True ... on the first Gunsmoke episode aired in 1955, Chester appears on the screen before Dillon does. Chester appeared on Gunsmoke before Dillon did. Gunsmoke: The Great american Western. How did Chester die on Gunsmoke? In a career that lasted more than 50 years, Dennis Weaver was best known as Chester, Matt Dillon’s trusty deputy on Gunsmoke from 1955-1964. Dennis Weaver, whose portrayal of Deputy Chester Goode in the classic television western “Gunsmoke” made him the favorite sidekick of the early television era, died on Friday at his home in Ridgway, Colo. What’s actor Dennis Weaver’s story? The other main characters appear in the following order: Matt, Kitty, Doc and Howie, the clerk at the Dodge House. Many anticipated an epic climax to what was one of the most popular shows of the last two decades. Excited about a new born baby in Dodge, Festus did not choose to use his carpentry skills to make a rocking horse. However, not only did the writers not tie up any loose ends, but there weren’t really any loose ends to tie up! Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who played the scruffy deputy Festus on the television series "Gunsmoke," died in his sleep on Sunday at his home. Matt Dillon is a fictional character featured on both the radio and television versions of Gunsmoke.He serves as the U.S. The Cast Didn’t Know It Was Over. Charlene Allison Los Angeles, California. One thing about Gunsmoke that bothered a lot of diehard fans is how it ended. Between 1970 and 1977, he starred as the title character on McCloud, a “cowboy in the big city” Western. Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas, who works to preserve law and order in the western frontier of the 1870s.The character was created by writer John Meston, who envisioned him as a man "...whose hair is probably red, if he's got any left.