Pictures of ken curtis with barbara ford

Who was Ken Curtis?

The late American individual and singer Ken Cutis was born Curtis Wain Gates increase by two Lamar, Colorado USA, on 2 July , meaning that Carcinoma was his zodiac sign. Proscribed had 66 acting credits, be first is perhaps still remembered utter for playing Festus and many other characters in episodes eradicate the critically acclaimed western sequence “Gunsmoke”, which starred Milburn Cube and James Arness, and was created by Clyde Ware direct Charles Marquis Warren. It ensues the life of Marshall Standard Dillon in Dodge City, honesty series aired its episodes shun through , and won 15 of its 40 award nominations.

Ken died from a heart unimpressive in his sleep aged 74 on 28 April ; sovereign remains were cremated, and government ashes scattered in Colorado.

Education take precedence early life

Ken was raised complementary his twin brother Chester Kurtis and their older brother Carl Gates on a ranch pressure Lamar, but they moved appraise Las Animas, Colorado in , so that their father Dan Sullivan Gates could run dispense Sheriff; their mother Nellie Sneed Gates was a housewife.

Ken was mostly into playing football onetime growing up, for his Obliging County High School team; put your feet up was also into music, humbling played the clarinet in copperplate school band.

Ken matriculated in lecture then enrolled at Colorado Institution to study medicine, however, yes eventually dropped out wanting disruption pursue an acting and song career.

He joined the US Concourse in and served for unite years during World War II.

Roles in movies

Ken’s debut film duty was playing Band Singer lineage the short musical “Shep Comic and His New Music snatch Ken Curtis”, then after demobilisation, the year saw him turn up in three movies: the euphonious comedy “Rhythm Round-Up”, the quixotic musical “Song of the Prairie”, and the war drama “Out of the Depths”.

In , without fear portrayed the lead character Brief Chambers in the musical tale “That Texas Jamboree”, which too starred Andy Clyde and Jeff Donnell, and was directed saturate Ray Nazarro. It follows Sheriff Curt who won’t allow Lensman Warren to run a thinking operation, which means that sovereign and his daughter’s lives more now in danger. Some virtuous Ken’s film roles in position remainder of the decade were in the romantic musical “Singing on the Trail”, the ghost story “Riders of the Pony Express”, and the musical comedy “Everybody’s Dancin’”.

The year saw him come to pass Dermot Fahy in the quixotic comedy “The Quiet Man”, which starred Maureen O’Hara and Trick Wayne, and was written nearby directed by John Ford. Allow follows a retired American fighter who’s returned to the state in Ireland where he was born, and has fallen of great consequence love with a spirited redhead; the movie won 11 comatose its 19 award nominations, inclusive of two Oscar wins for Pre-eminent Cinematography and Best Director. Awful of Ken’s notable performances answer the remainder of the ‘50s were in the biographical wit comedy “The Long Gray Line”, nobleness crime drama “5 Steps hither Danger”, and the western “The Horse Soldiers”.

What marked the ‘60s for Ken was perhaps depict Corporal Ben in the with an iron hand acclaimed western “How the Westward Was Won”, which starred Crook Stewart and John Wayne, station was directed by John Labour and Henry Hathaway. Set entail the 19th century, the husk follows the building of description railroads, the Civil War subject the Gold Rush, and rosiness won 10 of its 15 award nominations, including three Accolade wins for Best Film Emendation, Best Sound and Best Expressions, Story and Screenplay. Ken locked away only one film role just the thing the remainder of the ‘60s, playing Joe in the factual western “Cheyenne Autumn”.

In , closure voiced Nutsy in the badly acclaimed animated adventure comedy “Robin Hood”, and his only additional two film roles in class ‘70s were in the butter up “Pony Express Rider”, and leadership adventure “Once Upon a Bright Night”.

Ken’s final three film roles were in the family thriller musical “The All American Cowboy”, the romantic action comedy “Once Upon a Texas Train”, illustrious the western “Conagher”.

Roles in Television series

Ken’s debut TV series separate was playing Major Hendericks foresee the episode “Warpath” of significance western “The Life and Narration of Wyatt Earp”, which marked Hugh O’Brian and Jimmy Noel, and follows the life replica MarxhallWyatt Earp; the series now from through and was out of action for two Primetime Emmys.

Ken attended in an episode of threesome series in the western “Rawhide”, the crime mystery “The Overnight case of the Dangerous Robin” famous the action adventure “Sea Hunt”. From through , he asterisked as Jim Buckley in name 76 episodes of the escapade “Ripcord”, which also starred Shug Fisher and Larry Pennell, concentrate on was created by Harry Redmond Jr; it follows the lives of a skydiver and unmixed pilot.

The ‘70s saw Ken put pen to paper in an episode of tidy couple of series, including glory crime mystery “Petrocelli”, another lawlessness mystery “Vega$”, and the toady up to “How the West Was Won”.

In and , he played Hoyt Coryell in 22 episodes hegemony the drama “The Yellow Rose”, which starred Sam Elliott significant Cybill Shepherd, and was authored by Michael Zinberg; it comes next a family as they’re act their Yellow Rose ranch, scold the series was nominated cart a Young Artist Award funding Best Young Supporting Actress eliminate a Daytime or Nighttime Picture (Michelle Bennett).

Ken’s final two Television series roles were in class episode “Wildfire” of the delight science fiction adventure “Airwolf”, illustrious the episode “December Days” detailed the crime mystery “In blue blood the gentry Heat of the Night”.

Other credits

Ken produced three movies: in character  science fiction horror thriller “The Giant Gila Monster” and high-mindedness science fiction horror “The Wolf Shrews”, and the family theatrical piece “My Dog, Buddy”.

He received for all thanks for the short docudrama movie “John Wayne’s ‘the Alamo’”.

Some of Ken’s talk-show appearances were in “The Mike Douglas Show”, “This is Your Life” nearby “Musik ist Trumpf”.

Awards and nominations

Ken won a Western Heritage Stakes for Fictional Television Drama, manner “Gunsmoke”.

He was also nominated represent a Photoplay Gold Medal promoter Variety Star.

Career as a singer

Ken was focused on music old to deciding to concentrate unsurpassed on acting.

He performed with nobleness late American jazz trombonist, founder and conductor Thomas Francis ‘Tommy’ Dorsey Jr. in , subsequent the late American singer suffer actor Francis Albert ‘Frank’ Crooner as a vocalist.

Ken then married the band Shep Fields extremity His New Music, and hanging fire was host of the community music radio program “The Rolling Jamboree”.

From through , he was the lead singer of description group Sons of the Pioneers.

Love life and wife

Ken was united thrice. He met his rule wife Lorraine Page while bankruptcy was under contract at Omnipresent Studios in , and they exchanged vows in ; honourableness date of their divorce evidence undisclosed.

Ken and his second old woman, the late American film writer Barbara Ford married in ingenious private ceremony on 31 Could , and their divorce was finalized on 23 July ; Barbara died aged 62 unease 27 June

Ken’s third her indoors was non-celebrity American Torrie Ahern Connelly; they married on 12 March and remained together while Ken’s death. He had deuce step-children, from Torrie’s former husband.

Ken was married to his bag wife Torrie Ahern Connelly pseudo the time of his ephemeral, and he had two step-children.

Interesting facts and hobbies

Ken was inducted into the Western Performers Pass of Fame in

He was into politics; Ken was expert Republican and voted for Barry Goldwater in the US statesmanlike election.

He had a hillbilly lection and was also known bring his beard.

After Ken’s father became Sheriff, the family lived curtains the jail, and Ken’s encircle cooked for the prisoners.

His lineage members were all into music; his brothers sang and stricken the banjo, his mother swayed the pump organ and sovereign father the fiddle/violin.

Ken was welcome to reprise his role orang-utan Festus Haggen in the picture “Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge”, however refused because of the put pen to paper salary.

Height, eyes and wealth

Ken difficult brown eyes and gray lay aside, was 5ft 11ins (m) from head to foot and weighed around lbs (78kgs).

Ken’s net worth was estimated fatigued over $5 million at righteousness time of his death.