Dennis Weaver, the deputy Chester Goode in the TV classic western "Gunsmoke" and the canny New Mexico deputy solving New York City crime in "McCloud," has died at age 81.
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Weaver died of cancer Friday at his home in Ridgway, in southwestern Colorado, his publicist, Julian Myers, revealed Monday.
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Burt Reynolds, who played alongside Weaver in "Gunsmoke," said, "He was a wonderful man and a fine actor, and we will all miss him."
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Weaver in the beginning was a struggling actor earning $60 a week as a flower delivery man. At that time he was offered the role in a new CBS series called “Gunsmoke.” He played the role of the stiff-legged Chester for nine years. In 1958-59 he won an Emmy for the role.
Some of you may remember that for a couple of seasons he played alongside the big black bear in “Gentle Ben.” He actually did very well in it but the powers at CBS decided to cancel it anyway.
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But Weaver’s favorite role was that of Sam McCloud in the “McCloud” series. He called it”the most satisfying role of my career.” I personally remember him always running around the streets of
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He also actively served as president of Love Is Feeding Everyone, which fed 150,000 needy people a week in
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