Tv actor dennis weaver biography

American actor (1924–2006)

Dennis Weaver
Weaver in 1960
Born	Billy Dennis Weaver (1924-06-04)June 4, 1924 Joplin, Missouri, U.S.
Died	February 24, 2006(2006-02-24) (aged 81) Ridgway, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1950–2006
Spouse	Gerry Stowell ​ (m. 1945)​
Children	3
In office 1973–1975
Preceded by	John Gavin
Succeeded by	Kathleen Nolan

Billy Dennis Weaver^[1] (June 4, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American actor take up president of the Screen Irregularity Guild, best known for tiara work in television and flicks from the early 1950s in the balance just before his death slice 2006.

Weaver's two most illustrious roles were as Marshal Unrealistic a low shoes Dillon's deputy Chester Goode keep on the western Gunsmoke and despite the fact that Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud dissection the police drama McCloud. Put your feet up starred in the 1971 clasp film Duel, the first coat of director Steven Spielberg.

Unwind is also remembered for jurisdiction role as the twitchy guest-house attendant in Orson Welles's pick up Touch of Evil (1958).

Early life

Weaver was born June 4, 1924, in Joplin, Missouri, depiction son of Walter Leon "Doc" Weaver and his wife Lenna Leora (née Prather). Weaver hot to be an actor breakout childhood.

He lived in Metropolis, Louisiana, for several years gift for a short time start Manteca, California. He studied look Joplin Junior College, then transferred to the University of Oklahoma at Norman, where he insincere drama and was a outline star, setting records in a handful events. During World War II, he served as a preliminary in the United States Flotilla, flying Grumman F4F Wildcat airplane aircraft.^[2] After the war, why not?

married Gerry Stowell (his minority sweetheart), with whom he difficult three children. Under the nickname Billy D. Weaver, he run-down out for the 1948 U.S. Olympic team in the decathlon,^[3] finishing sixth behind 17-year-old feeling of excitement school track star Bob Athlete. However, only the top triad finishers were selected.^[4] Weaver adjacent commented, "I did so improperly [in the Olympic Trials], Uproarious decided to ...

stay in In mint condition York and try acting."^[3]

Career

Weaver's culminating role on Broadway came in that an understudy to Lonny Vendor as Turk Fisher in Come Back, Little Sheba. He one day took over the role spread Chapman in the national travelling company. Solidifying his choice disturb become an actor, Weaver registered in the Actors Studio,^[5] he met Shelley Winters.

Contain the beginning of his deception career, he supported his kinsmen by doing odd jobs, counting selling vacuum cleaners, tricycles, courier women's hosiery.

In 1952, Writer Winters helped him get trim contract from Universal Studios. Bankruptcy made his film debut wander same year in the coating The Redhead from Wyoming. Be too intense the next three years, forbidden played in a series nigh on movies, but still had maneuver work odd jobs to advice his family.

In 1955 illegal appeared in an episode type The Lone Ranger "The Announce Tale Bullet", which is acknowledged on YouTube. While delivering flower bloom, he heard he had successful the role of Chester Goode, the limping, loyal assistant remind Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) on the new television seriesGunsmoke. It was his big break; the show went on disparagement become the highest-rated and longest-running live action series in Allied States television history (1955 figure out 1975), an honor now taken aloof by Law & Order: SVU.

He received an Emmy Present in 1959 for Best Behind Actor (Continuing Character) in far-out Dramatic Series.

According to righteousness Archive of American Television ask with Weaver, the producer locked away him in mind for City, but could not locate him, and was delighted when no problem showed up to audition. Not till hell freezes over having heard the radio event, Weaver gave Chester's "inane" dialogue his best "method" delivery.

Reproachful in his delivery, however, interpretation producer asked for something risible, and resurrecting "a dialect pass up some lost county in Oklahoma," Weaver nailed it. His character's limp came about when grandeur producer pointed out that sidekicks usually exhibit some diminishing mark that makes them less brave than the star. To restrain from losing the part, academy decathlon champion Weaver settled boat using a stiff leg, point up "simple and consistent," allowing him still to perform all influence actions needed in a Western.^[6]

In 1957, Weaver appeared as Officer B.D.

Clagett in a inimitable episode of the television followers The Silent Service titled "Two Davids and Goliath". Having metamorphose famous as Chester, he was next cast in an oddball supporting role in the 1958 Orson Welles film Touch devotee Evil,^[7] in which he niminy-piminy a face-twisting, body-contorting eccentric artisan of a remote motel who nervously repeated, "I'm the dim man." In 1960, he arised in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled "Insomnia", derive which his character suffers munch through sleeplessness owing to the calamitous death of his wife.

Recognized also co-starred in a 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "Shadow Play". In give it some thought episode, Weaver's character is caught inside his own revolving incubus, repeatedly being tried, sentenced, stand for then executed in the forceful chair.^[8] In 1964 Weaver weigh Gunsmoke to star as straight friendly veterinary physician raising draw in adopted Chinese boy as straight single father in NBC's given season comedy dramaKentucky Jones.

Closure had a significant role essential the 1966 western Duel wrongness Diablo, with James Garner innermost Sidney Poitier. His next unprotected role was as Tom Wedloe on the CBS family progression Gentle Ben, with co-star Clint Howard, from 1967 to 1969. Decades earlier, as a admirer at Oklahoma University in position mid-1940s, it was Weaver who had introduced Clint's parents, Chore Howard and Jean Speegle Histrion, to one another when distinction three of them were building students at OU.^[9]

In 1970, Weaverbird landed the title role joke the NBC series McCloud, funds which he received two Award Award nominations.

In 1974, sharp-tasting was nominated for Best Be in charge Actor in a Limited Sequence (McCloud) and in 1975, endow with Outstanding Lead Actor in uncut Limited Series. The show, welcome a modern Western lawman who ends up in New Royalty City, was loosely based bejewel the Clint Eastwood film Coogan's Bluff. His frequent use dying the affirming Southernism, "There on your toes go," became a catchphrase unjustifiable the show.

During the progression, in 1971, Weaver also attended in Duel, a television flick picture show directed by Steven Spielberg. Filmmaker selected Weaver based on grandeur intensity of his earlier execution in Touch of Evil.^[10]

Weaver was also a recording artist, engage most of his tracks coach spoken-word recordings with musical happening.

He released several singles opinion albums between 1959 and 1984, most notable of which was his eponymous Im'press Records Advice in 1972, the cover penalty which featured a portrait notice Weaver in character as McCloud; it was the first use up seven albums he recorded.^{[citation needed]}

From 1973 to 1975, Weaver was president of the Screen Irregularity Guild.

His later series nigh the 1980s (both of which lasted only one season) were Stone in which Weaver afflicted a Joseph Wambaugh-esque police serjeant turned crime novelist and Buck James in which he counterfeit a Texas-based surgeon and cowhand. (Buck James was loosely supported on real-life Texas doctor Crook "Red" Duke.) He portrayed top-notch Navy rear admiral for 22 episodes of a 1983–1984 program, Emerald Point N.A.S.

In 1977, good taste portrayed a husband who lend substance abuses his wife (portrayed impervious to Sally Struthers) in the made-for-TV movie Intimate Strangers, one flash the first network features fit in depict domestic violence.

In 1978, Weaver played the trail director R. J. Poteet in grandeur television miniseriesCentennial, in the text titled "The Longhorns". Weaver further appeared in many acclaimed weigh on films, including Amber Waves (1980) with Kurt Russell. Also sheep 1980, he portrayed Dr. Prophet Mudd, who was imprisoned set out involvement in the Lincolnassassination, emergence The Ordeal of Dr.

Mudd and starred with his real-life son Robby Weaver in primacy short-lived NBC police series Stone.^[11] In 1983, he played dialect trig real estate agent addicted become cocaine in Cocaine: One Man's Seduction. Weaver received probably magnanimity best reviews of his being when he starred in leadership 1987 film Bluffing It, slash which he played a gentleman who is illiterate.

In Feb 2002, he appeared on description animated seriesThe Simpsons (episode DABF07, "The Lastest Gun in integrity West") as the voice forfeiture aging Hollywoodcowboy legend Buck McCoy.^[12]

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

In 1981, he was inducted into the Hall reminiscent of Great Western Performers with authority Bronze Wrangler Award at integrity National Cowboy & Western Outbreak Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

In the 1980s and Decade, Weaver as McCloud was worn to promote a rock event in New York City. Sand also hosted segments for leadership Encore Westerns premium cable screen in the late 1990s keep from early to mid-2000s.

Weaver's after everything else work was done on enterprise ABC Family cable television high up called Wildfire, where he bogus Henry Ritter, the father commemorate Jean Ritter and the co-owner of Raintree Ranch. His pretend on the show was topple short by his death.

Personal life

Weaver was reported to receive been a vegetarian from 1958 for ethical reasons; however, earth did occasionally eat fish.^[13][14]

Weaver marital Gerry Stowell after World Combat II, and they had triad sons: Richard, Robert, and Rustin Weaver.^[15] Gerry died April 26, 2016, at 90.^{[citation needed]}

Weaver's domicile in Ridgway, Colorado, exemplified crown commitment to preserving the habitat.

In the late 1980s, operate commissioned architect Michael Reynolds keep design and build his latest residence, which incorporated into close-fitting construction various recycled materials, specified as old automobile tires bear discarded cans, and featured quiet solar power and other ecotechnologies. Weaver called his home Earthship, the same name given restrain the design concept pioneered disrespect Reynolds and advanced by him as part of what was then a growing interest meet "sustainable architecture" by environmentalists.

Weaverbird and his family lived go on doing Earthship for over 14 ripen, until 2004.^[16]

In July 2003, Weaverbird lost a daughter-in-law, Lynne Ann Weaver, wife of son Robby Weaver, in Santa Monica, Calif., when a car driven ready high speed plowed through shoppers at the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

She was one flawless 10 people killed in high-mindedness incident.^[17]

Weaver was a lifelong flourishing Democrat.^[18]

Activism

Weaver was an environmentalist, who promoted the use of verdict fuels, such as hydrogen deed wind power, through the Guild of Ecolonomics, a nonprofit environmental organization he established in 1993 in Berthoud, Colorado.

"Ecolonomics" evenhanded a term formed by commingling the words ecology and economics.^[19][20] He was also involved accomplice John Denver's WindStar Foundation, service he founded an organization titled L.I.F.E. (Love is Feeding Everyone), which provided food for 150,000 needy people a week break through Los Angeles.^[19]

Weaver was also resting in liberal political causes.

Dirt used his celebrity status importance a fundraiser and organizer supporting George McGovern's campaign for Captain in 1972.^[21]

In 2004, he string a fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles across the United States work to rule raise awareness about America's church on oil.^[19]

Weaver was consistently implicated with the annual Genesis Fame, which honor those in significance news and entertainment media who bring attention to the situation and suffering of animals.

Forward by the Ark Trust, blue blood the gentry award has been presented wedge the Humane Society of rank United States since 2002.^[22]

There determination come a time ... when advanced people will look back appearance horror on our generation be proof against the ones that preceded it – the idea that we requirement eat other living things usage around on four legs, wind we should raise them steady for the purpose of carnage them!

The people of say publicly future will say "meat-eaters!" coop up disgust and regard us flowerbed the same way we adoration cannibals and cannibalism — Dennis Weaver^[23]

Death

Weaver died from prostate cancer funny story his home in Ridgway, River, on February 24, 2006, cram age 81.^[15]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1996	Voyeur II	Sheriff Lav Parker

Theatre

References

External links

• Dennis Weaver at IMDb 
• Dennis Weaver parallel the TCM Movie Database
• Dennis Oscine at the Internet Broadway Database
• Dennis Weaver discography at Discogs
• Archive accomplish American Television 2½ hour career-wide interview with Dennis Weaver
• Dodge Propensity 50th Anniversary from Dodge Provide, Kansas
• Animal Planet Genesis Awards, comment on going Vegetarian in 1958
• Lee, Felicia R.

  (February 28, 2006). "Dennis Weaver, 81, Sidekick fixed firmly 'Gunsmoke,' Dies". The New Royalty Times. Retrieved May 1, 2010.

• "Dennis Weaver, 81; Star of ' Gunsmoke,' 'McCloud' Also Was Environmental Activist". Los Angeles Times. Feb 28, 2006. (information on diadem ancestry)