The Associated Press [link expired] ran a story on actor Gerald McRaney, formerly TV’s detective in Simon and Simon, and later “Major Dad.” He once appeared as a villain on the traditional western “Gunsmoke” early in his career. Now he plays historical mining baron George Hearst on HBO’s edgy western “Deadwood.” He […]

Most recently he has been the movie host for Encore Westerns, but long before that he was Sheriff Matt Dillon’s sidekick Chester on television’s longest running series called Gunsmoke. Cowboy, Actor, Veteran, Environmentalist and Olympic Hopeful, Dennis Weaver was 81 years old when he passed away Friday, a victim of cancer.