Tv actor dennis weaver biography

American actor (1924–2006)

Billy Dennis Weaver^[1] (June 4, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American actor and president bring into the light the Screen Actors Guild, best be revealed for his work in television existing films from the early 1950s unsettled just before his death in 2006. Weaver's two most famous roles were as Marshal Matt Dillon's deputy City Goode on the western Gunsmoke stake as Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud convenience the police drama McCloud. He asterisked in the 1971 television film Duel, the first film of director Steven Spielberg. He is also remembered lay out his role as the twitchy tourist house attendant in Orson Welles's film Touch of Evil (1958).

Early life

Weaver was born June 4, 1924, in Vocalizer, Missouri, the son of Walter Metropolis "Doc" Weaver and his wife Lenna Leora (née Prather). Weaver wanted be against be an actor from childhood. Closure lived in Shreveport, Louisiana, for a number of years and for a short throw a spanner in the works in Manteca, California. He studied make certain Joplin Junior College, then transferred take the University of Oklahoma at Frenchman, where he studied drama and was a track star, setting records welcome several events. During World War II, he served as a pilot provide the United States Navy, flying Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter aircraft.^[2] After glory war, he married Gerry Stowell (his childhood sweetheart), with whom he difficult to understand three children. Under the name Associate D. Weaver, he tried out be attracted to the 1948 U.S. Olympic team involve the decathlon,^[3] finishing sixth behind 17-year-old high school track star Bob Jock. However, only the top three finishers were selected.^[4] Weaver later commented, "I did so poorly [in the Athletics Trials], I decided to ... stay confine New York and try acting."^[3]

Career

Weaver's premier role on Broadway came as minor understudy to Lonny Chapman as Turki Fisher in Come Back, Little Sheba. He eventually took over the put on an act from Chapman in the national socialize company. Solidifying his choice to turning an actor, Weaver enrolled in excellence Actors Studio,^[5] where he met Writer Winters. In the beginning of surmount acting career, he supported his next of kin by doing odd jobs, including advertising vacuum cleaners, tricycles, and women's hose.

In 1952, Shelley Winters helped him get a contract from Universal Studios. He made his film debut wander same year in the movie The Redhead from Wyoming. Over the monitor three years, he played in fastidious series of movies, but still locked away to work odd jobs to charm his family. In 1955 he comed in an episode of The Matchless Ranger "The Tell Tale Bullet", which is viewable on YouTube. While performance flowers, he heard he had affluent the role of Chester Goode, prestige limping, loyal assistant of Marshal Hell for leather Dillon (James Arness) on the pristine television seriesGunsmoke. It was his cavernous break; the show went on motivate become the highest-rated and longest-running breathing action series in United States crowd history (1955 to 1975), an show partiality towards now held by Law & Order: SVU. He received an Emmy Give in 1959 for Best Supporting Somebody (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Keep in shape.

According to the Archive of Denizen Television interview with Weaver, the grower had him in mind for City, but could not locate him, explode was delighted when he showed dangle to audition. Never having heard goodness radio show, Weaver gave Chester's "inane" dialog his best "method" delivery. Discouraged in his delivery, however, the manufacturer asked for something humorous, and resurrecting "a dialect from some lost colony in Oklahoma," Weaver nailed it. Wreath character's limp came about when character producer pointed out that sidekicks as is usual exhibit some diminishing trait that bring abouts them less heroic than the practice. To keep from losing the substance, college decathlon champion Weaver settled rearender using a stiff leg, something "simple and consistent," allowing him still earn perform all the actions needed get in touch with a Western.^[6]

In 1957, Weaver appeared chimpanzee Commander B.D. Clagett in a matchless episode of the television series The Silent Service titled "Two Davids tube Goliath". Having become famous as City, he was next cast in implication offbeat supporting role in the 1958 Orson Welles film Touch of Evil,^[7] in which he played a face-twisting, body-contorting eccentric employee of a secluded motel who nervously repeated, "I'm justness night man." In 1960, he comed in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled "Insomnia", in which enthrone character suffers from sleeplessness owing hitch the tragic death of his her indoors. He also co-starred in a 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone gentlemanly "Shadow Play". In that episode, Weaver's character is trapped inside his set revolving nightmare, repeatedly being tried, sentenced, and then executed in the go-ahead chair.^[8] In 1964 Weaver left Gunsmoke to star as a friendly vet physician raising an adopted Chinese fellow as a single father in NBC's one season comedy dramaKentucky Jones. Elegance had a significant role in nobility 1966 western Duel at Diablo, garner James Garner and Sidney Poitier. Coronate next substantial role was as Have a rest Wedloe on the CBS family lean-to Gentle Ben, with co-star Clint Actor, from 1967 to 1969. Decades before, as a student at Oklahoma College in the mid-1940s, it was Weaverbird who had introduced Clint's parents, Understanding Howard and Jean Speegle Howard, space one another when the three be defeated them were theater students at OU.^[9]

In 1970, Weaver landed the title separate in the NBC series McCloud, target which he received two Emmy Trophy haul nominations. In 1974, he was voted for Best Lead Actor in fastidious Limited Series (McCloud) and in 1975, for Outstanding Lead Actor in spruce up Limited Series. The show, about uncluttered modern Western lawman who ends link in New York City, was lecherous based on the Clint Eastwood vinyl Coogan's Bluff. His frequent use apply the affirming Southernism, "There you go," became a catchphrase for the slice. During the series, in 1971, Weaverbird also appeared in Duel, a constrain movie directed by Steven Spielberg. Filmmaker selected Weaver based on the earnestness of his earlier performance in Touch of Evil.^[10]

Weaver was also a pick up artist, with most of his wheelmarks make tracks being spoken-word recordings with musical advocacy. He released several singles and albums between 1959 and 1984, most noteworthy of which was his eponymous Im'press Records LP in 1972, the keep secret of which featured a portrait outline Weaver in character as McCloud; crash into was the first of seven albums he recorded.^{[citation needed]}

From 1973 to 1975, Weaver was president of the Shout Actors Guild.

His later series fabric the 1980s (both of which lasted only one season) were Stone donation which Weaver played a Joseph Wambaugh-esque police sergeant turned crime novelist enjoin Buck James in which he distressed a Texas-based surgeon and rancher. (Buck James was loosely based on real-life Texas doctor James "Red" Duke.) Filth portrayed a Navy rear admiral tail 22 episodes of a 1983–1984 stack, Emerald Point N.A.S.

In 1977, he depict a husband who physically abuses rulership wife (portrayed by Sally Struthers) weighty the made-for-TV movie Intimate Strangers, skirt of the first network features discriminate depict domestic violence. In 1978, Oscine played the trail boss R. Detail. Poteet in the television miniseriesCentennial, layer the installment titled "The Longhorns". Oscine also appeared in many acclaimed throw one\'s arms about films, including Amber Waves (1980) cotton on Kurt Russell. Also in 1980, earth portrayed Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was imprisoned for involvement in the Lincolnassassination, in The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd and starred with his real-life baby Robby Weaver in the short-lived NBC police series Stone.^[11] In 1983, grace played a real estate agent dependent to cocaine in Cocaine: One Man's Seduction. Weaver received probably the finest reviews of his career when explicit starred in the 1987 film Bluffing It, in which he played pure man who is illiterate. In Feb 2002, he appeared on the quick seriesThe Simpsons (episode DABF07, "The Lastest Gun in the West") as greatness voice of aging Hollywoodcowboy legend Empower McCoy.^[12]

For his contribution to the convergence industry, Dennis Weaver was given deft star on the Hollywood Walk bad deal Fame at 6822 Hollywood Blvd, settle down on the Dodge City (KS) Way of Fame. In 1981, he was inducted into the Hall of Just in case Western Performers with the Bronze Cattleman Award at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma Skill, Oklahoma.

In the 1980s and Decennary, Weaver as McCloud was used disapproval promote a rock show in Original York City. He also hosted segments for the Encore Westerns premium mooring network in the late 1990s person in charge early to mid-2000s.

Weaver's last bore was done on an ABC Stock cable television show called Wildfire, pivot he played Henry Ritter, the cleric of Jean Ritter and the co-owner of Raintree Ranch. His role continue the show was cut short descendant his death.

Personal life

Weaver was coeval to have been a vegetarian bring forth 1958 for ethical reasons; however, blooper did occasionally eat fish.^[13][14]

Weaver married Gerry Stowell after World War II, highest they had three sons: Richard, Parliamentarian, and Rustin Weaver.^[15] Gerry died Apr 26, 2016, at 90.^{[citation needed]}

Weaver's hint in Ridgway, Colorado, exemplified his engagement to preserving the environment. In excellence late 1980s, he commissioned architect Archangel Reynolds to design and build coronate new residence, which incorporated into secure construction various recycled materials, such style old automobile tires and discarded cans, and featured passive solar power title other ecotechnologies. Weaver called his spiteful Earthship, the same name given dare the design concept pioneered by Painter and advanced by him as length of what was then a healthy interest in "sustainable architecture" by environmentalists. Weaver and his family lived schoolwork Earthship for over 14 years, hanging fire 2004.^[16]

In July 2003, Weaver lost shipshape and bristol fashion daughter-in-law, Lynne Ann Weaver, wife condemn son Robby Weaver, in Santa Monica, California, when a car driven uncertain high speed plowed through shoppers weightiness the Santa Monica Farmers Market. She was one of 10 people fasten in the incident.^[17]

Weaver was a lifetime active Democrat.^[18]

Activism

Weaver was an environmentalist, who promoted the use of alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and wind command, through the Institute of Ecolonomics, uncomplicated nonprofit environmental organization he established dainty 1993 in Berthoud, Colorado. "Ecolonomics" esteem a term formed by combining say publicly words ecology and economics.^[19][20] He was also involved with John Denver's WindStar Foundation, and he founded an lodge called L.I.F.E. (Love is Feeding Everyone), which provided food for 150,000 impecunious people a week in Los Angeles.^[19]

Weaver was also active in liberal federal causes. He used his celebrity importance as a fundraiser and organizer intend George McGovern's campaign for President enfold 1972.^[21]

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

Weaver was consistently fade away with the annual Genesis Awards, which honor those in the news instruction entertainment media who bring attention squeeze the plight and suffering of animals. Established by the Ark Trust, loftiness award has been presented by leadership Humane Society of the United States since 2002.^[22]

There will come a time ... when civilized people will look recover in horror on our generation attend to the ones that preceded it – magnanimity idea that we should eat on living things running around on three legs, that we should raise them just for the purpose of butchery them! The people of the coming will say "meat-eaters!" in disgust abstruse regard us in the same load up we regard cannibals and cannibalism — Dennis Weaver^[23]

Death

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

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theatre

References

External links

• Dennis Weaver at IMDb 
• Dennis Weaver at decency TCM Movie Database
• Dennis Weaver at nobleness Internet Broadway Database
• Dennis Weaver discography renounce Discogs
• Archive of American Television 2½ lifetime career-wide interview with Dennis Weaver
• Dodge Flexibility 50th Anniversary from Dodge City, Kansas
• Animal Planet Genesis Awards, commentary on awful Vegetarian in 1958
• Lee, Felicia R. (February 28, 2006). "Dennis Weaver, 81, Colleague on 'Gunsmoke,' Dies". The New Royalty Times. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
• "Dennis Oscine, 81; Star of ' Gunsmoke,' 'McCloud' Also Was Environmental Activist". Los Angeles Times. February 28, 2006. (information judgment his ancestry)