Judy Nugent: Where is Buck Taylor’s ex-wife now?

Judy Nugent is an American actress and the ex-wife of Buck Taylor. Judy Nugent’s ex-husband made a name for himself when he played the role of gunsmith-turned-deputy Newly O’Brian in the CBS television series Gunsmoke. The character came to Dodge City as a gunsmith and later became a deputy marshal. The actor’s first important acting role was as Trooper Shattuck in the 1961 Dick Powell’s Zane Grey Theatre episode “Image of a Drawn Sword”.

Judy Nugent: Bio Summary

How old is Buck Taylor’s ex-wife?

Judy Nugent was born on August 22, 1940, in  Los Angeles, California, United States. As of 2023, she is 83 years old. She was the daughter of property master Carl Nugent and talent agent Lucille Nugent. She was not the only child of her parents- She had a sibling named  Carol Nugent who was three years older and was also a child actor.

Judy Nugent was a child actress

Judy Nugent started her career at a very young age. She first appeared on screen at age six in It Had to Be You (1947). She appeared alongside her sister Carol. The siblings portrayed the same character at different ages. By that time her sister Carol Nugent has already appeared in five films. Judy’s acting career moved slowly at first. She had to wait almost a year before getting her next acting role in The Big Clock (1948).

ALSO, READ; Cooper Taylor: Inside the Life of Buck Taylor’s son

Nugent had a few bit parts in films before her career took off when she landed a regular role in television’s first family sitcom, The Ruggles (1949–1952). She went on to have supporting parts in several mid-fifties dramas, including Magnificent Obsession (1954),  Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm (1954) and There’s Always Tomorrow (1956).

Two of Judy’s film roles were her playing Jet Maypen in Walt Disney Presents: Annette serial on The Mickey Mouse Club and as little Ann Carson, the little blind girl who flew around the world with Superman, on the Adventurers of Superman. 

ALSO, READ; Buck Taylor Children: Adam C. Taylor, Cooper Taylor, Matthew Taylor, Tiffany Taylor

Judy made appearances in five episodes of The Tall Man as June McBean with thought made to spin The McBeans off into a series before giving up acting, leaving Hollywood behind after marrying in 1961 through she made cameos for two independent film productions during the seventies.

Judy Nugent and Buck Taylor’s marriage

Though it is unclear how the couple met and started their relationship, they first got married on March 18, 1961. According to reports they began annulment proceedings of their marriage within less than a month. They married again on June 14, 1963. Talking about her marriage and acting with Clint Eastwood in “Rawhide”, Judy Nugent told Westernclippings–

“Clint Eastwood was adorable. I could have gone for him in a big way, but he was married and I was in love with Buck Taylor at the time.“, she continued to say – “In fact, getting married and having kids was the highlight of my life!. I did five episodes of ‘Tall Man’ as June McBean and they wanted to spin it off into a series, ‘The McBeans’. But I wanted to marry Buck and retire.“

The couple was married for 21 years before their divorce in 1983. During their two decades of marriage, they also shared four children; sons Adam Taylor, Mathew Taylor, Cooper Taylor, and daughter Tiffany Taylor. The reason behind their divorce was not made public.

A Few years after the divorce, tragedy struck when their 27-year-old son Adam died in a motorcycle accident on June 4, 1994. He worked as a film director before his death. Adam was survived by his wife Anne Lockhart and their kids Zane and Carlyle. Judy Nugent and Buck Taylor’s son was buried at the Madison Valley Cemetery in Montana, USA.

ALSO, READ; Goldie Ann Taylor: Inside the Life of Buck Taylor’s wife

Where is Buck Taylor’s ex-wife now?

Judy Nugent has been very private about her after their marriage came to an end. However, she opened up Westernclippings about being a grandmother- “The grandkids call me Gammy. I refuse to be called Granny.” Buck Taylor on the other hand got married to his second wife Goldie Ann Taylor.