Dennis Weaver

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Billy Dennis Weaver June 4 1924 February 24 2006 was an American actor and president of the Screen Actors Guild best known for his work in television and films from the early 1950s until just before his death in 2006 Weavers two most famous roles were as Marshal Matt Dillons deputy Chester Goode on the western Gunsmoke and as Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud on the police drama McCloud He starred in the 1971 television film Duel the first film of director Steven Spielberg He is also remembered for his role as the twitchy motel attendant in Orson Welless film Touch of Evil 1958 Weaver was born June 4 1924 in Joplin Missouri the son of Walter Leon Doc Weaver and his wife Lenna Leora née Prather Weaver wanted to be an actor from childhood He lived in Shreveport Louisiana for several years and for a short time in Manteca California He studied at Joplin Junior College then transferred to the University of Oklahoma at Norman where he studied drama and was a track star setting records in several events During World War II he served as a pilot in the United States Navy flying Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter aircraft After the war he married Gerry Stowell his childhood sweetheart with whom he had three children Under the name Billy D Weaver he tried out for the 1948 US Olympic team in the decathlon finishing sixth behind 17yearold high school track star Bob Mathias However only the top three finishers were selected Weaver later commented I did so poorly in the Olympic Trials I decided to stay in New York and try acting Career Weavers first role on Broadway came as an understudy to Lonny Chapman as Turk Fisher in Come Back Little Sheba He eventually took over the role from Chapman in the national touring company Solidifying his choice to become an actor Weaver enrolled in the Actors Studio where he met Shelley Winters In the beginning of his acting career he supported his family by doing odd jobs including selling vacuum cleaners tricycles and womens hosiery In 1952 Shelley Winters helped him get a contract from Universal Studios He made his film debut that same year in the movie The Redhead from Wyoming Over the next three years he played in a series of movies but still had to work odd jobs to support his family In 1955 he appeared in an episode of The Lone Ranger The TellTale Bullet which is viewable on YouTube While delivering flowers he heard he had landed the role of Chester Goode the limping loyal assistant of Marshal Matt Dillon James Arness on the new television series Gunsmoke It was his big break the show went on to become the highestrated and longestrunning live action series in United States television history 1955 to 1975 an honor now held by Law Order Special Victims Unit In 1970 Weaver landed the title role in the NBC series McCloud for which he received two Emmy Award nominations The show about a modern Western lawman who ends up in New York City was loosely based on the Clint Eastwood film Coogans Bluff Weaver married Gerry Stowell after World War II and they had three sons Richard Robert and Rustin Weaver Gerry died April 26 2016 at 90 Death Weaver died from prostate cancer at his home in Ridgway Colorado on February 24 2006 at age 81 CLR