Mar 31, 2020 · Despite being a main staple when the CBS show debuted in 1955, viewers will notice that Chester is absent from the drama’s later seasons. Here’s why he left midway through the program’s 20-year run.

Jul 8, 2020 · The show's comic-relief character, Chester, was actually one of the first to be cast in the show, coming even before Matt Dillon was cast. Actor Dennis Weaver has shared the story of his casting, telling how he managed to make the casting directors laugh …

Mar 19, 2022 · Dennis Weaver stepped away from his role as Chester on "Gunsmoke" almost midway through the show's 20-season run. Why did he really leave the beloved Western?

Weaver's two most famous roles were as Marshal Matt Dillon's deputy Chester Goode on the western Gunsmoke and as Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud on the police drama McCloud. He starred in the 1971 television film Duel, the first film of director Steven Spielberg.

In the early days of Gunsmoke, Chester Goode won over audiences everywhere with his kind nature, sweet serenades, love of coffee, and comic relief. As one of the most adored characters on the show, the actor who brought him to life, Dennis Weaver, even won a Supporting Actor Emmy for the role.

The role of Chester Goode was played by Parley Baer on radio, and then by Dennis Weaver on television. Chester's character had no surname until Baer ad libbed "Proudfoot" during an early rehearsal. Initial Gunsmoke scripts gave him no name …

Chester, portrayed by Dennis Weaver, was a beloved and iconic character on the long-running Western television series, “Gunsmoke.” Weaver’s portrayal of Chester as Marshal Dillon’s loyal sidekick endeared him to audiences and made him a household name.

Jul 21, 2023 · Answer: Chester’s character on Gunsmoke had an exaggerated limp due to an injury sustained from gunfire during the Civil War that resulted in him possessing one leg with which it appeared more limp-like than normal.

Jan 15, 2025 · He was one of the main characters on Gunsmoke, which aired from 1955 to 1975. Played by Dennis Weaver, Chester was Marshal Matt Dillon’s loyal sidekick and often provided comic relief with his witty one-liners and bumbling mishaps.

Chester Goode, the beloved sidekick on “Gunsmoke,” came to life as a character marked by his distinct limp and the richness he added to the classic Western’s tapestry. His portrayal was pivotal in shaping perceptions of physical impairment on American television.