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. Many know that ken curtis, who played festus, was a singer. Gunsmoke 19551975 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. The supporting characters included miss kitty russell amanda blake. In the fall of 1961, gunsmoke stretched out into an hourlong drama. Out of the 635 episodes that gunsmoke produced,the series premiered on september 10,1955 with the episode matt gets it. His next appearance was season 9, episode 2, october 5, 1963 as. After chester leaves, matt begins occasionally deputizing festus and leaving him to watch over things when the marshal has to be out of town this asneeded situation is first described in the season ten episode deputy festus. Grat runs rampant in dodge while matt recovers, but is unpleasantly surprised when the recovered marshal challenges him again.
But on gunsmoke, his character was no sophisticate. The first episode aired in the united states on september 10, 1955, and the final episode aired on march 31, 1975. On their way out of town, some cousins of festus come across a badly injured man whom they assume is dead. May 01, 1991 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. The central character is lawman marshal matt dillon, played by william conrad on radio and james arness on television. Played by ken curtis, he first appeared in 1962 and was showcased fulltime from 1964 until 1975. Cousin mayblossom arrives in town and announces that festus must marry heras part of a pact their fathers once made.
With james arness, milburn stone, ken curtis, buck taylor. The last episode of gunsmoke was not designed to be a series finale. Feb 17, 2014 funny festus moment gunsmoke festus shows off his great accounting skills duration. In an early episode of gunsmoke, doc shot a man in cold blood who refused to let docs buggy through to see a sick person. Though innocent, festus leaves town to avoid matt having to arrest him, and takes refuge across the border with a widow and her son.
With james arness, dennis weaver, milburn stone, amanda blake. Festus s ornery aunt arrives, squats on a piece of land, sets up a still, and comes to the rescue of a pair of starcrossed lovers. His first starring television role was the big valley 19651969. He came to dodge city in an episode titled us haggens to avenge the death of his twin brother, fergus. 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.
From september 10, 1955 until june 17, 1961 there were 233 halfhour black and white episodes. Gunsmoke is an american radio and television western drama series created by director norman macdonnell and writer john meston. Marshal of dodge city, kansas, who works to preserve law and order in the western frontier of the 1870s. Blake subsequently quit the popular television show, which was then in its 19th season. Gunsmoke 19551975 ken curtis first appearance as festus. Although he appeared on gunsmoke earlier in other roles, he was first cast as festus in season 8 episode, december 8, 1962 us haggens. With james arness, milburn stone, ken curtis, denver pyle. Ken curtis, actor, 74, festus on gunsmoke the new york. The first time festus haggen is introduced to the gunsmoke family is a date that you want to remember. Marshal matt dillon james arness presides over dodge city, a wild west town that sees more than its fair share of frontier lawlessness. Decades after gunsmoke left the air, opinion still divided. Gunsmoke 1959 episode 427 chester meets the soontobe festus by thordan.
No in the first few gunsmoke episodes, festus did not speak with his later famous drawl. With james arness, milburn stone, ken curtis, jeanette nolan. Prior to that, ken curtis had played other characters in previous episodes, and even played a different character in the season 9 opener before festus was brought back as a permanent character. Considering gunsmoke was on the air for two decades, the history of the western is in many ways the early history of television. Raleigh wendt and nate guthrie are loading cattle carcasses onto a wagon. Ken curtis, actor, 74, festus on gunsmoke the new york times. Match the following similes and metaphors given birth from the mind of a haggen. In 64, curtis festus haggen character debuted during the eighth season of gunsmoke. For season twelve, the western leaped into the world of color. To avenge the death of his twin brother fergus, savvy plainsman festus haggen forms an initially uneasy alliance with matt to track down his murderous uncle black jack haggen. On september 30,1961 the show expanded to a hour long format that produced 176 episodes in black and white until may 7,1966.
The character of festus haggen debuted in us haggens 8 dec. When festus first showed up we were given the impression that the haggen. Blakes character was miss kathleen kitty russell, the proprietor of a saloon in dodge city, the setting for gunsmoke. In matts absence, festus is accused of drawing first on a drunken man. Ken curtis made his first appearance as festus haggen on gunsmoke december 8th 1962 in the episode us haggens. Gunsmoke matt dillon takes on mexican bandidos the jackals 1967.
Matt is critically wounded while attempting to arrest superfast gunman dan grat. Curtis first transitioned to the small screen in a 196163 television series about parachuting, ripcord. After chester leaves, matt begins occasionally deputizing festus and leaving him to watch over things when the marshal has to be out of town this asneeded. Like the radio version, the television series centred on the character of matt dillon played by james arness, a u. Asked in movies, tv programming and commercials, the twilight saga, gunsmoke tv and radio show. But a group of hillbillies has other plans for the traveling pair. Subsequent scripts by crutchfield, such as once a haggen, and festus related episodes by other writers provided a foundation on which curtis further developed the appearance, mannerisms, and personality of the character.
Watch episodes of the gunsmoke western tv series shows. In another episode, festus murders a man who raped his cousin. The character was created by writer john meston, who envisioned him as a man. Even wikipedia, supposedly a neutral source, calls festus a stubbornly. Festus, of all characters, initially showed up in a single episode of season 8, out. His first television role was a 1965 episode of gunsmoke titled, song for dying. Jul 15, 2012 after chester leaves, matt begins occasionally deputizing festus and leaving him to watch over things when the marshal has to be out of town this asneeded situation is first described in the season ten episode deputy festus. In this enjoyable episode, festus is the center of attention when his three firtrapper cousins come into. In yet another episode, a kindly ranch woman stabs the sickly man who killed her husband. Scene stealer ken curtis came on the cast of gunsmoke as festus haggen in season 8 episode, us haggens. A tv series doesnt get a more auspicious launch than did gunsmoke, the first episode of which, broadcast on sept.
Festus returns to dodge from wolfing and is hired by the cattlemans association to hunt down the wolves killing everyones cattle. Jun 21, 2011 a tv series doesnt get a more auspicious launch than did gunsmoke, the first episode of which, broadcast on sept. Festus haggen facts, bio, family, life, updates 2020. The stories take place in and around dodge city, kansas, during the settlement of the american west.
Later, thad greenwood and then newly obrien also serve as parttime deputies. On their way out of town, some cousins of festus come across a badly injured man whom they assume is dead, so they flee, pursued by festus, who believes his cousins attacked the man. Gunsmoke is an american western television series developed by charles marquis. Watch gunsmoke season 9, episode 16 prairie wolfer. For its first six seasons, from 1955 to 1961, the show ran as a half hour in black and white. 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. Feb 03, 20 ken curtis made his first appearance as festus haggen on gunsmoke december 8th 1962 in the episode us haggens. Watch gunsmoke episodes online season 20 1975 tv guide. When rustling, gunfights or brawling disrupt the peace, its up to dillon to restore law and order. Festus haggen deputy us marshal gunsmoke by cbs chicago artist. Festus, of all characters, initially showed up in a single episode of season 8, out to kill an uncle who had shot festus twin brother.
To avenge the death of his twin brother fergus, savvy plainsman festus haggen forms an initially uneasy alliance with matt to track down his. Festus first appears during the eighth season of gunsmoke in the episode us haggens, which aired on december 8, 1962. For its first six seasons, from 1955 to 1961, the show ran as a half hour in. This episode marks the debut of festus, who enlists dillon to help. Gunsmoke star ken curtis had a prior career in country music.
Gunsmoke 1959 episode 427 chester meets the soontobe festus. However after viewing the entire show i was less than. Festus haggen was marshal matt dillons only official deputy on the cbs television series gunsmoke. Amanda blakes last episode on gunsmoke was the disciple, which originally aired on april 1, 1974. Asked in movies, tv programming and commercials, the twilight saga. A naive missionary woman teacher gets help from festus in order to get to her rural job. The episode, the sharecroppers, aired in 1975 and revolved around deputy festus haggen, who accidentally. What episode of gunsmoke did festus first appear answers. In 1962, burt reynolds was added to the shows lineup, as the halfbreed blacksmith quint asper and elipsed the span during characters chester goode and festus haggen. When festus accidentally shoots a man in the leg, he takes the man back to his farm only to be used by members of the family.
A case of mistaken identity is no laughing matter for festus when a u. Gunsmoke festus was first openly gay character on tv youtube. What he finds is that whats been doing the preying may wind him up in prison if he doesnt get matts help. Gunsmoke western tv show page fourteen westerns tv. On his first appearance on gunsmoke, was ken curtis billed in the credits as one of the regulars along with doc and kitty. Back to westerns tv main menu in 1962, burt reynolds was added to the shows lineup, as the halfbreed blacksmith quint asper and elipsed the span during characters chester goode and festus haggen. Ken curtis festus hagen en milburn stone doc adams tijdens het televisieprogramma gunsmoke. Jun 01, 2018 based on the legendary series gunsmoke. With james arness, milburn stone, amanda blake, ken curtis. While festus stands trial, matt investigates to clear his friends name. Join sign up keep track of your favorite shows and movies, across all your devices. Tvguide has every full episode so you can stayuptodate and watch your favorite show gunsmoke anytime, anywhere.
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