Believe it or not, Festus wins this one… scruffy as he was on a normal day (and when he was prairie-wolfin’ he was even scruffier), Festus had something Chester did not. Perfectly Amanda: Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty The show introduced Fran Ryan as Hannah, the new saloon owner. A fancy dress shirt. To cool the blood in his head on hot days. Festus would refer to Doc as "you ol' schutter you", and would often ask Doc to have a drink or share a last drink for the night, hoping the end result would be Doc paying for the drinks, because Festus would always have a … Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who played the scruffy deputy Festus on the television series "Gunsmoke," died in his sleep on Sunday at his home. Friends—and Her Doctor—say AIDS, Not Cancer, Killed Gunsmoke's Amanda Blake this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. When Festus asked where he was Doc did say that Dr. Chapman didn't like goodbyes any better than he did, indicating he slipped out almost like Doc had done earlier. Milburn Stone Mariette Hartley Shot Tv Ken Curtis Pernell Roberts The Rifleman Dennis Matt Dillon Burt Reynolds. Blake played Kitty from the series' debut in 1955 until 1974. When Festus greases and combs his hair, the part is . Answer: ... down the middle. Friends—and Her Doctor—say AIDS, Not Cancer, Killed Gunsmoke's Amanda Blake. Some say the producers of the show thought it could explain why he didn’t carry a pistol. Can you imagine the drama everyone would have missed out on had that happened? A good example of its impact: the planet on which the "Space Western" manga/anime series Trigun is set is called "Gunsmoke". How did Chester Goode, Matt Dillon’s assistant on Gunsmoke, get his limp? Festus and Doc had a love-hate relationship. Saved … After Blake left the show, the writers decided that Kitty had left Dodge City for New Orleans. Search Strategy: chester's OR weaver's +"last episode" +gunsmoke why did dennis weaver leave gunsmoke I trust my research has provided you with the answer you desired. He was 74 years old. The show's cast included some of the most memorable characters in television history, including Marshal Matt Dillon and the sassy Miss Kitty. Why Amanda Blake Left Gunsmoke | Did James Arness and Amanda Blake share a bed on the program Gunsmoke? on the left side. In the first few Gunsmoke episodes, Festus did not speak with his later famous drawl. But did you know that Gunsmoke almost went off the air in 1967? How was Chester written out of Gunsmoke? down the middle. The reason for his stiff leg was never explained. Festus Haggen, played by Ken Curtis, was introduced in an eighth-season episode (“Us Haggens”), became a recurring character in the ninth season, and took over as Matt’s sidekick when Chester left –edging his predecessor out by appearing in 304 episodes. ... actually left the series three times before his final departure after season nine. Can you imagine the drama everyone would have missed out on had that happened? “The reason I got away from ‘Gunsmoke’ was that I wanted to leave the second banana role,” Weaver told the Toronto Star in 1987. “Gunsmoke” ran 20 years and had 635 episodes, making it the longest-running American prime-time drama TV series to date. . Now why did somebody decide to give the character a disability? Beckey Burgoyne, Author. It took a while but eventually Ken Curtis found his home on Gunsmoke as Festus Hagen, the next assistant for Marshal Matt Dillon. ... Why did Festus occasionally stick his head into a horse trough? If a link above should fail to work or anything require further explanation or research, please do post a Request for Clarification prior to rating the answer and closing the question and I will be pleased to assist … The right one. Dennis Weaver and Mariette Hartley in TV series "Gunsmoke," 1962. But did you know that Gunsmoke almost went off the air in 1967? When the occasion suggests it, Festus foregoes his usual white shirt and goes with a sort of paisley one –he fastens the collar button, and even adds arm garters. Why did Amanda Blake leave gunsmoke - Answers. Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston.The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West.The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television. The first director of Gunsmoke, Warren, had Chester have a stiff leg to partially explain why he would work at such a …