who played festus on gunsmoke

Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who played the scruffy deputy Festus on the television series “Gunsmoke,” died in his sleep on Sunday at his home. I wonder if he was referring to April who was his girlfriend when Festus first came to Dodge. His first wife, Suzie, died in 1979. The goofy nephew of Festus, Eliab Haggen, comes to Dodge with the hope of shooting off a tiny piece of his ear, because Festus bit off a piece of his dad's ear years ago in a fight. All that insisting paid off; Stone stuck with the show until it ended in ‘75, after which he was finally able to retire and enjoy the fruits of his labor. "Because you ever try and build a campfire with a stiff leg? As he might say, we love him as a June morning. He was active in … One of Festus's most well-known attributes was his simple vocabulary and demeanor (which hid a sharp eye … Miss Kitty was a fan-favorite on Gunsmoke, as the owner of the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City. Sebron's brothers Samuel and William R. were privates in the same unit. FRESNO, Calif. (AP) _ Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who starred as Marshal Matt Dillon’s sidekick on the long-running television western ″Gunsmoke,″ has died at age 74. He then went on to Shep Field’s Orchestra. Perhaps there was an episode I may have missed where they break up which would explain Festus' … James Arness played Marshal Matt Dillon in 635 episodes of Gunsmoke , the only cast member to appear in every single one. This feller has more fans on his back than a dog has fur. Curtis replaced Frank Sinatra on Tommy Dorsey’s band after Sinatra left to become a solo artist. Before taking up an acting career, he sang with, Although his character, Festus Haggen, was introduced to, Refused an offer to appear as Festus Haggen in the movie. His maternal great-grandfather Sebron (Seaborn) Graham Sneed (1828-72) was the senior second lieutenant of Company A, Harrelson's Battalion, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate) during the US Civil War. He was 74 years old. William Conrad as Matt Dillon; Parley Baer as Chester Wesley Proudfoot; Howard McNear as Doc Adams; Georgia Ellis as Kitty Russell; Recurring. Ken Curtis, Actor Who Played Festus in Gunsmoke, Dies. Columbia Pictures heard the song and signed Curtis as a singing cowboy. Ken Wain Gates was born on 2 July 1916, in Lamar, Colorado USA, and was an actor and singer, probably best known for being a part of the long running western television series entitled “Gunsmoke” in which he played Festus Haggen. Not only was he a resident of Dodge City, KS, in the TV series, Best remembered by the public for his role as Festus Haggen on, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. While there his love for singing grew and he involved himself in various college musical events. Festus was the character name of the 2nd official deputy on the CBS series called Gunsmoke. Curtis remains best known for his role as Festus Haggen, the scruffy, cantankerous, and illiterate deputy in Gunsmoke. Amanda Blake made the character into everything that made her popular. Amanda Blake played Miss Kitty on 'Gunsmoke' for 19 years. FRESNO, Calif. -- Actor Ken Curtis, who as a youngster worked in his father's Colorado jail and went on to portray a scruffy deputy named Festus on … Conrad as Cannon (T/F) Conrad married the widow of newsman Chet Huntley. While fellow regulars Amanda Blake and Milburn Stone can't top that, they were both in more than 500 episodes — a significant achievement by any standard! Festus Haggen was Marshal Matt Dillon's only official deputy on the CBS television series Gunsmoke. Some of his songs included ″Love Sends a Little Gift of Roses,″ ″This Is Worth Fighting For″ and ″Breathless.″, After serving in the Army during World War II, Curtis resumed a singing career on Johnny Mercer’s radio show and recorded the popular ″Tumbling Tumbleweeds.″. He served in the United States Army during World War II between 1943 and 1945 and then decided to study medicine, especially cardiology. Curtis played Festus Haggin, sidekick to Marshal Matt Dillon, from 1964 to 1975, when the series ended. Sadly, most of those stars are gone. Played by Ken Curtis, he first appeared in 1962 and was showcased full-time from 1964 until 1975. Curtis, who played deputy Festus Haggin from 1963-75, died in his sleep Sunday at his home here, family members said Monday. He was the son of a sheriff and worked on a jail farm as a boy. Festus Haggen, played by Ken Curtis, was introduced in an eighth-season episode (“Us Haggens”), became a recurring character in the ninth season, and took over as Matt’s sidekick when Chester left –edging his predecessor out by appearing in 304 episodes. Festus Gunsmoke Quotes: “Blaming her would be like blaming her for being dark in the night.” Gunsmoke is an American radio (1952-1951) and television (1955-1975) of western drama series. In 1935 he went to a college in Colorado Springs, CO, to study medicine. Official Sites, Before 'Gunsmoke', he often appeared in films with. After director John Ford hired the Pioneers for the western film, ″Wagon Master,″ Curtis began getting dozens of movie and TV roles. One died during the run of the show, in 1973, at the age of 74—Glenn Strange, a real New Mexico cowboy who played Sam the bartender. His real name was Curtis Wain Gates and he was born in Lamar (Colorado), growing up in Las Ánimas (Colorado). Once Festus was asked if he had a woman and he replied that there had been a girl a long time ago but that it would haver never worked out. The western Gunsmoke premiered on CBS radio in 1952. He was 74 years old. Who came first Chester or Festus on Gunsmoke? This list contains notable cast members of the Gunsmoke radio and TV series, and TV movies. How many of the regular cast of Gunsmoke are still alive today?. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Curtis, who played deputy Festus Haggin from 1963-75, died in his sleep Sunday at his home here, family members said Monday. Cannon and Nero Wolfe and Jake and the Fat Man. In addition to his television roles, Curtis acted with John Wayne in some of Hollywood’s classic films, including ″The Searchers″ and ″The Quiet Man.″. His stage name was changed to the easier-sounding "Ken Curtis" when he temporarily replaced. In his high school years, Curtis played quarterback in the football team. Curtis observed many times that Jack came to Las Animas, where he would o… But on “Gunsmoke,” his character was no sophisticate. Festus Haggen, played by Ken Curtis, was introduced in an eighth-season episode (“Us Haggens”), became a recurring character in the ninth season, and took over as Matt’s sidekick when Chester left –edging his predecessor out by appearing in 304 episodes. Dan Winrow Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Festus Gunsmoke Quotes. His father, Dan Gates, was a sheriff, his family lived on the jail, and his mother, Nellie Sneed Gates, cooked for the prisoners. Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston.The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West.The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television. April 29, 1991. Festus Haggen, you have to love. The listing includes regular cast members, guest stars, and recurring cast members. They seemed to have an affectionate, loving relationship. Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who played the scruffy deputy Festus on the television series "Gunsmoke," died in his sleep on Sunday at his home. True ... her name was Tippy. He replaced Dennis Weaver, who played Chester Goode before leaving the … TV Land is proving to be the channel to watch during the COVID-19 quarantine. Radio's Matt Dillon played the title role in three television series. frankfob2@yahoo.com, Other Works He entered films in the late 1940s at the tail-end of the singing-cowboy period in a series of low-budget Westerns for Columbia Pictures. When that genre died out, Curtis turned to straight dramatic and comedy parts and became a regular in the films of director John Ford (who was his father-in-law). Directed by Harry Harris. I was delighted to see it canceled." While Marshal Matt Dillon had a total of five deputies over two decades, Festus held the role the longest (11 years), in 304 episodes. He then joined the group Sons of the Pioneers, of which celebrity Roy Rogers was a member. As was the custom at the time, they lived above the jail and his mother, Nellie (Sneed) Gates, cooked for the prisoners. Name one of them. The show was successful and was adopted for television in 1955 where it aired for 20 years until 1975. Ken Curtis played multiple characters Though he mostly portrayed Festus Haggen, during the series' run, he also played a Texas cattleman who was … Considering the kind of scruffy, backwoods, uneducated, Deep-South hillbilly types he played, many people would be surprised to hear that Ken Curtis wasn't actually born in the south but in the small town of Las Animas, Colorado, the son of the town sheriff. |  Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates, July 2, 1916 – April 28, 1991) was an American singer and actor best known for his role as Festus Haggen on the CBS western television series Gunsmoke. With James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Burt Reynolds. Other movies he appeared included ″The Alamo,″ ″How the West Was Won,″ ″Mr. He once said he patterned "Festus" after a local character known as Cedar Jack, who lived about 40 miles out in the cedar hills and made a living cutting cedar fence posts for farmers and ranchers. |  Directed by Richard C. Sarafian. Even Wikipedia, supposedly a neutral source, calls Festus a … They said the cause of death was unkown. Came from a musical family -- his father played the fiddle, his mother the pump organ, brother Chester the banjo, and another brother Carl sang. A look into the life and career of Dennis Weaver (Chester) and Ken Curtis (Festus) and the iconic roles they played on Gunsmoke! From 1955 to 1964, he was on "Gunsmoke," the longest-running prime-time drama series on television. Publicity Listings When he came to Las Animas, he usually ended up drunk and in jail. As was the custom at the time, they lived above the jail and his mother, Nellie (Sneed) Gates, cooked for the prisoners. Radio cast Regulars. He came to Dodge City in an episode titled "Us Haggens" to avenge the death of his twin brother, Fergus. Gunsmoke fame came very late in his career – and life – so Stone wrestled hard with CBS to make sure he received royalties. Roberts″ and ″Cheyenne Autumn.″ He also had roles in TV’s ″Rawhide,″ ″Perry Mason″ and ″Have Gun, Will Travel.″. Haggens themes include a festive … Curtis, who played deputy Festus Haggin from 1963-75, died in his sleep Sunday at his home here, family members said Monday. Festus was patterned after "Cedar Jack" (Frederick Munden), a man from Curtis' Las Animas childhood. Ken Curtis, who as a boy helped out in his father's jail in Colorado and as a character named Festus Haggen performed similar work for Marshal Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke," is dead. Curtis branched out into film production in the 1950s with two extremely low-budget monster films, The Killer Shrews (1959) and The Giant Gila Monster (1959), but he is best known for his long-running role as Festus Hagen, the scruffy, cantankerous deputy in the long-running TV series Gunsmoke (1955). Curtis branched out into film production in the 1950s with two extremely low-budget monster films, The Killer Shrews (1959) and The Giant Gila Monster (1959), but he is best known for his long-running role as Festus Hagen, the scruffy, cantankerous deputy in the long-running TV series Gunsmoke (1955). Keeping this in view, who was the first deputy on Gunsmoke? Introduced the western standard "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" to movie audiences. After the show was cancelled, Conrad said ``Cannon was crap. Many know that Ken Curtis, who played Festus, was a singer. He also starred in "Gentle Ben," from 1967 to 1969, playing … They would probably be even more surprised to learn that he began his show business career as a singer in the big-band era, and was a vocalist in the legendary Tommy Dorsey orchestra. He once said he patterned "Festus" after a local character known as Cedar Jack, who lived about 40 miles out in the cedar hills and made a living cutting cedar fence posts for farmers and ranchers. Grew up in Las Animas, CO, where his father, Dan Gates, was sheriff. Although it is sad to say it lasted only 5 years before Stone died at 70. With James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis. He made his Hollywood debut in 1938 as a singer with swing bands. He was the fat man. When he ... See more » He replaced Dennis Weaver, who played Chester Goode before leaving the show after nine years. FRESNO, Calif. (AP) _ Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who starred as Marshal Matt Dillon’s sidekick on the long-running television western ″Gunsmoke,″ has died at age 74. Curtis is survived by his wife and two children. 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