Before He Died, Ken curtis Names the 5 Actors He Hated the Most – HT

 

 

 

Ken Curtis was the kind of man television audiences instantly trusted. With his scruffy beard, crooked grin, and sharp humor, he became unforgettable as Fesus Hagen on the long-running western series Ginsmoke. On screen, he played the loyal deputy who always stood beside the llmen. But away from the cameras, Curtis carried memories, disappointments, and a few grudges that stayed with him for the rest of his life.

 Behind the humor and warmth was a man shaped by hardship, pride, and a deep sense of fairness. His story began in an unusual place for a future Hollywood star above a jail. Ken Curtis was born Curtis Wayne Gates on July 2nd, 1916 in Lamar, Colorado. His father was the sheriff of Bent County, which meant the family lived in a small apartment directly above the county jail.

 While most children grew up hearing bedtime stories about cowboys and outlaws, the outlaws and Curtis’s childhood were real men locked in cells downstairs. The sound of iron doors closing and prisoners talking late at night was part of everyday life. His mother worked as the jail’s cook, preparing meals for both the family and the inmates.

 Young Curtis often watched as she handed trays of food through the bars. Those quiet moments left a deep impression on him. He saw that even men who had made terrible mistakes could still be treated with dignity. That early lesson in compassion would stay with him for the rest of his life. Growing up during the Great Depression was not easy.

 Money was scarce and opportunities were limited. But Curtis discovered something that brought him joy, music. He sang in church choirs, school events, and local gatherings. His deep, warm voice quickly caught people’s attention. Still, a career in entertainment seemed unrealistic during those hard times. Wanting a more stable future, he enrolled at Colorado College with plans to study medicine.

 For 2 years, he tried to convince himself that becoming a doctor was the right path. But the pull of music was too strong. He began performing at small events and realized he felt truly alive on stage. Eventually, he made the bold decision to leave medical school and pursue singing. That choice changed everything. In the early 1940s, Curtis joined the orchestra of band leader Tommy Dorsy, one of the most famous swing band leaders in America.

 The position came with enormous pressure because he stepped in shortly after Frank Sinatra left the band. Filling Sinatra’s place seemed almost impossible, but Curtis handled it with confidence. Under Dorsy’s guidance, he learned discipline, professionalism, and how to command an audience. It was also during this time that he adopted the name Ken Curtis, a simple stage name that was easier for audiences to remember.

 His musical career continued to grow when he joined the legendary western music group Sons of the Pioneers. Songs like Ghost Riders in the Sky and Room Full of Roses made his voice familiar to listeners across the country. Yet Curtis was never satisfied with just one form of performance. Hollywood was booming and western films were becoming hugely popular.

 By the mid 1940s, he began appearing in small roles in western movies. One person who noticed him early was the powerful director John Ford, known for working with actors like John Wayne and Henry Fonda. Ford admired Curtis’s authentic cowboy background and brought him into his circle of performers. Curtis appeared in several Ford productions, gaining valuable experience even though the director’s demanding personality could make filming difficult.

 During this period, Curtis also experienced major changes in his personal life. His first marriage to actress Lorraine Paige ended quietly after the pressures of show business pulled them apart. Later, he married Barbara Ford, the daughter of John Ford. While the marriage seemed glamorous on the surface, it carried its own challenges.

 Being connected to one of Hollywood’s most powerful families was not always easy, and the relationship eventually ended in divorce in 1964. That same year, Curtis accepted the role that would define his career. The television series Gensmoke had already been running for years when producers needed a new deputy after actor Dennis Weaver left the show.

Curtis was hired to appear in a single episode as Fesus Hagen. Audiences immediately loved the character. Fesus was rough around the edges, but loyal, funny, and deeply honest. Viewers connected with him instantly. What began as a temporary role turned into more than a decade of work. Curtis appeared in over 300 episodes of the series.

Still, life behind the scenes was not always easy. The show revolved around Marshall Matt Dylan, played by James Ares, and Curtis sometimes felt that Fesus remained permanently in the shadow of the main character. While both men stayed professional, their relationship was never particularly close. Curtis also had occasional disagreements with veteran actor Milbourne Stone, who played Doc Adams.

 Most of these conflicts were minor, the kind that happen when strong personalities work together for many years. But Curtis believed every character deserved depth, and he sometimes pushed for better storylines or more dialogue. Another source of tension was producer John Mantelly, who focused heavily on budgets and kept strict control over scripts.

Curtis argued several times for higher pay and stronger roles for Fesus, but Manty often refused. Their disagreements became one of the lasting frustrations of Curtis’s career. Despite these conflicts, fans never saw the struggles. To them, Fesus Hagen was the heart of Gensmoke, the loyal deputy whose humor balanced the seriousness of the show.

When the series ended in 1975, Curtis stepped away from regular television work. Years later, the network produced a reunion film titled Gunsmoke Return to Dodge. Many fans expected Fesus to appear, but Curtis declined. He believed the salary offered to him did not reflect his contribution to the original show.

 For Curtis, respect mattered more than a paycheck. Away from Hollywood, life eventually became calmer. In 1966, he married Tory Connelly, a woman far removed from the entertainment industry. The marriage brought him the peace he had long been searching for. Curtis enjoyed fishing, traveling, and attending western events where fans still greeted him warmly.

 Ken Curtis passed away on April 28th, 1991 at the age of 74. His ashes were scattered across the Colorado Plains where his life had first begun. In the end, he remained what he had always been, a man who valued honesty, loyalty, and respect above everything else. And for millions of viewers, he will always be remembered as Fesus Hagen, the scruffy deputy with a big heart who helped make Gunsmoke one of television’s most beloved westerns.