His last episode, titled Bently, saw Chester leave Dodge City, Kan. to find a murderer following a suspicious deathbed confession. We see that you have javascript disabled. What happened to Chester on Gunsmoke? I watch ESPN and TVLAND, and other stations where there a lot of westerns. Copyright 2023 Distractify. The end was a usual episode entitled The Sharecroppers, mostly centered on Festus. In 1964, a new character joined the show to help Matt keep the peace. Gunsmokewas a popular and successful show, going from a 30- minute run on television to an hour. Dennis Weaver, who played Chester, started his program and had to leave Gunsmoke. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Ken Curtis played Festus, Dillons sidekick, inGunsmoke. I prefer Chester, but Gunsmoke is so good even the worst episode is better than what we have today.The acting and the writing are superb.I watch it every day and reruns are OK by me. This television show helped generate interest in sport parachuting. WebFestus Haggen (played by Ken Curtis) is Matt Dillon's deputy marshal and one of the main characters of Gunsmoke who would first appear in the Season 8 episode "Us Haggens" (episode #13, December 8, 1962). Your email address will not be published. But he decided to leave during Season Nine. I agree with the whining too much. I continue to watch Gunsmoke. Born in the late 50s I was definitely a child of television. Fantastic but some of the scripts by John Meston are completely barbaric and violent. It is safe to assume he, as Festus would have continued since he didnt leave any indication of departing the show, This post is an overview of the character Festus and the successfultelevision show, Why Did Festus Leave Gunsmoke? Chester and Festus appeared in other episodes Gunsmoke gave Arness, whose brother was actor Peter Graves of Mission: Impossible fame, steady work for 20 seasons. However, some characters made more impressions than others. Why did Amanda Blake leave Gunsmoke? And why did they leave so many full beers at the bar?? Curtis married Torrie Connelly in 1966. Gunsmoke passed the torch from Chester to Festus by having the characters interact. Reynolds decided to leave the show a year later to pursue a career in movies. I was probably one of their biggest fans. Ive been enjoying the recent re-runs of the early 1955 episodes. Festus' character was known, in part, for the nasally, twangy, rural accent which Curtis developed for the role, but which did not reflect Curtis' actual voice. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". WebFestus Haggen (played by Ken Curtis) is Matt Dillon's deputy marshal and one of the main characters of Gunsmoke who would first appear in the Season 8 episode "Us Haggens" (episode #13, December 8, 1962). Why was coffee mentioned so frequently? I also liked how he acted like his leg was bum when in real life it wasnt. I never saw Gunsmoke as a child. Festus ended up staying in Dodge City for the remainder of the shows run, until it was canceled in 1975. The fighting was mostly against invaders, and he fought alongside his allies. [citation needed]. Curtis guest-starred five times on the Western television series Have Gun Will Travel with Richard Boone. It kept the number one spot for about five consecutive years and kept doing well in the following years despite losing its rank. What episode does Chester leave Gunsmoke? He replaced Dennis Weaver, who played Chester Goode before leaving the show after nine years. Just as fast as you can say There you go, Weaver started playing Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud. Sam Elliott starred in the lead role, and Curtis' Gunsmoke co-star Buck Taylor (Newly O'Brien) played a bad man in the same film. Characters came, stayed, and left. Your email address will not be published. Festus ended up staying in Dodge City for the remainder of the shows run, until it was canceled in 1975. Curtis originally entered Hollywood as a singer with the swing bands, later becoming a singer and an actor. Each character was the perfect fit for their time. He starred in a series of musical Westerns[7] with the Hoosier Hot Shots, playing singing cowboy romantic leads. Stomping their way to victory. He would come back later in season nine as Dillons deputy Marshal and would later become his friend as well. In 1926, the family moved to Las Animas, the county seat of Bent County, so that his father, Dan Sullivan Gates, could run for sheriff. The show aired many years ago, but it is still talked about by people of all ages, especially those who watched and enjoyed it. . WebHowever, in 1971, he was forced to temporarily leave the show for just a handful of episodes because he had to undergo heart surgery after suffering a heart attack. Later, after the television show earned awards and gained more popularity, he negotiated his contract and started making $20,000 an episode. It is impossible to say if Ken Curtis would have continued playing Festus onGunsmokeif the network hadnt chosen to end the show. I was so sad when I learned that Milburn Stone had passed away. In all the episodes I've seen, I've seen either Chester or Festus, but never seen whatever happened to Chester to allow Festus to become Matt's deputy. Reportedly, Curtis based the character off a local drunk in his town, adapting that country twang to film. Because of his role in this movie, John Wayne recommended James Arness for the role of Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke (1955), a role he played for 39 years. Before he became Dillons deputy, he was a Hillman with a ragged appearance who wanted to avenge his brothers death. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. WebWhy did Gunsmoke change from Chester to Festus? The Lone Writer is an American frontier and Old West journalist and historian. I didnt understand what my Dad was laughing at until now. All rights reserved. Surely you do know the difference between Dillon as the US Marshal [Head Marchal of the District] and a Deputy US Marshal. I have the pleasure of watching it 7+ times a day. His main character was Festus, but he also acted as a cattleman who was friends with Chester Goode but got killed. Dennis Weaver Death. There were 635 episodes and many of the outdoor scenes for this show were shot in Johnson Canyon near Kanab, Utah. Festus was his replacement. WebThe end of Gunsmoke was an episode featuring Ken Curtis Festus Haggen at the center. Chester and Festus appeared in other episodes Festus was a shot of fresh air. Director Leonard Katzmans The Sharecroppers was season 20 episode 24, airing on March 31, 1975. Dennis Weaver dressed as his character from McCloud. 6. Who was the mother of Matt Dillons daughter? He kept the jail and backed up Dillon but you will never see Chester wearing a US Marshal or Deputy Marshal badge. I was a little naive. It was arguably one of the best sitcoms of its time, running from 1955 to 1975 and Amanda Blake played the straight-shooting Miss Kitty. In 5 Steps to Danger (1957 film), he is uncredited as FBI Agent Jim Anderson. This means he is right Oh well, that was my opinion which doesnt account for much. My husband just turned 90 and discovered the INSP channel. Curtis pursued music for a long time and, after a while, added acting to his pursuits. WebKen 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.Although he appeared on Gunsmoke earlier in other roles (such as Brisco in S4E32s Change Of Heart), he was first cast as Festus in season 8 episode 13, What happened to Chester leg on Gunsmoke? From 1955 to 1964, he was on Gunsmoke, the longest-running prime-time drama series on television. You are here: Home How Why did the character Festus leave Gunsmoke? WebWeaver, who died on Feb. 24, 2006, at 81 years old, told The Toronto Star about his reasoning in a 1987 interview. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Will Xbox Series X ever be in stock again? They believed they were going to come back to shoot another season. How do I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? Check your facts before you write something. Beginning with season ten, Fetus has his right ear folded to give the impression he is not too bright and as seasons 11-20, he becomes dumber and more of a comic relief. Its still a very good, wholesome show. Director Leonard Katzmans The Sharecroppers was season 20 episode 24, airing on March 31, 1975. Technically, Festus Haggen was introduced the year before in the one-off episode Us Haggens.. Gunsmoke: Michael Landons Best Friend Victor French Held Record for Most Guest Appearances on the Show. Gunsmoke was the only series that I had done up to that point and I thought, well, Id just get another series and Id get a successful one. Festus heretofore a comic feature, came to town in a 1962 episode titled "Us Haggens" to avenge the death of his twin brother Fergus, and decided to stay in Dodge when the deed was done. Surprised Matt didnt want to change Chesters role to make him a little more in line with the others. There were times that I wanted to just smack him because of his silly remarks. Resources are available to help see if it's right for you. And that the Fans were not informed as well. James Arness passed away on June 3, 2011 at 88 years old. Then remember he is playing a character and that is what they want. During World War II, Curtis served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1945. Curtis joined the cast of Gunsmoke permanently as Festus in "Prairie Wolfer," season 9 episode 16, January 18, 1964; though this fact is often confused with a 1969 episode of the same name ("Prairie Wolfer") made five years later (S13E10). How much did James Arness make per episode on Gunsmoke? He's still being held in Rochester, Robin Wolfram joining ABC 6 News as anchor, ABC 6 News anchor Laura Lee makes a career move after 13 years in Rochester, Thinking of solar? If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below), so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue. Festus just let crooks dressed as calvary take over the town. I had to take yoga lessons to do some of that stuff.. Gunsmoke Continued For a Decade More. Does anyone know why after season 10 Fetus was turned into somewhat of an idiot? Festus finally became deputy marshal because Dillons deputy of nine seasons, Chester, left the show. The character proved to be a popular mainstay and one of the shows memorable characters for years to come. They play several episodes several different episodes every day on different stations. In the eighth season, he appeared a few times to make it easy for the audience to accept him as deputy Chesters replacement in the ninth season. There was a scene where they all shared a hugto make the fans accept Festus easily. No one knew the network planned to end the show, so the fans didnt get to see even a goodbye episode. Besides. His next appearance was Season 9, episode 2, October 5, 1963 as Kyle Kelly, in "Lover Boy." 1975 Reportedly, Curtis based the character off a local drunk in his town, adapting that country twang to film. In fact, it looked like in some cases Dillion wanted to smack him, too. [citation needed]. Gunsmoke was on the air for two decades. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Before he became Dillons deputy, he was a Hillman with a ragged appearance who wanted to avenge his brothers death. When did Festus leave Gunsmoke? As shabby as he was, his character was loveable, and many found him endearing. All Rights Reserved. WebWhy did Gunsmoke change from Chester to Festus? I use to say to myself when Chester was on, WHY do they keep him. Dennis Weaver, who played Chester, started his program and had to leave, Here are few things you should know about the show, James Arness played the role of Dillon in, The Brady Bunch (Cindy, Peter, and Jan) and some Star Trek stars (Spock, Scotty, Bones, and Kirk) made guest appearances in, Here are a few things you should know about the last episode of the great, It is impossible to say if Ken Curtis would have continued playing Festus on, if the network hadnt chosen to end the show. Episode on Gunsmoke in stock again other episodes Festus was a shot of fresh air they.. 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