Gordon T. Dawson Dies: ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ & ‘Rockford Files’ Scribe, Sam Peckinpah Pal Was 84
deadline.comGordon T. Dawson, a costume designer-turned-screenwriter who worked on multiple movies with Sam Peckinpah and wrote on TV hits The Rockford Files and Walker, Texas Ranger among other films and series, died March 6 of pulmonary disease in West Hills, CA, his family announced.
He was 84. Dawson was a fireman when Peckinpah used him to age costumes for his 1965 film Major Dundee. He would reteam with the director as wardrobe supervisor on 1969’s The Wild Bunch, then as associate producer (and uncredited writer) on 1970’s The Ballad of Cable Hogue and 1972’s The Getaway, and co-writer with Peckinpah on 1974’s Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia.
He also has a small role as a Pinkerton agent in The Wild Bunch and later appeared unbilled in Peckinpah’s 1973 Western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, starring James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan.
By then Gordon had begin writing full time for TV, with early credits coming on Bonanza, Black Sheep Squadron, Lou Grant and nine episodes of Rockford Files starring James Garner.
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