(William) Dennis Weaver - Early life, Career, Private life, Death

Actor, born in Joplin, Missouri, USA. After naval service in World War 2, he studied drama at the University of Oklahoma, later joining the Actors' Studio in New York. His film debut came in The Raiders (1952), but it was with his role as deputy Chester Goode (1955–64) in the classic Western series Gunsmoke that he became well known, winning a Best Supporting Actor Emmy in 1959. He was memorable in Steven Spielberg's early TV movie Duel (1971), and he also landed the title role in the long-running television series McCloud (1970–7). During his career he appeared in numerous film and television roles, and served as president of the Screen Actors Guild (1973–5). A committed environmentalist, his solar-powered home in Colorado was constructed mainly from recycled materials.

William Dennis Weaver (June 4, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American television actor, best known for his roles as sidekick "Chester Goode" from 1955 to 1964 on TV's first "adult Western" Gunsmoke, as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud, which ran from 1970 to 1977, and as the protagonist in Steven Spielberg's feature-length directorial debut, the cult TV movie Duel in 1971.

Early life

Weaver was born in Joplin, Missouri to Walter Weaver and Lena Prather of Irish, Scottish, English, Cherokee and Osage ancestry.

His first role on Broadway came as understudy to Chapman as Turk Fisher in Come Back, Little Sheba. Solidifying his choice to become an actor, Weaver enrolled in The Actors Studio, where he met Shelley Winters.

Career

In 1952, Winters aided him in getting a contract from Universal Studios. Over the next three years, he played roles in a series of movies, but still had to work odd jobs to support his family. It was while delivering flowers for one of these jobs that he heard he had landed his biggest break — the role of "Chester" on the new television series Gunsmoke  — the highest-rated and longest-running series in US television history (1955 to 1975).

Having become famous as Chester, he was cast in an offbeat supporting role in the 1958 Orson Welles film Touch of Evil, in which he nervously repeated, "I'm the night man."

From 1967 to 1969, he appeared on the television show Gentle Ben as Tom Wedloe, which was about a gentle black bear, which gave the show its title.

He began appearing on the series McCloud in 1970, for which he received two Emmy Award nominations: in 1974, he was nominated for Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series and in 1975, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series.

From 1973 to 1975, he was president of the Screen Actors Guild.

In 1978, he played the trail boss R.J. Dennis Weaver also appeared in many acclaimed television films. Weaver received probably the best reviews of his career when he starred in the 1987 film Bluffing It, in which he played a man who is illiterate.

In February 2002, he appeared on the animated series The Simpsons (episode DABF07, "The Lastest Gun in the West") as the voice of aging Hollywood cowboy legend Buck McCoy.

For his contribution to the television industry, Dennis Weaver was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6822 Hollywood Blvd, and on the Dodge City (KS) Trail of Fame.

Dennis Weaver's most recent work was done on an ABC Family cable television show called Wildfire.

Private life

Weaver had been a vegetarian (since 1958) and student of yoga and meditation since the 1960s.

Weaver was consistently involved with the annual Genesis Awards, which were created by The Ark Trust to honor those in the media who bring attention to the plight and suffering of animals. in disgust and regard us in the same way we regard cannibals and cannibalism" -Dennis Weaver

Death

Weaver died of complications from cancer at the age of 81, on February 24th, 2006.