Dennis Weaver as Chester - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

treky · 02-26-2010, 03:34 AM

I've been watching this on Encore Westerns (wish they'd put it on later; 7:00 is when we're having dinner and I can only see it when my brother cooks and my DVR can't record that channel)

and I'm wondering: when did Dennis Weaver leave the show?

TV Knowledge Fan · 02-26-2010, 03:46 AM

...after nine seasons of being "Chester", Dennis wanted out. He didn't want to be typecast as the guy with the limp who kept calling out, "Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon!" every Saturday night [this is why he guest-starred in that May 1961 "TWILIGHT ZONE" episode "Shadow Play"- to prove he could portray another character different from "Chester"...and he did]. He left "GUNSMOKE" to star in his own NBC series, "KENTUCKY JONES", in the fall of 1964. Unfortunately, it lasted one season on early Saturday evenings (replaced by "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" in the fall of '65), and it was another five years before he finally established himself in a role all his own- "Marshal Sam McCloud".

treky · 02-26-2010, 05:12 AM

TV KNOWLEDGE FAN I'm CONSTANTLY amazed at all this information you have about TV!

So, he left in 1964?

TV Knowledge Fan · 02-27-2010, 03:44 AM

...and yes, Dennis left "GUNSMOKE" after the 1963-'64 season. That's when Ken Curtis "succeeded" him as "Festus Haggen".

Zoneboy · 02-27-2010, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

TV KNOWLEDGE FAN I'm CONSTANTLY amazed at all this information you have about TV!

Likewise but I sometimes wish he would let us know what sources he gets the info from.

treky · 02-27-2010, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Likewise but I sometimes wish he would let us know what sources he gets the info from.

I e-mailed him a couple times and asked him; he claims he reads and surfs the web a lot, but I have a sucpision that that's not all and he's getting some info. from somewhere else but doesn't want to tell us.

Mr. Television · 02-27-2010, 11:20 PM

Dennis Weaver starred on Gentle Ben before McCloud and although it only ran for 2 seasons, it was syndicated quite a bit in the late 1960's and 1970's. That's where I first became a fan of his. I was a regular watcher of McCloud too. I actually never saw him in any episode of Gunsmoke until the last decade because his episodes were never syndicated where I lived.

02-26-2010, 03:34 AM	#1
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	Dennis Weaver as Chester I've been watching this on Encore Westerns (wish they'd put it on later; 7:00 is when we're having dinner and I can only see it when my brother cooks and my DVR can't record that channel) and I'm wondering: when did Dennis Weaver leave the show?
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

02-26-2010, 03:46 AM	#2
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	The reason was simple, 'treky'... ...after nine seasons of being "Chester", Dennis wanted out. He didn't want to be typecast as the guy with the limp who kept calling out, "Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon!" every Saturday night [this is why he guest-starred in that May 1961 "TWILIGHT ZONE" episode "Shadow Play"- to prove he could portray another character different from "Chester"...and he did]. He left "GUNSMOKE" to star in his own NBC series, "KENTUCKY JONES", in the fall of 1964. Unfortunately, it lasted one season on early Saturday evenings (replaced by "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" in the fall of '65), and it was another five years before he finally established himself in a role all his own- "Marshal Sam McCloud".

02-27-2010, 03:44 AM	#4
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Thank you, 'treky'.... ...and yes, Dennis left "GUNSMOKE" after the 1963-'64 season. That's when Ken Curtis "succeeded" him as "Festus Haggen".

02-27-2010, 11:20 PM	#7
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Dennis Weaver starred on Gentle Ben before McCloud and although it only ran for 2 seasons, it was syndicated quite a bit in the late 1960's and 1970's. That's where I first became a fan of his. I was a regular watcher of McCloud too. I actually never saw him in any episode of Gunsmoke until the last decade because his episodes were never syndicated where I lived.
	__________________ Sonny

02-26-2010, 05:12 AM	#3
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	TV KNOWLEDGE FAN I'm CONSTANTLY amazed at all this information you have about TV! So, he left in 1964?