Gunsmoke Star Dennis Weaver Was In Steven Spielberg s First Movie
While we re huge fans of Marshal Matt Dillon,
Gunsmoke wouldn t have been the same without Dillon s trusty partner, Deputy Chester Goode. Dennis Weaver brought the character to life, proving that he had a knack for playing men of the law in Hollywood. Also well known for playing a cowboy in the Big Apple in
McCloud, he was one of TV s greats who was even instrumental in helping launch the career of legendary director Steven Spielberg.
Weaver was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1924. He grew up with a knack for sports, proving himself to be a football star at Joplin High School before he joined the track team at the University of Oklahoma. He even nearly qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team in 1948. Like most men at the time, Weaver served in the military during World War II as a pilot in the United States Navy. After not making the Olympic trials for the decathlon with OU, Weaver married his childhood sweetheart Ger