Ken Curtis’ character, Festus Haggen, on the 1955 series Gunsmoke, had a face only a true Western die-hard could love. Known for being both stinky and a stinker, Festus became popular among fans for his quirks and qualities.
Though he wasn’t always the smartest or cleanest, he had a great relatability factor with viewers. His gruff exterior and unpolished manner were balanced by a deep loyalty to his friends and a natural sense of justice.
Fans loved Festus for his humor, quirky charm, and unexpected insights, often reflecting simple but weirdly profound truths.
Part of his character’s relatability, he believed, was due to Curtis’ own humble upbringing and country roots. In a 1965 interview with the Philadelphia Daily News, Curtis said he knew his character would be popular even in the early days of his role on Gunsmoke.
“I knew the character had popular appeal. How popular I was soon to discover,” Curtis said. “Some fans wrote saying they liked Festus even better than Chester and it is a matter of record.”
The only thing more iconic than the character was the story behind Festus. Curtis said he created the character of Festus back in 1956 for the movie The Searchers. Director John Ford heard him imitating an accent famously known as the “Colorado drylander” accent.
Curtis himself was born in the dryland country of Colorado and became an expert in the accent that was close to both his heart and his home.
“The accent made the part, and that’s the way Charlie McCorry talked all through the film,” Curtis said.
The film gave rise to Festus, who was born out of the accent. Not only did fans across the country appreciate the accent, but so did Hollywood. It helped Curtis get cast in other Western roles, including his most famous on Gunsmoke.
“You can’t lose with a good character,” Curtis said. “I was lucky to have been born and raised in the dry land area. Festus is really a lot of people I’ve known and remembered.”