We Love Gunsmoke

September 4th 1967

Milburn Stone (Doc Adams) and Ken Curtis (Festus Haggen) stars of the CBS classic Gunsmoke greet the crowd before the NASCAR Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.

Richard Petty ('67 Plymouth)  winner of the 1967 Southern 500, he led 345 of 364 laps. 

...and Ken Curtis as Festus

July 2nd 1916 the birthdate of Ken Curtis, future singing cowboy and television legend as Gunsmoke's Festus Haggen

Curtis first appeared on Gunsmoke as Festus on 

December 8th 1962, in an episode called "Us Haggens".  

He would not become a regular until the next season (the 9th) and  

be with the show until its final cancellation in 1975 as loyal sidekick and deputy to Marshall Matt Dillon.