Actor dennis weaver biography

William Dennis Weaver(June 4, 1924 – February 24, 2006) better known as Dennis Weaverwas an American actor, best known for his work in television, including roles on Gunsmoke, as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud, and the 1971 TV movie Duel.

This lanky, laconic actor possessed an Everyman quality that rendered him perfect for the small screen.

Dennis Weaver became a television mainstay for more than 40 years, appearing in everything from movies-of-the-week, to commercials, to his real bread-and-butter – series television – with such classics as "Gunsmoke" and "McCloud."


Born June 4, 1924 in Joplin, MO, Weaver excelled in high school drama and athletics.

After serving in the Navy during WWII, the young actor earned a degree at the University of Oklahoma and qualified for the Olympic decathlon. After college, Weaver headed to New York City where he studied at the famed Actors Studio.

He appeared in "A Streetcar Named Desire"