When Ken Curtis was bumped up to the sidekick role of Festus on the hit series Gunsmoke there was one physical trait he had to maintain.

Unlike many Westerns of its time, Gunsmoke thrived on character-driven ... He passed away on Feb. 24, 2006, at the age of 81. Ken Curtis portrayed the colorful and humorous deputy Festus Haggen from ...

After Gunsmoke, he starred in the television series McCloud and appeared in various films. Weaver was also active in environmental and humanitarian causes. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of ...

Ken Curtis portrayed the colorful and humorous deputy Festus Haggen from 1964 to 1975. Born in 1916 in Colorado, Curtis had a background in music and was a member of the Sons of the Pioneers.