Why Did Chester Goode Disappear From ‘Gunsmoke’?

Like too many other TV characters, Gunsmoke’s Chester Goode seemingly vanished into thin air. Dennis Weaver last played the character on the TV western in Season 9’s “Bently.” That episode, at least, gives Chester a starring role: He comes to the aid of a husband and wife after the husband makes a deathbed murder confession Chester thinks is a bid to make life better for his soon-to-be widow.

In the next episode, though, Chester has gotten out of Dodge, so to speak, and no one seems to acknowledge his disappearance. It was a confounding end for a character who became a fan-favorite deputy to James Arness’ Marshal Matt Dillon. Weaver played the character for eight and a half seasons, from 1955 to 1964, and won an Emmy Award for the part in 1959.