistician in the Business Division of the U.S. Census Bureau for 20 years.

He entered an amateur hour contest on WTTG in which he sang and won the competition. Temple played a guitarist who sang "Jimmy Crack Corn" also known as "Blue-Tailed Fly," with the saloon’s patrons. The townspeople—except for Matt Yordy—play along with the Lincoln look-alike, who claims that he is the president. Yordy is looking for a fight, and Abe obliges him.

Library of Congress music archives contributions

During the Great Depression, Temple rode the rails, listening to the melancholic folksongs of the day, some of which, in 1948, he recorded for the Library of Congress’ music archives.

Post-television career

After The Pick Temple Giant Ranch was cancelled in 1962 due to financial expense, he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to try out a similar show there. However, due to lack of success, Temple retired from television in 1963.

Temple returned to government service, working for the Office of Economic Opportunity’s Public Affairs Section and as an audio-visual expert, producing motivational films for Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). He retired and moved to Sun City, Arizona, in 1972.

Temple died in 1991 at the age of 80. His survivors include his son Park, his daughter Faye, and four grandchildren.