https://www.looper.com/803267/the-real-reason-chester-was-written-off-gunsmoke/

Weaver's exit from Gunsmoke was actually his idea

As noted in a 2002 Television Academy Foundation (https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/dennis-weaver?clip=83814#interview-clips) interview with Dennis Weaver, the decision to exit the hit series was actually made by the actor himself. "I'd done the show for nine years, and ... I'd pretty much exhausted all creative possibilities with the character, and I just wanted to do something else," he said.

Weaver went on to acknowledge that any actor's decision to leave a certified network hit at the time was a fairly dicey proposition, as far as finding acting gigs on another show or in films. "I felt it was time to move on. I know it was risky doing that because a lot of actors did the same thing and really disappeared."

Fortunately for Weaver, however, the move proved to be the right one as far as his ongoing career in the industry was concerned. Shortly after departing "Gunsmoke," the actor was cast in the single-season NBC comedy-drama "Kentucky Jones." Then, in 1970, Weaver landed another role that would see him in a cowboy hat and occasionally atop a horse, as he took on the lead in the modern-day police drama "McCloud," which would run until 1977 (per IMDb (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065317/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)). All things considered, it seems that Weaver's desire to move beyond playing Chester was the real reason that the beloved character permanently rode off into the sunset on "Gunsmoke."

It must be a slow news day around here, all this was known at the time. Weaver was tall, good looking, athletic and a superlative actor he was clearly destined for leading man parts. He was around 40 when he left Gunsmoke and as the old saying goes time and tide wait for no man. Duel arguably the best TV movie of all time starred Dennis Weaver.

Duel arguably the best TV movie of all time starred Dennis Weaver.

Haven't seen that in years - fantastic film!

Check out his last episode of Gunsmoke, "Bently". Weaver is working with a script clearly written for Arness (who is conveniently removed from the story in a pensive, contrived manner to give Weaver the center stage), as the Character, Chester, is suddenly smart, cunning, and has a great understanding of human psychological behavior. All grown-up, one might say. Just a hint of what we'd see in McCloud a few years later.

I like the bit where Chester watches and waits for the "alleged" killer to exit Delmonico's after setting him up to prove a point, remarking that the guy didn't seem too hungry (one of those remarks you'd expect from Matt).

If the whole switch-up of characterizations was to prove that Weaver could play a leading man, I think the point was clearly made, and it was a great story to go out on.