Ken Curtis
Known for Acting · 63 credits
- Born
- 1916-07-02
- Died
- 1991-04-28
- Place of birth
- Lamar, Colorado, USA
- Also known as
- کن کورتیس
Biography
Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates; July 2, 1916 – April 28, 1991) was an American actor and singer best known for his role as Festus Haggen on the Western television series Gunsmoke.
Early years
Born on July 2, 1916 as the youngest of three boys in Lamar in Prowers County in southeastern Colorado, Curtis lived his first 10 years on a ranch on Muddy Creek in eastern Bent County. In 1926, the family moved to Las Animas, the county seat of Bent County, so that his father, Dan Sullivan Gates, could run for sheriff. The campaign was successful, and Gates served from 1926 to 1931 as Bent County sheriff.
Curtis was the quarterback of his Bent County High School football team and played clarinet in the school band. He graduated in 1935. During World War II, Curtis served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945.
He attended Colorado College to study medicine, but left after a short time to pursue his musical career.
Known For
TV Shows (17)
Perry Mason
1957
as Tim Durant
Wagon Train
1957
as Kyle Cleatus / Pappy Lightfoot
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
as Monk / Skinner Monk / Curley / Tom Strickland
Rawhide
1959
as Vic Slade
Airwolf
1984
as Cecil Carnes Sr.
Gunsmoke
1955
as Festus
Sea Hunt
1958
Vega$
1978
Petrocelli
1974
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
1969
as Self
How the West Was Won
1977
as Orville Gant
Grizzly Adams
1977
as Uncle Ned
Ripcord
1961
as Jim Buckley
The Yellow Rose
1983
as Hoyt Coryell
Musik ist Trumpf
1975
as Self
Black Beauty
1978
as Howard Jakes
Battleground
2004
as Captain Howard W. Gilmore (archive footage)
Movies (46)
Robin Hood
1973
as Nutsy - A Vulture (voice)
The Searchers
1956
as Charlie McCorry
How the West Was Won
1962
as Corporal Ben (uncredited)
The Alamo
1960
as Capt. Almeron Dickinson
Rio Grande
1950
as Donnelly - Regimental Singer (uncredited)
Mister Roberts
1955
as Dolan
The Horse Soldiers
1959
as Cpl. Wilkie
Cheyenne Autumn
1964
as Joe
The Quiet Man
1952
as Dermot Fahy (uncredited)
Two Rode Together
1961
as Greeley Clegg
Conagher
1991
as Seaborn Tay, Cattle Rancher
The Wings of Eagles
1957
as John Dale Price
Once Upon a Texas Train
1988
as Kelly Sutton
The Long Gray Line
1955
as Specialty (uncredited)
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
1979
as Self
Woman on the Run
1959
The Last Hurrah
1958
as Monsignor Killian
The Young Land
1959
as Lee Hearn
Lost
1983
as Wyatt Cosgrove
Spring Reunion
1957
as Al
Stallion Canyon
1949
as Curt Benson
Escort West
1959
as Trooper Burch
The Killer Shrews
1959
as Jerry Farrell
The Missouri Traveler
1958
as Fred Mueller
John Wayne's 'The Alamo'
1992
as Self
California Gold Rush
1981
as Kentuck
Fighting Coast Guard
1951
as Ken - Member Sons of the Pioneers
5 Steps to Danger
1956
as FBI Agent Jim Anderson (uncredited)
Singing on the Trail
1946
as Curt Stanton
Pony Express Rider
1976
as Jed Richardson
Freckles
1960
as Wessner
Once Upon a Starry Night
1978
as Uncle Ned
Rhythm Round-Up
1945
as Jimmy Benson
Legend of the Wild
1981
Throw a Saddle on a Star
1946
as Curt Walker
Call of the Forest
1949
as Bob Brand
Cowboy Blues
1946
as Curt Durant
Don Daredevil Rides Again
1951
as Lee Hadley / Don Daredevil
Lone Star Moonlight
1946
as Curt Norton
Riders of the Pony Express
1949
as Tom Blake
That Texas Jamboree
1946
as Curt Chambers
The Growler Story
1957
as Captain Howard W. Gilmore
Song of the Prairie
1945
as Dan Tyler
Over the Santa Fe Trail
1947
as Curt Mason
My Dog, Buddy
1960
as Dr. Lusk
Out of the Depths
1945
as Buck Clayton
About Ken Curtis
Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates; July 2, 1916 – April 28, 1991) was an American actor and singer best known for his role as Festus Haggen on the Western television series Gunsmoke. Early years Born on July 2, 1916 as the youngest of three boys in Lamar in Prowers County in southeastern Colorado, Curtis lived his first 10 years on a ranch on Muddy Creek in eastern Bent County. In 1926, the family moved to Las Animas, the county seat of Bent County, so that his father, Dan Sullivan Gates, could run for sheriff. The campaign was successful, an… With 63 credits spanning from 1945 to 2004, Ken Curtis has appeared in 46 films and 17 TV shows.
Fans searching for Ken Curtis movies, Ken Curtis filmography, or the latest projects starring Ken Curtis can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Ken Curtis Movies
- Robin Hood (1973) — as Nutsy - A Vulture (voice)
- The Searchers (1956) — as Charlie McCorry
- How the West Was Won (1962) — as Corporal Ben (uncredited)
- The Alamo (1960) — as Capt. Almeron Dickinson
- Rio Grande (1950) — as Donnelly - Regimental Singer (uncredited)
Where to Watch Ken Curtis Films
Most Ken Curtis movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Ken Curtis, check our movies catalogue and browse page.