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Dennis Weaver

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Dennis Weaver
Weaver in 1960
Born
William Dennis Weaver

(1924-06-04)June 4, 1924
Joplin, Missouri,U.S.
DiedFebruary 24, 2006(2006-02-24)(aged 81)
Ridgway, Colorado,U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1950–2006
Spouse
Gerry Stowell
​
(m.1945)​
Children3
18th President of theScreen Actors Guild
In office
1973–1975
Preceded byJohn Gavin
Succeeded byKathleen Nolan

William Dennis Weaver[1](June 4, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American actor and president of theScreen Actors Guild,best known for his work in television and films from the early 1950s until just before his death in 2006. Weaver's two most famous roles were as MarshalMatt Dillon's trusty deputy Chester Goode/Proudfoot on the westernGunsmokeand as Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud on the police dramaMcCloud.He starred in the 1971 television filmDuel,the first film of directorSteven Spielberg.He is also remembered for his role as the twitchy motel attendant inOrson Welles's filmTouch of Evil(1958).

Early life

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Weaver was born June 4, 1924, inJoplin, Missouri,the son of Walter Leon "Doc" Weaver and his wife Lenna Leora (néePrather). Weaver wanted to be an actor from childhood. He lived inShreveport, Louisiana,for several years and for a short time inManteca, California.He studied atJoplin Junior College,then transferred to theUniversity of OklahomaatNorman,where he studieddramaand was atrackstar, setting records in several events. DuringWorld War II,he served as apilotin theUnited States Navy,flyingGrumman F4F Wildcatfighter aircraft.[2]After the war, he married Gerry Stowell (his childhood sweetheart), with whom he had three children. Under the name Billy D. Weaver, he tried out for the 1948 U.S.Olympicteam in thedecathlon,[3]finishing sixth behind 17-year-old high school track starBob Mathias.However, only the top three finishers were selected.[4]Weaver later commented, "I did so poorly [in the Olympic Trials], I decided to... stay in New York and try acting."[3]

Career

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Weaver's first role onBroadwaycame as anunderstudytoLonny Chapmanas Turk Fisher inCome Back, Little Sheba.He eventually took over the role from Chapman in the national touring company. Solidifying his choice to become an actor, Weaver enrolled in theActors Studio,[5]where he metShelley Winters.In the beginning of his acting career, he supported his family by doing odd jobs, including sellingvacuum cleaners,tricycles,and women'shosiery.

Weaver as Chester,Milburn Stoneas Doc, andAmanda Blakeas Kitty inGunsmoke,1960
Weaver andMariette Hartleyon the set ofGunsmoke,1962

In 1952,Shelley Wintershelped him get a contract fromUniversal Studios.He made his film debut that same year in the movieThe Redhead from Wyoming.Over the next three years, he played in a series of movies, but still had to work odd jobs to support his family. In 1955 he appeared in an episode ofThe Lone Ranger"The Tell Tale Bullet", which is viewable on YouTube. While delivering flowers, he heard he had landed the role of Chester Goode, the limping, loyal assistant of Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) on the newtelevision seriesGunsmoke.It was his big break; the show went on to become the highest-rated and longest-running live action series in United States television history (1955 to 1975). He received anEmmy Awardin 1959 forBest Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series.

According to theArchive of American Televisioninterview with Weaver, the producer had him in mind for Chester, but could not locate him, and was delighted when he showed up to audition. Never having heard the radio show, Weaver gave Chester's "inane" dialog his best"method"delivery. Disappointed in his delivery, however, the producer asked for something humorous, and Weaver nailed it. The stiff leg came about when the producer pointed out thatsidekicksalmost always have some failing or weakness that makes them less capable than the star. Weaver decided that a stiff leg would be just the right thing.[6]

In 1957, Weaver appeared as Commander B.D. Clagett in a single episode of the television seriesThe Silent Servicetitled "Two Davids and Goliath". Having become famous as Chester, he was next cast in an offbeat supporting role in the 1958Orson WellesfilmTouch of Evil,[7]in which he played a face-twisting, body-contorting eccentric employee of a remote motel who nervously repeated, "I'm the night man." In 1960, he appeared in an episode ofAlfred Hitchcock Presentstitled "Insomnia", in which his character suffers fromsleeplessnessowing to the tragic death of his wife. He also co-starred in a 1961 episode ofThe Twilight Zonetitled "Shadow Play".In that episode, Weaver's character is trapped inside his own revolving nightmare, repeatedly being tried, sentenced, and then executed in theelectric chair.[8]In 1964 Weaver left Gunsmoke to star as a friendlyveterinary physicianraising an adopted Chinese boy as a single father in NBC's one seasoncomedy dramaKentucky Jones.He had a significant role in the 1966 westernDuel at Diablo,withJames GarnerandSidney Poitier.His next substantial role was as Tom Wedloe on theCBSfamily seriesGentle Ben,with co-starClint Howard,from 1967 to 1969. Decades earlier, as a student atOklahoma Universityin the mid-1940s, it was Weaver who had introduced Clint's parents,Rance HowardandJean Speegle Howard,to one another when the three of them were theater students at OU.[9]

In 1970, Weaver landed the title role in the NBC seriesMcCloud,for which he received two Emmy Award nominations. In 1974, he was nominated for Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series (McCloud) and in 1975, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. The show, about a modern Western lawman who ends up in New York City, was loosely based on theClint EastwoodfilmCoogan's Bluff.His frequent use of the affirmingSouthernism,"There you go," became acatchphrasefor the show. During the series, in 1971, Weaver also appeared inDuel,a television movie directed bySteven Spielberg.Spielberg selected Weaver based on the intensity of his earlier performance inTouch of Evil.[10]

Weaver was also a recording artist, with most of his tracks being spoken-word recordings with musical accompaniment. He released several singles and albums between 1959 and 1984, most notable of which was his eponymous Im'press Records LP in 1972, the cover of which featured a portrait of Weaver in character as McCloud; it was the first of seven albums he recorded.[citation needed]

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

His later series during the 1980s (both of which lasted only one season) wereStonein which Weaver played aJoseph Wambaugh-esque police sergeant turned crime novelist andBuck Jamesin which he played a Texas-basedsurgeonandrancher.(Buck Jameswas loosely based on real-life Texas doctorJames "Red" Duke.) He portrayed a Navyrear admiralfor 22 episodes of a 1983–1984 series,Emerald Point N.A.S.

In 1977, he portrayed a husband who physically abuses his wife (portrayed bySally Struthers) in the made-for-TV movieIntimate Strangers,one of the first network features to depict domestic violence. In 1978, Weaver played the trail boss R. J. Poteet in the televisionminiseriesCentennial,in the installment titled "The Longhorns". Weaver also appeared in many acclaimed television films, includingAmber Waves(1980) with Kurt Russell. Also in 1980, he portrayed Dr.Samuel Mudd,who was imprisoned for involvement in theLincolnassassination,inThe Ordeal of Dr. Muddand starred with his real-life son Robby Weaver in the short-livedNBCpolice seriesStone.[11]In 1983, he played areal estateagent addicted tococaineinCocaine: One Man's Seduction.Weaver received probably the best reviews of his career when he starred in the 1987 filmBluffing It,in which he played a man who isilliterate.In February 2002, he appeared on theanimated seriesThe Simpsons(episode DABF07, "The Lastest Gun in the West") as the voice of agingHollywoodcowboylegend Buck McCoy.[12]

For his contribution to the television industry, Dennis Weaver was given a star on theHollywood Walk of Fameat 6822 Hollywood Blvd, and on the Dodge City (KS) Trail of Fame. In 1981, he was inducted into theHall of Great Western Performerswith theBronze WranglerAward at theNational Cowboy & Western Heritage MuseuminOklahoma City, Oklahoma.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Weaver asMcCloudwas used to promote a rock show in New York City. He also hosted segments for theEncore Westernspremium cable network in the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s.

Weaver's last work was done on anABC Familycable television show calledWildfire,where he played Henry Ritter, the father of Jean Ritter and the co-owner of Raintree Ranch. His role on the show was cut short by his death.

Personal life

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Weaver in 2000

Weaver was reported to have been avegetarianfrom 1958 for ethical reasons; however, he did occasionally eat fish.[13][14]

Weaver married Gerry Stowell after World War II, and they had three sons: Richard, Robert, and Rustin Weaver.[15]Gerry died April 26, 2016, at 90.[citation needed]

Weaver's home inRidgway, Colorado,exemplified his commitment to preserving the environment. In the late 1980s, he commissioned architectMichael Reynoldsto design and build his new residence, which incorporated into its construction various recycled materials, such as old automobile tires and discarded cans, and featured passive solar power and other ecotechnologies. Weaver called his home Earthship, the same name given to thedesign conceptpioneered by Reynolds and advanced by him as part of what was then a growing interest in "sustainable architecture"by environmentalists. Weaver and his family lived at Earthship for over 14 years, until 2004.[16]

In July 2003, Weaver lost a daughter-in-law, Lynne Ann Weaver, wife of son Robby Weaver, in Santa Monica, California, when a car driven at high speed plowed through shoppers at theSanta Monica Farmers Market.She was one of 10 people killed in the incident.[17]

Weaver was a lifelong activeDemocrat.[18]

Activism

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Weaver was an environmentalist, who promoted the use of alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and wind power, through the Institute of Ecolonomics, a nonprofit environmental organization he established in 1993 inBerthoud, Colorado."Ecolonomics" is atermformed by combining the words ecology and economics.[19][20]He was also involved withJohn Denver's WindStar Foundation, and he founded an organization called L.I.F.E. (Love is Feeding Everyone), which provided food for 150,000 needy people a week in Los Angeles.[19]

Weaver was also active in liberal political causes. He used his celebrity statusas a fundraiser and organizerforGeorge McGovern'scampaign for President in 1972.[21]

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

Weaver was consistently involved with the annualGenesis Awards,which honor those in the news and entertainment media who bring attention to the plight and suffering of animals. Established by the Ark Trust, the award has been presented by theHumane Society of the United Statessince 2002.[22]

There will come a time... when civilized people will look back in horror on our generation and the ones that preceded it – the idea that we should eat other living things running around on four legs, that we should raise them just for the purpose of killing them! The people of the future will say "meat-eaters!" in disgust and regard us in the same way we regard cannibals and cannibalism — Dennis Weaver[23]

Death

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Weaver died from prostate cancer at his home inRidgway, Colorado,on February 24, 2006, at age 81.[15]

Filmography

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Theatre

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  • 1950:Come Back, Little Sheba– Performer[24]
  • 1951:Out West of Eighth– Virgil Lavendar[24]

References

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  1. ^"Dennis Weaver".The Independent.London. March 1, 2006.Archivedfrom the original on January 16, 2018.
  2. ^Kovalchik, Kara (11 November 2009)."6 Famous Veterans from TV".Mental Floss.Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2017.RetrievedJuly 4,2017.
  3. ^ab"Dennis Weaver, Olympic hopeful".www.gunsmokenet.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2010-09-27.
  4. ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2016-03-04.Retrieved2016-06-05.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^Garfield, David (1980). "Appendix: Life Members of The Actors Studio as of January 1980".A Player's Place: The Story of The Actors Studio.New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p.278.ISBN0-02-542650-8.
  6. ^Colman, Henry (24 September 2002)."Dennis Weaver – Archive Interview".Archive of American Television.Archivedfrom the original on 13 July 2014.Retrieved11 September2014.
  7. ^"Touch of Evil".www.gunsmokenet.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2010-09-27.
  8. ^Prejean, Jordan (2014)."Shadow Play",Archived2017-09-30 at theWayback MachineThe Twilight Zone,season 2, episode 26; originally broadcast May 5, 1961; a detailed review and commentary about episode, The Twilight Zone Vortex. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  9. ^Howard, Clint and Ron (2022).The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family.William Morrow Paperbacks. p. 148.ISBN978-0063065253.
  10. ^From the director's commentary onDuel:Special Edition DVD, 2005.
  11. ^The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present.Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 1133.ISBN0-345-45542-8.
  12. ^"Archived copy".Archivedfrom the original on 2010-06-05.Retrieved2010-05-26.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)"Buck McCoy," GunsmokeNet.com
  13. ^Berry, Rynn(1979). "Dennis Weaver".The Vegetarians.Brookline, MA: Autumn Press. p. 58.ISBN0-394-73633-8.
  14. ^"In Defense of Vegetarianism: Seven Years".nytimes.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  15. ^ab"Dennis Weaver, 81; Star of 'Gunsmoke,' 'McCloud' Also Was Environmental Activist".Los Angeles Times.28 February 2006.Archivedfrom the original on 8 July 2011.Retrieved13 October2014.
  16. ^Ryon, Ruth (2004). "Dennis Weaver selling Colorado 'Earthship' home,"SFGateArchived2017-04-01 at theWayback Machine(San Francisco, California). Republished real-estate news item from theLos Angeles Times,June 20, 2004, Los Angeles, California. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  17. ^"Infant Dies From Injuries Suffered in Farmers Market Crash".Fox News.2003-07-17.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-11-26.Retrieved2016-11-25.
  18. ^Mathews, Jay (28 May 1983)."Democrats Hope to Get $6 Million in Telethon".Archivedfrom the original on 25 August 2017 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  19. ^abc"A TV hero for real-life change: Dennis Weaver, actor, 1924–2006" inThe Sydney Morning Herald,March 29, 2006, p. 29
  20. ^"Institute of Ecolonomics".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-01-22.
  21. ^McGovern, George S.,Grassroots: The Autobiography of George McGovern,Random House, 1977, pp. 173, 247
  22. ^"Winners of the 2016 Genesis Awards,"Archived2017-04-01 at theWayback MachineHuman Society of the United States, Washington, DC. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  23. ^Berry, Rynn (1979).The Vegetarians.Autumn Press. p. 64.ISBN9780394736334.
  24. ^ab"Dennis Weaver".
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