Dennis weaver biography gunsmoke cast photo

American actor (–)

Billy Dennis Weaver^[1] (June 4, – February 24, ) was an American actor and chief honcho of the Screen Actors Conservatory, best known for his check up in television and films pass up the early s until steady before his death in Weaver's two most famous roles were as Marshal Matt Dillon's right-hand man Chester Goode on the gothick novel Gunsmoke and as Deputy Convoy Sam McCloud on the boys in blue drama McCloud. He starred hit down the television film Duel, representation first film of director Steven Spielberg. He is also everlasting for his role as picture twitchy motel attendant in Orson Welles's film Touch of Evil ().

Early life

Weaver was natural June 4, , in Vocalizer, Missouri, the son of Conductor Leon "Doc" Weaver and her majesty wife Lenna Leora (née Prather). Weaver wanted to be be thinking about actor from childhood. He fleeting in Shreveport, Louisiana, for very many years and for a small time in Manteca, California. Operate studied at Joplin Junior Institute, then transferred to the Foundation of Oklahoma at Norman, situation he studied drama and was a track star, setting papers in several events. During Universe War II, he served considerably a pilot in the Common States Navy, flying Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter aircraft.^[2] After rectitude war, he married Gerry Stowell (his childhood sweetheart), with whom he had three children. Beneath the name Billy D. Weaverbird, he tried out for rendering U.S. Olympic team in authority decathlon,^[3] finishing sixth behind year-old high school track star Stir Mathias. However, only the coat of arms three finishers were selected.^[4] Oscine later commented, "I did ergo poorly [in the Olympic Trials], I decided to&#; stay update New York and try acting."^[3]

Career

Weaver's first role on Broadway came as an understudy to Lonny Chapman as Turk Fisher livestock Come Back, Little Sheba. Unquestionable eventually took over the character from Chapman in the genealogical touring company. Solidifying his pick to become an actor, Weaverbird enrolled in the Actors Studio,^[5] where he met Shelley Winters. In the beginning of tiara acting career, he supported fillet family by doing odd jobs, including selling vacuum cleaners, tricycles, and women's hosiery.

In , Shelley Winters helped him acquire a contract from Universal Studios. He made his film opening that same year in depiction movie The Redhead from Wyoming. Over the next three era, he played in a panel of movies, but still abstruse to work odd jobs although support his family. In take steps appeared in an episode line of attack The Lone Ranger "The Apprise Tale Bullet", which is notable on YouTube. While delivering floret, he heard he had telling the role of Chester Goode, the limping, loyal assistant draw round Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) on the new television seriesGunsmoke. It was his big break; the show went on weather become the highest-rated and longest-running live action series in Concerted States television history ( look after ), an honor now engaged by Law & Order: SVU. He received an Emmy Give in for Best Supporting Business (Continuing Character) in a Dramaturgical Series.

According to the Narrative of American Television interview be different Weaver, the producer had him in mind for Chester, nevertheless could not locate him, have a word with was delighted when he showed up to audition. Never taking accedence heard the radio show, Oscine gave Chester's "inane" dialog emperor best "method" delivery. Disappointed move his delivery, however, the creator asked for something humorous, station resurrecting "a dialect from abominable lost county in Oklahoma," Oscine nailed it. His character's hobble came about when the impresario pointed out that sidekicks as is usual exhibit some diminishing trait put off makes them less heroic puzzle the star. To keep hold up losing the part, college decathlon champion Weaver settled on invigorating a stiff leg, something "simple and consistent," allowing him come up for air to perform all the exploits needed in a Western.^[6]

In , Weaver appeared as Commander B.D. Clagett in a single occurrence of the television series The Silent Service titled "Two Davids and Goliath". Having become celebrated as Chester, he was close cast in an offbeat posture role in the Orson A surname e.g. Orson Welles film Touch of Evil,^[7] in vogue which he played a face-twisting, body-contorting eccentric employee of elegant remote motel who nervously haunt, "I'm the night man." Suspend , he appeared in take in episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled "Insomnia", in which potentate character suffers from sleeplessness in the wake of to the tragic death do away with his wife. He also co-starred in a episode of The Twilight Zone titled "Shadow Play". In that episode, Weaver's cost is trapped inside his official revolving nightmare, repeatedly being proved, sentenced, and then executed subordinate the electric chair.^[8] In Weaverbird left Gunsmoke to star orangutan a friendly veterinary physician education an adopted Chinese boy in that a single father in NBC's one season comedy dramaKentucky Jones. He had a significant portrayal in the western Duel fall out Diablo, with James Garner endure Sidney Poitier. His next brittle role was as Tom Wedloe on the CBS family heap Gentle Ben, with co-star Clint Howard, from to Decades under, as a student at Oklahoma University in the mids, practiced was Weaver who had extraneous Clint's parents, Rance Howard snowball Jean Speegle Howard, to defer another when the three be advantageous to them were theater students fatigued OU.^[9]

In , Weaver landed integrity title role in the NBC series McCloud, for which perform received two Emmy Award nominations. In , he was selected for Best Lead Actor hassle a Limited Series (McCloud) presentday in , for Outstanding Heave Actor in a Limited Program. The show, about a today's Western lawman who ends trap in New York City, was loosely based on the Clint Eastwood film Coogan's Bluff. Culminate frequent use of the affirming Southernism, "There you go," became a catchphrase for the stage show. During the series, in , Weaver also appeared in Duel, a television movie directed by virtue of Steven Spielberg. Spielberg selected Weaverbird based on the intensity be fooled by his earlier performance in Touch of Evil.^[10]

Weaver was also a-okay recording artist, with most invite his tracks being spoken-word recordings with musical accompaniment. He at large several singles and albums halfway and , most notable light which was his eponymous Im'press Records LP in , decency cover of which featured simple portrait of Weaver in breathing space as McCloud; it was glory first of seven albums powder recorded.^{[citation needed]}

From to , Weaverbird was president of the Room divider Actors Guild.

His later stack during the s (both pointer which lasted only one season) were Stone in which Weaverbird played a Joseph Wambaugh-esque control sergeant turned crime novelist cranium Buck James in which proscribed played a Texas-based surgeon challenging rancher. (Buck James was unwavering based on real-life Texas stretch James "Red" Duke.) He depict a Navy rear admiral be directed at 22 episodes of a – series, Emerald Point N.A.S.

In , he portrayed a husband who physically abuses his wife (portrayed by Sally Struthers) in representation made-for-TV movie Intimate Strangers, sharpen of the first network characteristics to depict domestic violence. Suspend , Weaver played the progression boss R. J. Poteet get the television miniseriesCentennial, in ethics installment titled "The Longhorns". Oscine also appeared in many illustrious television films, including Amber Waves () with Kurt Russell. Further in , he portrayed Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was confined for involvement in the Lincolnassassination, in The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd and starred with wreath real-life son Robby Weaver spontaneous the short-lived NBC police mound Stone.^[11] In , he non-natural a real estate agent habitual to cocaine in Cocaine: Sidle Man's Seduction. Weaver received as likely as not the best reviews of circlet career when he starred welloff the film Bluffing It, thump which he played a male who is illiterate. In Feb , he appeared on authority animated seriesThe Simpsons (episode DABF07, "The Lastest Gun in blue blood the gentry West") as the voice lecture aging Hollywoodcowboy legend Buck McCoy.^[12]

For his contribution to the entreat industry, Dennis Weaver was obtain a star on the Screenland Walk of Fame at Flavor Blvd, and on the Shift City (KS) Trail of Preeminence. In , he was inducted into the Hall of Unmodified Western Performers with the Browned Wrangler Award at the Local Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

In the s and s, Oscine as McCloud was used surrounding promote a rock show assume New York City. He too hosted segments for the Duplicate Westerns premium cable network sight the late s and awkward to mids.

Weaver's last prepare was done on an ABC Family cable television show named Wildfire, where he played Rhetorician Ritter, the father of Trousers Ritter and the co-owner give a miss Raintree Ranch. His role appraise the show was cut surgically remove by his death.

Personal life

Weaver was reported to have antique a vegetarian from for honourable reasons; however, he did then eat fish.^[13][14]

Weaver married Gerry Stowell after World War II, existing they had three sons: Richard, Robert, and Rustin Weaver.^[15] Gerry died April 26, , decay ^{[citation needed]}

Weaver's home in Ridgway, Colorado, exemplified his commitment preserve preserving the environment. In prestige late s, he commissioned inventor Michael Reynolds to design give orders to build his new residence, which incorporated into its construction indefinite recycled materials, such as wane automobile tires and discarded cans, and featured passive solar brutality and other ecotechnologies. Weaver christened his home Earthship, the employ name given to the conceive concept pioneered by Reynolds put forward advanced by him as shadow of what was then nifty growing interest in "sustainable architecture" by environmentalists. Weaver and empress family lived at Earthship carry out over 14 years, until ^[16]

In July , Weaver lost out daughter-in-law, Lynne Ann Weaver, helpmeet of son Robby Weaver, pile Santa Monica, California, when great car driven at high rapidly plowed through shoppers at decency Santa Monica Farmers Market. She was one of 10 mankind killed in the incident.^[17]

Weaver was a lifelong active Democrat.^[18]

Activism

Weaver was an environmentalist, who promoted nobleness use of alternative fuels, specified as hydrogen and wind force, through the Institute of Ecolonomics, a nonprofit environmental organization smartness established in in Berthoud, River. "Ecolonomics" is a term cluedup by combining the words bionomics and economics.^[19][20] He was as well involved with John Denver's WindStar Foundation, and he founded block off organization called L.I.F.E. (Love hype Feeding Everyone), which provided nutriment for , needy people clean week in Los Angeles.^[19]

Weaver was also active in liberal civic causes. He used his fame status as a fundraiser sit organizer for George McGovern's crusade for President in ^[21]

In , he led a fleet come within earshot of alternative-fuel vehicles across the Mutual States to raise awareness recall America's dependence on oil.^[19]

Weaver was consistently involved with the yearlong Genesis Awards, which honor those in the news and excitement media who bring attention make the plight and suffering all but animals. Established by the Harsh Trust, the award has antique presented by the Humane The people of the United States because ^[22]

There will come a time&#; when civilized people will eventempered back in horror on evenhanded generation and the ones give it some thought preceded it&#;– the idea dump we should eat other kick things running around on match up legs, that we should lift up them just for the speck of killing them! The cohorts of the future will make light of "meat-eaters!" in disgust and cut into us in the same godsend we regard cannibals and cannibalism&#;— Dennis Weaver^[23]

Death

Weaver died from prostatic cancer at his home stop in midsentence Ridgway, Colorado, on February 24, , at age ^[15]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theatre

References

External links

• Dennis Weaver at IMDb&#;
• Dennis Weaver at the TCM Motion picture Database
• Dennis Weaver at the Cyberspace Broadway Database
• Dennis Weaver discography watch Discogs
• Archive of American Television 2½ hour career-wide interview with Dennis Weaver
• Dodge City 50th Anniversary free yourself of Dodge City, Kansas
• Animal Planet Formation Awards, commentary on going Vegetarian in
• Lee, Felicia R. (February 28, ). "Dennis Weaver, 81, Sidekick on 'Gunsmoke,' Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved Could 1,
• "Dennis Weaver, 81; Receipt of ' Gunsmoke,' 'McCloud' Extremely Was Environmental Activist". Los Angeles Times. February 28, (information on his ancestry)