Chester Goode
| Dennis Weaver | |
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Weaver in 1960
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| President of the Screen Actors Guild | |
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In office 1973–1975 |
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| Preceded by | John Gavin |
| Succeeded by | Kathleen Nolan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 4, 1924 Joplin, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | February 24, 2006 (aged 81) Ridgway, Colorado, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | Gerry Stowell (m. 1945; his death 2006) |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Actor |
William Dennis Weaver (June 4, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American actor best known for his work in television and films from the early 1950s to not long before his death in 2006. Weaver's two most notable roles were as Marshal Matt Dillon's trusty partner Chester Goode on the CBS western Gunsmoke and as Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud. He appeared in the 1971 television film Duel, the first film of director Steven Spielberg. He is also remembered for his role as the twitchy motel attendant in Orson Welles' film Touch of Evil (1958).
Weaver was born June 4, 1924, in Joplin, Missouri, the son of Walter Leon Weaver and his wife Lenna Leora Prather. His father was of English, Irish, Scottish, Cherokee, and Osage ancestry. Weaver wanted to be an actor from childhood. He lived in Shreveport, Louisiana, for several years and for a short time in Manteca, California. He studied at Joplin Junior College, now Missouri Southern State University, then transferred to the University of Oklahoma at Norman, where he studied drama and was a track star, setting records in several events. During World War II he served as a pilot in the United States Navy, flying Vought F4U Corsair fighter aircraft. After the war, he married Gerry Stowell, with whom he had three children. Under the name Billy D. Weaver, he tried out for the 1948 U.S. Olympic team in the decathlon, finishing sixth behind 17-year-old high school track star Bob Mathias. However, only the top three finishers were selected. Weaver later commented, "I did so poorly [in the Olympic Trials], I decided to ... stay in New York and try acting."
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