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 CBS western television series Gunsmoke. He appeared on Gunsmoke earlier in other roles (such as “Brisco” in S4E32’s “Change of Heart"). His first appearance as Festus was in season 8, episode 13, "Us Haggens", which debuted December 8, 1962. His next appearance was Season 9, episode 2, October 5, 1963, as Kyle Kelly, in "Lover Boy". Curtis joined the cast of Gunsmoke permanently as Festus in "Prairie Wolfer", season 9 episode 16, which debuted January 18, 1964. The episode often is confused with a 1969 episode of the same title made five years later (S13E10). |
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-067935 | 10-in. | 9/26/1941 | Love sends a little gift of roses | Ken Curtis ; The Pied Pipers ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and mixed vocal ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-067938 | 10-in. | 9/26/1941 | The anniversary waltz | Ken Curtis ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-068699 | 10-in. | 12/23/1941 | The lost chord | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-068801 | 10-in. | 12/23/1941 | Someone's rocking my dreamboat | Ken Curtis ; Shep Fields ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-068802 | 10-in. | 12/23/1941 | Let's say goodnight with a dance | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-071916 | 10-in. | 2/16/1942 | Long may we love | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-071917 | 10-in. | 2/16/1942 | Dear old pal of mine | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-071918 | 10-in. | 2/16/1942 | The caissons go rolling along (The artillery song) | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073292 | 10-in. | 5/28/1942 | This is worth fighting for | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073293 | 10-in. | 5/28/1942 | You're too good for good-for-nothing me | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073294 | 10-in. | 5/28/1942 | You're easy to dance with | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073416 | 10-in. | 3/10/1942 | Breathless | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073417 | 10-in. | 3/10/1942 | Mad about him, sad without him, how can i be glad without him blues | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073418 | 10-in. | 3/10/1942 | The tale of Peter and the Wolf | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073419 | 10-in. | 3/10/1942 | I'm gettin' mighty lonesome for you | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073858 | 10-in. | 5/1/1942 | Whisper that you love me | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073859 | 10-in. | 5/1/1942 | Nursie!Nursie! | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-073860 | 10-in. | 5/1/1942 | Wonder when my baby's coming home | Ken Curtis ; New Music [Shep Fields] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3536 | 10-in. | 2/4/1950 | Roses | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble and vocal harmonies | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3537 | 10-in. | 2/4/1950 | The eagle's heart | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble and vocal harmonies | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3538 | 10-in. | 2/4/1950 | The land beyond the sun | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal ensemble, with string band | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3539 | 10-in. | 2/4/1950 | I told them all about you | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal ensemble, with string band | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3573 | 10-in. | 3/10/1950 | Wagons west | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3574 | 10-in. | 3/13/1950 | Rollin' dust | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3575 | 10-in. | 3/13/1950 | Song of the wagonmaster | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3576 | 10-in. | 3/13/1950 | Chuckwalla swing | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3712 | 10-in. | 7/17/1950 | Old man atom | Sons of the Pioneers | Comic monologue, with male vocal ensemble and string band | vocalist | |
Victor | E0VB-3713 | 10-in. | 7/17/1950 | What this country needs (is a good old fashioned talk with the Lord) | Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal ensemble, with recitation and string band | vocalist | |
Victor | D9VB-2606 | 10-in. | 12/14/1949 | Let's go west again | Ken Curtis ; Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal solo, with string band and vocal chorus | vocalist | |
Victor | D9VB-2609 | 10-in. | 12/14/1949 | Wedding dolls (from your wedding cake) | Ken Curtis ; Sons of the Pioneers | Male vocal solo, with string band and vocal chorus | vocalist | |
Decca | L 10949 | 5/16/1958 | Sugar lips | Ken Curtis | vocalist | |||
Decca | L 10950 | 5/16/1958 | Kiss and run lover | Ken Curtis | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Curtis, Ken," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100085.
Curtis, Ken. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100085.
"Curtis, Ken." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Curtis, Ken, 1916-1991 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n91104951
Wikidata: Ken Curtis - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q949696
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/34666809
MusicBrainz: Ken Curtis - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/8d54e7bb-3edb-452c-a4ea-6e57cbbdcb22
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