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 Western television series Gunsmoke. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Lamar (home rule municipality in and county seat of Prowers County, Colorado, United States), Died April 28, 1991 (Fresno (county seat of Fresno County, California, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1941 - 1958
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 32 records)
| 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 |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Curtis, Ken," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100085.
Curtis, Ken. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100085.
"Curtis, Ken." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Curtis, Ken, 1916-1991 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n91104951
Wikidata: Ken Curtis - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q949696
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/34666809
MusicBrainz: Ken Curtis - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/8d54e7bb-3edb-452c-a4ea-6e57cbbdcb22
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/293562 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/293562
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