Born in Billings, Montana, Talcott received his degree from Stanford University in 1942, after which he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps where he became a bomber pilot.

On a mission in a B-24[1] over Austria, Talcott was shot down and captured, spending 14 months in a German Prisoner-of-war camp.

Talcott was elected to the 88th United States Congress as a Republican and served an additional seven terms (January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1977) before losing his seat in 1976 to Leon Panetta in a close race, as Panetta prevailed with 53% of the vote.

He could be found supporting his alma mater, Stanford, and making milkshake bets with his great-grandson over the outcome of their football games.

The year he passed, he took a 10-hour road trip to Idaho, just to watch his 3rd eldest great-granddaughter graduate from high school.