Why did Chester leave Gunsmoke? Dennis Weaver quit for an Oscar nod
Dennis Weaver, who played Chester Goode on Gunsmoke, left the show in 1964 after nine seasons because he wanted to explore other acting opportunities. He felt it was time to grow as an actor and take on new roles beyond Chester.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Chester Goode, played by Dennis Weaver, starred in over 290 episodes of Gunsmoke before calling it quits in 1964.
- He left the show because he wanted to try new roles and avoid being typecast as the friendly deputy.
- His role was replaced by Festus Haggen, and later played by Ken Curtis, in the following season.
- After leaving the show, Dennis Weaver went on to star in Gentle Ben and later in the hit series McCloud, which earned him Emmy nominations.
Why did Dennis Weaver leave Gunsmoke?
Chester Goode, played by Dennis Weaver, left Gunsmoke after nine seasons because he wanted to expand his acting career instead of playing the same character for too long. He had grown tired of being a secondary character and feared being typecast.
The actor had ambitions of playing leading roles and was also becoming weary of performing Chester’s distinctive limp, a trait he had created during his audition to make the character stand out.
Source: Getty Images
What did Dennis Weaver say about his exit from Gunsmoke?
Dennis Weaver was one of the most beloved stars of the classic Western series Gunsmoke. He played Chester from 1955 to 1964 and won an Emmy Award in 1959 for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Series. In a 1987 Toronto Star interview, Weaver revealed why he left Gunsmoke. According to the Los Angeles Times, he stated:
The reason I got away from Gunsmoke was that I wanted to leave the second banana role. It was a very important — and frightening — step for me career-wise. I was a little naive. Gunsmoke was the only series that I had done up to that point, and I thought, well, I'd just get another series and I'd get a successful one. But that's not the way things happened.
In a 2002 interview with the Television Academy Foundation, when asked why he quit Gunsmoke, Weaver explained:
I'd pretty much exhausted all creative possibilities with the character, and I just wanted to do something else. I'd got into business to play a leading man and have more say-so about whether the show's a success or not. I just felt it was time to move on. I know it was very risky doing that because a lot of actors who did the same thing really disappeared.
Source: Getty Images
Weaver’s career took off after leaving Gunsmoke
After Dennis Weaver left Gunsmoke, his acting career grew even stronger. He went on to star in the popular TV series Kentucky Jones and in the family series Gentle Ben, where he played a loving father.
Weaver later gained huge success with McCloud (1970–1977), where he played a cowboy-style detective in New York City. The role earned him an Emmy Award and made him a household name. The actor also appeared in several best movies, including Steven Spielberg’s Duel (1971), which became a cult classic.
Dennis Weaver from Gunsmoke died of prostate cancer at his home in Ridgway, Colorado, on 24 February 2006, at age 81.
Source: Getty Images
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Chester on Gunsmoke?
Chester Goode was written off Gunsmoke because actor Dennis Weaver left to pursue other acting opportunities and avoid being typecast.
Did Chester die on Gunsmoke?
Chester did not die on Gunsmoke. The show never explained his departure. He simply stopped appearing after Dennis Weaver left the television series.
Why did Chester limp on Gunsmoke?
Chester from Gunsmoke's limp was a character choice made by Dennis Weaver. He added it to make Chester more memorable and unique, even though there was no written reason for the limp in the script.
How many seasons was Chester on Gunsmoke?
Chester appeared in the first nine seasons of Gunsmoke, from 1955 to 1964.
What was Chester's last episode on Gunsmoke?
Chester’s final appearance was in the episode Bently, which aired during the ninth season in 1964.
Source: Getty Images
Did James Arness get along with Dennis Weaver?
James Arness and Dennis Weaver got along well. They respected each other as actors and remained friends even after Weaver left the television series.
Why did they replace Chester with Festus on Gunsmoke?
Festus Haggen, played by Ken Curtis, replaced Chester after Weaver left. The show needed a new deputy character, and Festus brought a different kind of humour and personality to the role.
Why did Miss Kitty quit Gunsmoke?
Actress Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty, left the show in 1974 after 19 years. She reportedly wanted to focus on other interests and step away from the long-running series.
Conclusion
Chester left Gunsmoke because the actor who played him, Dennis Weaver, decided to move on after nine seasons. Weaver wanted to try new roles and avoid being typecast as the friendly deputy. His choice paid off, as he went on to have a successful career in other TV shows like McCloud and Gentle Ben.
READ MORE: How did Erin die on Blue Bloods season 14? Finale breakdown
Briefly.co.za highlighted Erin Reagan's fate in the Blue Bloods series finale. The long-running ABC series ended in December 2024 after 14 seasons since premiering in 2010.
The Reagan family got to work together on the last case and had a final dinner. The jam-packed finale had one tragedy and several happy endings for the Reagans.
Source: Briefly News
