I enjoyed that, but being from Joplin myself Dennis would have pronounced it Missour-ah not Missour-ee! Dennis Weave loved to patronize an Ice Cream place that made their own Ice Cream called "Andersons" which was also a favorite of AJ Foyte plus a few of the other old Hollywood legions.
I had the pleasure of running into him in a small grocery store in western Colorado a few years before he passed. Unbelievably friendly and sharply dressed for his age. I’ll never forget his genuine smile.
Daisy. He was perfect as Chester. Chester was such a believable character opposite Matt Dillon -sometimes bumbling, always helpful!! He was awarded an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor; and it was well deserved.
Festus I think was a much better actor on Gunsmoke ! Some time he just cracked me up ! & some of those family members of his , especially those " Perdy " little nieces of his " Miss Blossom ! L oL
Good, but not "the best." I liked Ken Curtis' (who sang with the Sons of the Pioneers) better as "Festus." Also, he was in bigger movies than Weaver, including some with John Wayne! In any case, the change was positive - and may have extended the length of the series.
@@thenov1944 YES! One of my favorite quips from Festus was, "You think THIS is cold? Fiddle; when I was in Wyoming, I poured some coffee outside and it froze so quick, the ice was still warm!"
My mother was friends with Dennis and Geri Weaver. I met them at a gas station while we were traveling to our cabin in the San Bernardino Mtns. and they were returning home from New Mexico. Geri called out to my mom and they started to talk. I had been a fan of the McCloud TV show and always loved the turquois and silver watchband he wore. When I asked him, he showed me he was wearing it and said he got it in the town McCloud was supposed to be from. Geri chimed in when my dad said how beautiful it was, that she had the catalog at home and would send it to my mom. My mom ordered the watch for my dad for his birthday and after they died, it was left to me as it was my idea to ask about it in the first place, and yes, I still wear it.
We feel the same way! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your favorite movie of Dennis Weaver! What other types of videos would you like to see on our channel?
I can't believe you failed to mention his movie Duel I was a young boy when this movie was out and I'll always remember Dennis Weaver because of this movie.
Loved this guy. Never saw enough of him. 'McLoud' was my favourite out of all Universal's Mystery Movies TV series. He appears in one of my all-time favourite Western movies, 'Duel at Diablo', with Sidney Poitier and James Garner. It's a little known movie which I recommend to anyone. He gives a masterful performance as a really unpleasant, bitter man with a dark secret who you actually feel sorry for as he approaches his end. As Sam McLoud would say - " There you go - Country"
I love Chester and Dennis Weaver. We are watching reruns of Gunsmoke now, and I really prefer the older episodes with Chester in them. It's fascinating to watch him act. So sweet and simple. I read that when they cast Chester, they wanted to make Marshal Dillon always imposing, so Dennis came up with a limp to make him more of a supportive character. I love that guy.
I liked the banter between Chester and Doc,kinda reminded me of some colorful characters in my small hometown growing up. I don’t believe they could make a weekly show like Gunsmoke or The Beverly Hillbillies or any of the late 50’s early 60’s family shows nowadays.
Seems to me the character of Chester was supposed to be a simple kind of guy sort of a look out for the marshal on the Gunsmoke radio show which carried over to the tv show.
When I worked as a construction inspector I did a lot of work in the Kansas City Metro area. I also went through Dodge City, Kansas. But the most interesting thing to happen was when I found myself on an interesting street corner in Overland Park, the corner of Dennis and Weaver. I have kicked myself for not taking a picture of the street signs.
Yes I am a huge fan of Dennis Weaver. I grew up with him on Gunsmoke, and Gentle Ben. He was the greatest. I also like the fact that he remained married to his high-school sweetheart. Never changed. RIP forever.
Big fan of Dennis Weaver. Especially his iconic role as Chester on Gunsmoke. He brought so much depth to the character and his interactions with the other characters... especially Doc... were priceless.
Even though its a TV movie "Duel" is Dennis Weaver's masterpiece. "Duel" and "Vanishing Point" where the first two DVDs I ever bought. Two great road thrillers from the early 70s.
He was in Stevens Spielberg‘s first movie which was made for TV called “Duel”, about a rouge truck driver chasing Dennis Weaver who was a salesman in his car. He showed off his athletic ability when in one scene he runs out of the diner and chases the truck on foot. You can see him sprinting like a track star even though he was in business attire. He also appeared in one episode of the twilight zone call shadow play which he did a great job.
I don'tknow who directed the movie "Devil Truck", (if I have the title right), but wasn't Dennis in that one also? If it was him, I think he did a heck of a job in that too.
I'm puzzled about your calling Dennis Weaver's reason for leaving Gunsmoke "sad". There's nothing sad about an actor wanting to pursue different types of roles and wanting to avoid typecasting. It's perfectly normal and understandable. Most actors don't want to be pigeonholed into one role or type. Plus, Dennis Weaver proved he wss talented enough to play different types and avoid the trap of typecasting. Nothing sad about that.
@Timothy Ross I think emotional words like “sad” serve as better click bate for higher viewings but agree with you bc he did great as McCloud & other characters. All over thought this is still an interesting piece about him and I think would have got plenty of attention and clicks without the word sad, considering the actor himself and his talent. It was an interesting review about Dennis Weaver as Chester, enjoyed by most, so much appreciated :)
Us too! Thanks for the trip down memory lane. We're very happy to know that you're a fan of Dennis. What other types of video would you like to see on our channel?
I have to agree Duel was probably his best acting,although it was kind of an off the wall movie. Not to take anything away from Ken Curtis’s portrayal of Festus on Gunsmoke but I believe the best years of Gunsmoke were the first six ,before the show went to an hour long format.
"Duel" is always his best performance in my books, I much enjoy him still today, I watch him on TV a lot when "Gunsmoke" comes on. That "Duel" is one of my all time favorites it was intense, I also agree that the 30 min. format was better than 1hr. show. Also to I enjoyed Ken Curtis both great actors.
You might have mentioned Weaver's role in Duel, Steven Spielberg's movie directorial debut. He had to carry the movie all by himself and did a masterful job of it.
My family and I met him at his Restaurant and Theater in Ouray Colorado. A real gentleman and saw his home which he built out of used tires and other products.
I’m glad I caught this story about Dennis Weaver, you answered a question I had about him. I always wondered if he really had a disability or was that just part of the show. Now I know ! If they just wanted him to have a limp they sure went overboard.
I loved Chester! I remember the first season or so of the TV series being simulcast on radio. We didn't have a TV set yet, but my grandparents did. We would drive to their house listening to the show on the car radio, then rush into the house to watch the rest of the episode in glorious black and white!
I'm about your age & they also simulcast "Dragnet" on the radio! I remember when we got our first t.v. ,my grandmother refused to watch it on t.v. & continued to listen to it, in another room!("Gunsmoke was a groundbreaking show!)
It’s amazing how things work out for the best. Ken Curtis was a good supporting actor, all the way back to The Searchers, but he became an icon as Festus Hagen. I didn’t think Gunsmoke would survive the loss of Chester, but was I ever wrong. Btw, McCloud was my favorite Dennis Weaver role, but was he ever a great Chester?!
That "bless your heart" role along with his exaggerated southern drawl and hint of naivety was a perfect match to James Arnass' character. The various writers, producers and directors - MacDonald, Hite, mclaglen, and others we're A+ in putting it all together as well.
I loved the movie Duel so much I bought it. The first time I saw it I had chills go up and down my spine. These days I still love to watch it the odd time, everything about that movie was excellent. I watched some guy online who went to the house the movie started with and to the wreckage of the vehicles, which are apparently still there.
I’m younger, but a huge fan of Gunsmoke. It took me a while to warm up to Chester, but after seeing Dennis’s talent for performing that role, Chester really grew on me. I’ve watched MANY MANY gunsmoke episodes on ME-TV, but I can’t pinpoint which episode and how they wrote Chester off...anyone help me on this?
I remember Dennis Weaver at his best as the policeman in Mcloud, there i really discovered him, i saw plenty of those feuilletons, they were very exciting for me as for my brother, we watched almost every episode, he was charming, gentle and kind and stayed a real cowboy like in almost the rest of his films, you were good Dennis!
Yes, I was a fan of Dennis Weaver!!!! really liked him and gunsmoke, and liked him in other roles over the years!!! I loved his southern/western accent in Gunsmoke and his limp!! it is so sad to hear about all the different actors/actresses, and their passing!! he is missed!! Still love, your grades, voice, narrator!! And your presentation!! Thank you so very much for these great videos of different stars in…❤🙏😇👋👍
GUNSMOKE TO ME WAS ONE OF THE BEST WESTERNS OF ALL TIMES EVERYONE WHO WAS ON GUNSMOKE WAS GREAT SO WAS DENNIS WEAVER. LOVE DENNIS IN THE MOVIE DUEL HE WAS GREAT IN IT.
No, he fell out of a window of a building as explanation for the limp he developed to make him less attractive for the role. It was shown in one of the early episodes.
Was never explained. From the scripts, Chester was in the Civil War, was in Richmond when it fell, but also was in the cavalry in the Indian Wars after CW, in Texas or KS; also was a cowboy after the war -- so where he got injured is never certain. Weaver claimed he never bothered to imagine Chester's backstory. I didn't believe him.
There were so many but the episode where something was happening that Chester needed Matt immediately. He ran down the sidewalk toward the Marshall's office yelling for him and jumped down three or four steps with his stiff leg and never missed a beat. I doubt if he could ever repeat the feat again. A more serious episode was when a couple of men roped him and dragged him out in the plains.
I ran into Dennis Weaver in Hollywood and went into the studio with him as we were talking Joan Collins ran into and told me to get out. Dennis jumped up and told her where to go. A few minutes later Meridith Baxter Burney came in and he told her the same thing. She ran off also. A real down to earth man. I was saddened by his death, Loved him........................
The only thing sad about Weaver leaving Gunsmoke was the way it was handled by the Gunsmoke storyline. Starting in season 8, sometimes he was there, other times he wasn't. When he wasn't there in seasons 8 and 9 it was often as though he never existed. His Chester character did start to evolve as someone who could pick up a gun and get the job done as seen in the "Quints Trail" Episode 9.7. But, shortly after was his last episode and no explanation for his departure was written in for the viewers.
I always loved Chester on Gunsmoke. His character was as honest as a day’s work. He was lovable. I liked Festus, but to me the deputy in Gunsmoke will always be Chester.
I thought his roll in "Duel" was riveting and Classic. The only other roll that I thought he performed better (perfection;) was in a TV movie called "Harvest" (I think, since I only saw it once and always hoped to view again...just to see if it held up as strongly as my first viewing) about a farmer and his crew/family trying urgently to save the harvest still in the fields with drastic weather moving in. I rarely watch a show more than once; but, I'd happily sit through that one again! RIP Great Actor, from your forever fan, Donna in TX just noted my error with "roll" instead of "role", LOL, I need a proof-reader over here!
@@FactsVerse - Dennis was a much better in McCloud than he was in Gunsmoke. Chester was dumber than Barney Fife, but Barney was that way because he was a comedic character. Chester’s stupidity made him just about useless as anything more than a crap-shoveling stable boy.
