The Dennis Weaver Story

A Kid from Missouri with Big City Dreams

Billy Dennis Weaver was born June 4, 1924, in Joplin, Missouri, to parents Walter and Lenna. He attended Joplin Junior College, where he competed in football, basketball, and track. He took a break from studies to serve during World War II as a Navy pilot. After the war, in 1945, he married his childhood sweetheart, Gerry Stowell, and returned to school to study drama at the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated with a degree in fine arts and theater.

But the stage wasn’t the only place where Weaver earned applause. He continued to compete in track during and was selected for the 1948 U.S. Olympic Trials in New York. He finished sixth in the decathlon and did not make the team.

"I did so poorly [in the Olympic Trials],” he said, “I decided to ... stay in New York and try acting.”

Life in the Big Apple

Weaver was accepted into the prestigious Actors Studio Workshop, which he called "an eye-opener.” He made his Broadway debut in 1951 as the understudy for the role of Turk Fisher in Come Back Little Sheba, starring Shirley Booth. Later, Weaver took over the role for the national tour.

While studying at the Actors Studio, Weaver met Shelly Winters, who was under contract to Universal-International Studios. Winters was impressed by one of his performances in New York and, in 1952, she helped him attain a contract with Universal.

Bye-Bye Broadway…Hello Hollywood

Shortly after signing with Universal, and with just a few small Western movie roles on his resume, including Horizons West (1952) with Rock Hudson and James Arness, Weaver appeared in what is considered his first major film, The Redhead from Wyoming, with the formidable Maureen O’Hara, followed by Column South (1953) with Audie Murphy and War Arrow (1953) again with O’Hara.

In April 1953, Gerry gave birth to the couple’s second son, Robert. Though he was having success in small movie roles, Weaver still had to take odd jobs to make ends meet. Luckily, the opportunity of a lifetime was right around the corner—but it almost didn’t happen.

Gunsmoke (1955-1964)

Weaver was between agents, and he happened to bump into a friend who told him about auditions for a new Western TV show. Turned out Weaver knew the producer, and they were eager to hear him read for the part of Chester. But his audition was a dud. He misinterpreted the character, playing him straightforward, whereas the director wanted comedy. Weaver asked for a second chance and read with an accent he’d heard at college in Oklahoma. The famous Chester drawl was born. But there was one more obstacle. Weaver was too athletic for a sidekick. So, Weaver gave Chester a limp.

He was working for a florist when he learned he got the part in what would be a groundbreaking Western series called Gunsmoke.

“If I'd have known I would be doing that [limp] for nine years, I might have had a different thought about it,” Weaver joked in a 2002 Television Academy video interview.

Getting Out of Dodge 

Gunsmoke kicked Weaver’s career into high gear. He won an Emmy for the part in the 1958-1959 season. The show was a big hit, and fans couldn’t get enough of Chester. Yet Weaver chose to leave at the height of its popularity.

“I pretty much exhausted all creative possibilities with the character, and I just wanted to do something else,” Weaver said. He wanted to play a leading man.

His first role after Gunsmoke was in the series Kentucky Jones (1964-1965). It lasted one season. But things were looking up. He was in Duel at Diablo (1966) with James Garner and Sidney Poitier, and finally had a hit with the series Gentle Ben (1966-1969).

In 1970, Weaver had the second breakout role of his career with McCloud. Not only did he play a lead character that he called “the most satisfying role of my career,” but he also contributed to every aspect of the production process. The series ran for seven years.

After McCloud ended, Weaver kept busy, appearing in a variety of TV movies and mini-series, including Centennial (1978) with Richard Chamberlain, Mark Harmon, and other popular 1970s stars.

A Family Man

Weaver was a devoted vegetarian, avid environmentalist, and compassionate philanthropist. In 1982, he and Gerry founded L.I.F.E. (Love Is Feeding Everyone) to help feed people in need in Los Angeles.

Dennis and Gerry Weaver were married for 61 years and had three sons. Dennis died at his home in Ridgeway, Colorado, on Feb. 24, 2006. He was 81. Gerry died April 26, 2016, at age 90.