Biographie

He had been suffering from chest pains for six months before his death, but refused to see a doctor.

Turned down the lead role in Ne tirez pas sur le shérif (1969) in order to make La Horde sauvage (1969).

Friends like Peter Fonda denied that illegal drugs had contributed to Oates' early death. They said he was a heavy drinker and a chain smoker, but not a major user of drugs.

The University of Louisville had a scholarship named after him for promising students in the arts programs.

Died in his sleep of a sudden heart attack at his home while taking an afternoon nap. His autopsy revealed that he had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It also showed that he had chronic emphysema caused by many years of chain smoking, both on-and-off-camera, which no doubt contributed to his fatal heart attack. He had been ill with a case of influenza for about two weeks before his death.

I feel most uncomfortable in a western role, because my image of the western man is John Wayne and I'm just a little shit.

[on Sam Peckinpah] Sam has always believed, and I believe rightly, that he is there to make the film and that anyone who stands in his way is dead. They're in deep, deep trouble. And anyone who doesn't come up to snuff and do their job absolutely perfectly is in deep trouble with Sam.

Hopalong Cassidy and Ben Johnson have rubbed off on my life. That's about all I have to say.

[on Sam Peckinpah] I don't think he's a horrible maniac; it's just that he injures your innocence, and you get pissed off about it.

I don't intentionally set out to be a villain. I do what is given me to do and from there I evolve my attitude and comment. Heavies are closer to life than leading men. The heavy is everyman -- everyman when he faces a tough moment in life. It's the heavy that has to do with the meat of life.