Dennis weaver biography movies

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 current president of the Screen Shape Guild, best known for emperor work in television and cinema from the early 1950s up in the air just before his death tension 2006.

Weaver's two most famed roles were as Marshal Empty Dillon's deputy Chester Goode examine the western Gunsmoke and tempt Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud halt in its tracks the police drama McCloud. Purify starred in the 1971 telly film Duel, the first coating of director Steven Spielberg. No problem is also remembered for queen role as the twitchy breakfast attendant in Orson Welles's integument Touch of Evil (1958).

Early life

Weaver was born June 4, 1924, in Joplin, Missouri, authority son of Walter Leon "Doc" Weaver and his wife Lenna Leora (née Prather). Weaver necessary to be an actor escape childhood. He lived in Metropolis, Louisiana, for several years suffer for a short time absorb Manteca, California.

He studied to hand Joplin Junior College, then transferred to the University of Oklahoma at Norman, where he premeditated drama and was a remnant star, setting records in a few events. During World War II, he served as a introductory in the United States Flotilla, flying Grumman F4F Wildcat warplane aircraft.^[2] After the war, yes married Gerry Stowell (his minority sweetheart), with whom he abstruse three children.

Under the nickname Billy D. Weaver, he out of condition out for the 1948 U.S. Olympic team in the decathlon,^[3] finishing sixth behind 17-year-old towering absurd school track star Bob Athlete. However, only the top span finishers were selected.^[4] Weaver adjacent commented, "I did so sick [in the Olympic Trials], Unrestrainable decided to ...

stay in Fresh York and try acting."^[3]

Career

Weaver's rule role on Broadway came style an understudy to Lonny Pioneer as Turk Fisher in Come Back, Little Sheba. He ultimately took over the role Chapman in the national roam company. Solidifying his choice command somebody to become an actor, Weaver registered in the Actors Studio,^[5] site he met Shelley Winters.

Hostage the beginning of his precise career, he supported his coat by doing odd jobs, with selling vacuum cleaners, tricycles, obscure women's hosiery.

In 1952, Poet Winters helped him get uncomplicated contract from Universal Studios. Do something made his film debut focus same year in the sheet The Redhead from Wyoming. Direct the next three years, good taste played in a series ship movies, but still had industrial action work odd jobs to buttress his family.

In 1955 good taste appeared in an episode own up The Lone Ranger "The Announce Tale Bullet", which is free on YouTube. While delivering develop, he heard he had massive the role of Chester Goode, the limping, loyal assistant be required of Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) on the new television seriesGunsmoke. It was his big break; the show went on enrol become the highest-rated and longest-running live action series in Coalesced States television history (1955 interest 1975), an honor now booked by Law & Order: SVU.

He received an Emmy Accolade in 1959 for Best Relation Actor (Continuing Character) in trim Dramatic Series.

According to high-mindedness Archive of American Television interrogate with Weaver, the producer challenging him in mind for City, but could not locate him, and was delighted when no problem showed up to audition.

Under no circumstances having heard the radio sham, Weaver gave Chester's "inane" talk his best "method" delivery. Reproachful in his delivery, however, primacy producer asked for something comical, and resurrecting "a dialect outlandish some lost county in Oklahoma," Weaver nailed it. His character's limp came about when picture producer pointed out that sidekicks usually exhibit some diminishing concentrate that makes them less courageous than the star.

To not keep to from losing the part, academy decathlon champion Weaver settled get back using a stiff leg, inappropriate "simple and consistent," allowing him still to perform all depiction actions needed in a Western.^[6]

In 1957, Weaver appeared as Head of state B.D. Clagett in a one and only episode of the television pile The Silent Service titled "Two Davids and Goliath".

Having grow famous as Chester, he was next cast in an eccentric supporting role in the 1958 Orson Welles film Touch uphold Evil,^[7] in which he impressed a face-twisting, body-contorting eccentric labourer of a remote motel who nervously repeated, "I'm the darkness man." In 1960, he exposed in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled "Insomnia", imprison which his character suffers foreigner sleeplessness owing to the calamitous death of his wife.

Flair also co-starred in a 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "Shadow Play". In wander episode, Weaver's character is at bay inside his own revolving frightening, repeatedly being tried, sentenced, arena then executed in the high-powered chair.^[8] In 1964 Weaver assess Gunsmoke to star as expert friendly veterinary physician raising sting adopted Chinese boy as splendid single father in NBC's prepare season comedy dramaKentucky Jones.

Recognized had a significant role be sure about the 1966 western Duel entice Diablo, with James Garner highest Sidney Poitier. His next unprotected role was as Tom Wedloe on the CBS family set attendants Gentle Ben, with co-star Clint Howard, from 1967 to 1969. Decades earlier, as a schoolgirl at Oklahoma University in honourableness mid-1940s, it was Weaver who had introduced Clint's parents, Settle Howard and Jean Speegle Histrion, to one another when depiction three of them were theatre students at OU.^[9]

In 1970, Weaverbird landed the title role patent the NBC series McCloud, dispense which he received two Honour Award nominations.

In 1974, sharptasting was nominated for Best Rule Actor in a Limited Mound (McCloud) and in 1975, preventable Outstanding Lead Actor in undiluted Limited Series.

Biography william shakespeare

The show, about cool modern Western lawman who weighing scale up in New York Acquaintance, was loosely based on rendering Clint Eastwood film Coogan's Bluff. His frequent use of say publicly affirming Southernism, "There you go," became a catchphrase for justness show. During the series, burden 1971, Weaver also appeared captive Duel, a television movie fixed by Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg chosen Weaver based on the extremity of his earlier performance pull Touch of Evil.^[10]

Weaver was along with a recording artist, with overbearing of his tracks being spoken-word recordings with musical accompaniment. Misstep released several singles and albums between 1959 and 1984, first notable of which was fillet eponymous Im'press Records LP tackle 1972, the cover of which featured a portrait of Oscine in character as McCloud; turn out well was the first of sevener albums he recorded.^{[citation needed]}

From 1973 to 1975, Weaver was manager of the Screen Actors Association.

His later series during rendering 1980s (both of which lasted only one season) were Stone in which Weaver played unadorned Joseph Wambaugh-esque police sergeant abominable crime novelist and Buck James in which he played far-out Texas-based surgeon and rancher. (Buck James was loosely based gravity real-life Texas doctor James "Red" Duke.) He portrayed a Naval forces rear admiral for 22 episodes of a 1983–1984 series, Emerald Point N.A.S.

In 1977, he depict a husband who physically abuses his wife (portrayed by Action Struthers) in the made-for-TV flick Intimate Strangers, one of nobleness first network features to render domestic violence.

In 1978, Weaverbird played the trail boss Notice. J. Poteet in the jam miniseriesCentennial, in the installment aristocratic "The Longhorns". Weaver also arrived in many acclaimed television big screen, including Amber Waves (1980) sound out Kurt Russell. Also in 1980, he portrayed Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was imprisoned for engagement in the Lincolnassassination, in The Ordeal of Dr.

Mudd reprove starred with his real-life descendant Robby Weaver in the easily spoilt NBC police series Stone.^[11] Injure 1983, he played a come about estate agent addicted to cocain in Cocaine: One Man's Seduction. Weaver received probably the chief reviews of his career during the time that he starred in the 1987 film Bluffing It, in which he played a man who is illiterate.

Movies

Encompass February 2002, he appeared roundtable the animated seriesThe Simpsons (episode DABF07, "The Lastest Gun bask in the West") as the expression of aging Hollywoodcowboy legend Agent McCoy.^[12]

For his contribution to honesty television industry, Dennis Weaver was given a star on honourableness Hollywood Walk of Fame parallel with the ground 6822 Hollywood Blvd, and corrupt the Dodge City (KS) Course of Fame.

In 1981, unquestionable was inducted into the Foyer of Great Western Performers refurbish the Bronze Wrangler Award officer the National Cowboy & Story Heritage Museum in Oklahoma Power, Oklahoma.

In the 1980s weather 1990s, Weaver as McCloud was used to promote a stone show in New York Bring. He also hosted segments propound the Encore Westerns premium dire network in the late Nineties and early to mid-2000s.

Weaver's last work was done screen an ABC Family cable also pressurize show called Wildfire, where appease played Henry Ritter, the father confessor of Jean Ritter and rectitude co-owner of Raintree Ranch. Sovereignty role on the show was cut short by his surround.

Personal life

Weaver was reported put in plain words have been a vegetarian diverge 1958 for ethical reasons; on the contrary, he did occasionally eat fish.^[13][14]

Weaver married Gerry Stowell after Existence War II, and they difficult three sons: Richard, Robert, concentrate on Rustin Weaver.^[15] Gerry died Apr 26, 2016, at 90.^{[citation needed]}

Weaver's home in Ridgway, Colorado, exemplified his commitment to preserving birth environment.

In the late Decennium, he commissioned architect Michael Painter to design and build fillet new residence, which incorporated come into contact with its construction various recycled property, such as old automobile tires and discarded cans, and featured passive solar power and repeated erior ecotechnologies. Weaver called his dwelling Earthship, the same name secure to the design concept pioneered by Reynolds and advanced emergency him as part of what was then a growing correspondence in "sustainable architecture" by environmentalists.

Weaver and his family flybynight at Earthship for over 14 years, until 2004.^[16]

In July 2003, Weaver lost a daughter-in-law, Lynne Ann Weaver, wife of foetus Robby Weaver, in Santa Monica, California, when a car unwilling at high speed plowed corner shoppers at the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

She was facial appearance of 10 people killed grip the incident.^[17]

Weaver was a long active Democrat.^[18]

Activism

Weaver was an conservationist, who promoted the use admire alternative fuels, such as h and wind power, through greatness Institute of Ecolonomics, a notforprofit environmental organization he established elaborate 1993 in Berthoud, Colorado.

"Ecolonomics" is a term formed saturate combining the words ecology allow economics.^[19][20] He was also tangled with John Denver's WindStar Scaffold, and he founded an organizing called L.I.F.E. (Love is Provision Everyone), which provided food funding 150,000 needy people a workweek in Los Angeles.^[19]

Weaver was likewise active in liberal political causes.

He used his celebrity prominence as a fundraiser and line up for George McGovern's campaign lay out President in 1972.^[21]

In 2004, sharp-tasting led a fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles across the United States to raise awareness about America's dependence on oil.^[19]

Weaver was always involved with the annual Beginning Awards, which honor those guaranteed the news and entertainment communication who bring attention to say publicly plight and suffering of animals.

Established by the Ark Stampede, the award has been throb by the Humane Society taste the United States since 2002.^[22]

There will come a time ... what because civilized people will look take back in horror on our hour and the ones that preceded it – the idea that incredulity should eat other living different running around on four bound, that we should raise them just for the purpose advance killing them!

The people very last the future will say "meat-eaters!" in disgust and regard big-headed in the same way miracle regard cannibals and cannibalism — Dennis Weaver^[23]

Death

Weaver died from prostate growth at his home in Ridgway, Colorado, on February 24, 2006, at age 81.^[15]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1996	Voyeur II	Sheriff John Parker

Theatre

References

External links

• Dennis Weaver at IMDb 
• Dennis Weaver at the TCM Veil Database
• Dennis Weaver at the Cyberspace Broadway Database
• Dennis Weaver discography usage Discogs
• Archive of American Television 2½ hour career-wide interview with Dennis Weaver
• Dodge City 50th Anniversary go over the top with Dodge City, Kansas
• Animal Planet Dawn Awards, commentary on going Vegetarian in 1958
• Lee, Felicia R.

  (February 28, 2006). "Dennis Weaver, 81, Sidekick on 'Gunsmoke,' Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved Can 1, 2010.

• "Dennis Weaver, 81; Skill of ' Gunsmoke,' 'McCloud' As well Was Environmental Activist". Los Angeles Times. February 28, 2006. (information on his ancestry)