...image?

https://www.metv.com/stories/do-you-remember-this-made-for-tv-movie-that-helped-dennis-weaver-shed-his-gunsmoke-image

"Had his life really ended in Vietnam?"

...image?

https://www.metv.com/stories/do-you-remember-this-made-for-tv-movie-that-helped-dennis-weaver-shed-his-gunsmoke-image

"Had his life really ended in Vietnam?"

What hogwash! If there was one actor who had no problem finding roles it was Dennis Weaver. He left Gunsmoke in the spring of 64 and was back starring in another series (Kentucky Jones) in the fall of 64. In the fall of 1967 he starred in another series (Gentle Ben) which ran two seasons. He was doing guess shots in shows appearing in movies and then there's this little gem from the METV article:

"he'd follow up The Forgotten Man with movies like Duel before settling back in for another show as a fish-out-of-water New Mexico deputy Marshal in Manhattan in McCloud".

The TV film which would act as the pilot for McCloud was aired in February of 1970, the series started its run in September of 1970, The Forgotten Man wasn't aired until September 1971 by that time McCloud was starting its second season! With respect to Duel the two films were in production around the same time, The Forgotten Man beat it to the air by two months premiering in September of 71, Duel November of 71.