U.S. Actor Dennis Weaver Dies at Age 81

American actor Dennis Weaver, known for his role as Chester in the television show Gunsmoke, has died at his home in Colorado due to complications caused by cancer at the age of 81, according to his publicist on Monday.

As a young man, Weaver served in the Navy during World War II and was also part of qualifications for the 1948 U.S. Olympic decathlon team.

Later on, he pursued acting and received an Emmy in the 1950s for his work on the Western Gunsmoke, taking on the roll of the tall, limping Chester.

In the 1970s, Dennis Weaver starred in the television series McCloud and additionally appeared in several major movies to follow.