Posted on 07/25/2018 5:41:22 PM PDT by eastforker
Born July 2, 1916 in Lamar, Colorado, Ken Curtis was the youngest of three sons born to Dan Gates and Nellie (Sneed) Gates. His real name was Curtis Wain (not Wayne) Gates and he grew up in Las Animas, Colorado where his father was the sheriff.
Circa 1939-1940, he was a staff/studio singer doing non-country and non-western tunes over the NBC radio network. In the 1940 census, he's living in Yonkers, New York and his occupation is "Singer - radio". In 1941-1942, he sang with the bands of Shep Fields and Tommy Dorsey (more details on his connection with Dorsey and Fields is on the next webpage). Then came World War II duty and Curtis served in the U. S. Army infantry from mid 1942 through 1945.
After the war, Columbia Pictures signed him to a contract and Ken played the hero in a series of musical westerns that were light on action and plot ... but loaded with tunes. The lead musical group in the series was the chaotic Hoosier HotShots. Lots of other musicians and actors appeared in these including Big Boy Williams (Ken's sidekick), Carolina Cotton, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, Deuce Spriggens and his band, and pretty and funny Jeff Donnell (who is probably best remembered as George Gobel's wife in George's 1950s TV show). From February and May, 1945 issues of the Film Daily tradezine: "Ken Curtis, radio singer, has been signed to a Columbia termer." (termer meaning a term player contract); and "Radio's Ken Curtis makes his film bow in Columbia's 'Rhythm Roundup' ..."
(Excerpt) Read more at b-westerns.com ...
His character, Festus, on Gunsmoke sounds exactly like my relation in St. Joe and Allendale Missouri.
May we assume he did not drive a mule team?
Festus is one my all-time favorite TV characters. Curtis reportedly made the character up by himself as a composite of friends and relatives from his youth.
He played a parachutist for hire in the TV series “Ripcord” too.
Bookmark.
Sons of the Pioneers.
He played Dolan in the movie “Mr Roberts”.
He was with the “Sons Of The Pioneers” along with Roy Rogers.
They were a very good singing group.
I saw him in an episode of “Perry Mason”. He portrayed a circus clown who was pretty much of an opposite of Festus. I also saw him in an old, unremembered movie in which he pretty much was the same character as Festus.
I am headed off to youtube to watch some of them.
He was in the John Wayne movie “The Searchers” of which Harry Carry said was one of Wayne’s greatest movies.
The Duke and Curtis were life long friends
He directed “The Giant Gila Monster” and starred and directed in “The Killer Shrews”.
MST3k fans will relate.
He directed “The Giant Gila Monster” and starred and directed in “The Killer Shrews”.
MST3k fans will relate.
The Giant Gila monster was great for a low-budget film. It had cool hotrod cars and cool teen lingo.
One of his albums was called FESTUS SINGS AND TALKS ABOUT DODGE CITY AND OTHER STUFF. It is a collector’s item.
His first appearance on Gunsmoke was in an episode named “the Lady Killer” as I recall. His character was an evil seducer of women.
He also appeared as a Texas trail boss concerned about jayhawkers attacking his trail hands.
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