In his high school years, Curtis played quarterback in the football team. In 1935 he went to a college in Colorado Springs, CO, to study medicine. I was delighted to see it canceled." Festus Gunsmoke Quotes. Festus was patterned after "Cedar Jack" (Frederick Munden), a man from Curtis' Las Animas childhood. As he might say, we love him as a June morning. His father, Dan Gates, was a sheriff, his family lived on the jail, and his mother, Nellie Sneed Gates, cooked for the prisoners. Considering the kind of scruffy, backwoods, uneducated, Deep-South hillbilly types he played, many people would be surprised to hear that Ken Curtis wasn't actually born in the south but in the small town of Las Animas, Colorado, the son of the town sheriff. Other movies he appeared included ″The Alamo,″ ″How the West Was Won,″ ″Mr. From 1955 to 1964, he was on "Gunsmoke," the longest-running prime-time drama series on television. Official Sites, Before 'Gunsmoke', he often appeared in films with. The western Gunsmoke premiered on CBS radio in 1952. Curtis remains best known for his role as Festus Haggen, the scruffy, cantankerous, and illiterate deputy in Gunsmoke. One died during the run of the show, in 1973, at the age of 74—Glenn Strange, a real New Mexico cowboy who played Sam the bartender. Curtis, who played deputy Festus Haggin from 1963-75, died in his sleep Sunday at his home here, family members said Monday. The goofy nephew of Festus, Eliab Haggen, comes to Dodge with the hope of shooting off a tiny piece of his ear, because Festus bit off a piece of his dad's ear years ago in a fight. Sebron's brothers Samuel and William R. were privates in the same unit. Once Festus was asked if he had a woman and he replied that there had been a girl a long time ago but that it would haver never worked out. Even Wikipedia, supposedly a neutral source, calls Festus a … Many know that Ken Curtis, who played Festus, was a singer. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Curtis branched out into film production in the 1950s with two extremely low-budget monster films, The Killer Shrews (1959) and The Giant Gila Monster (1959), but he is best known for his long-running role as Festus Hagen, the scruffy, cantankerous deputy in the long-running TV series Gunsmoke (1955). Directed by Richard C. Sarafian. With James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis. His first wife, Suzie, died in 1979. While Marshal Matt Dillon had a total of five deputies over two decades, Festus held the role the longest (11 years), in 304 episodes. James Arness played Marshal Matt Dillon in 635 episodes of Gunsmoke , the only cast member to appear in every single one. Conrad as Cannon (T/F) Conrad married the widow of newsman Chet Huntley. He made his Hollywood debut in 1938 as a singer with swing bands. They said the cause of death was unkown. Miss Kitty was a fan-favorite on Gunsmoke, as the owner of the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City. frankfob2@yahoo.com, Other Works With James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Burt Reynolds. Ken Curtis, who as a boy helped out in his father's jail in Colorado and as a character named Festus Haggen performed similar work for Marshal Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke," is dead. Radio cast Regulars. I wonder if he was referring to April who was his girlfriend when Festus first came to Dodge. Gunsmoke fame came very late in his career – and life – so Stone wrestled hard with CBS to make sure he received royalties. Curtis is survived by his wife and two children. Some of his songs included ″Love Sends a Little Gift of Roses,″ ″This Is Worth Fighting For″ and ″Breathless.″, After serving in the Army during World War II, Curtis resumed a singing career on Johnny Mercer’s radio show and recorded the popular ″Tumbling Tumbleweeds.″. Amanda Blake played Miss Kitty on 'Gunsmoke' for 19 years. Before taking up an acting career, he sang with, Although his character, Festus Haggen, was introduced to, Refused an offer to appear as Festus Haggen in the movie. 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. Amanda Blake made the character into everything that made her popular. While fellow regulars Amanda Blake and Milburn Stone can't top that, they were both in more than 500 episodes — a significant achievement by any standard! He once said he patterned "Festus" after a local character known as Cedar Jack, who lived about 40 miles out in the cedar hills and made a living cutting cedar fence posts for farmers and ranchers. Roberts″ and ″Cheyenne Autumn.″ He also had roles in TV’s ″Rawhide,″ ″Perry Mason″ and ″Have Gun, Will Travel.″. Curtis, whose real name was Curtis Gates, was born in Lamar, Colo. Cannon and Nero Wolfe and Jake and the Fat Man. "Because you ever try and build a campfire with a stiff leg? Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates, July 2, 1916 – April 28, 1991) was an American singer and actor best known for his role as Festus Haggen on the CBS western television series Gunsmoke. He once said he patterned "Festus" after a local character known as Cedar Jack, who lived about 40 miles out in the cedar hills and made a living cutting cedar fence posts for farmers and ranchers. In addition to his television roles, Curtis acted with John Wayne in some of Hollywood’s classic films, including ″The Searchers″ and ″The Quiet Man.″. Grew up in Las Animas, CO, where his father, Dan Gates, was sheriff. He served in the United States Army during World War II between 1943 and 1945 and then decided to study medicine, especially cardiology. Radio's Matt Dillon played the title role in three television series. Dan Winrow Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He also starred in "Gentle Ben," from 1967 to 1969, playing … A look into the life and career of Dennis Weaver (Chester) and Ken Curtis (Festus) and the iconic roles they played on Gunsmoke! He then joined the group Sons of the Pioneers, of which celebrity Roy Rogers was a member. FRESNO, Calif. (AP) _ Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who starred as Marshal Matt Dillon’s sidekick on the long-running television western ″Gunsmoke,″ has died at age 74. The listing includes regular cast members, guest stars, and recurring cast members. After the show was cancelled, Conrad said ``Cannon was crap. Keeping this in view, who was the first deputy on Gunsmoke? They would probably be even more surprised to learn that he began his show business career as a singer in the big-band era, and was a vocalist in the legendary Tommy Dorsey orchestra. Publicity Listings Name one of them. 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