Gunsmoke Main Cast 1967
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''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director
Norman Macdonnell Norman Scarth Macdonnell (November 8, 1916 – November 28, 1979) was an American producer for radio, television, and feature films. He is best known for co-creating with writer John Meston the Western series ''Gunsmoke'', which was broadcast on ...
and writer
John Meston John Lyman Meston (July 30, 1914March 24, 1979) was an American scriptwriter best known for co-creating with producer Norman Macdonnell the long-running Western series ''Gunsmoke''. He developed storylines and wrote radio scripts and teleplays f ...
. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the
American West The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...
. The central character is lawman
Marshal Matt Dillon Matt Dillon is a fictional character featured on both the radio and television versions of ''Gunsmoke''. He is the U.S. Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas, who works to preserve law and order in the western frontier of the 1870s. The character wa ...
, played by
William Conrad William Conrad (born John William Cann Jr., September 27, 1920 – February 11, 1994) was an American actor, producer, and director whose entertainment career spanned five decades in radio, film, and television, peaking in popularity when he s ...
on radio and
James Arness James Arness (born James King Aurness; May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the CBS television series '' Gunsmoke''. Arness has the distinction of having played the ...
on television. When aired in the United Kingdom, the television series was initially titled ''Gun Law'', later reverting to ''Gunsmoke''. The radio series ran from 1952 to 1961. John Dunning wrote that among radio drama enthusiasts, "''Gunsmoke'' is routinely placed among the best shows of any kind and any time." The television series ran for 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975, and lasted for 635 episodes. At the end of its run in 1975, ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' columnist Cecil Smith wrote: "''Gunsmoke'' was the dramatization of the American epic legend of the west. Our own ''Iliad'' and ''Odyssey'', created from standard elements of the dime novel and the pulp Western as romanticized by ed Buntline, ret
Harte Notable people with the surname Harte include: Film and television * Betty Harte (1882–1965), American actress in silent film era * Joby Harte (born 1982), British TV personality * Robert Harte (New Zealand actor), New Zealand actor Literature ...
, and
ark Ark or ARK may refer to: Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva'' * Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood * Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses Hebrew ''aron'' * ...
Twain. It was ever the stuff of legend."


Radio series (1952–1961)

In the late 1940s, CBS chairman
William S. Paley William Samuel Paley (September 28, 1901 – October 26, 1990) was an American businessman, primarily involved in the media, and best known as the chief executive who built the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) from a small radio network into o ...
, a fan of the ''
Philip Marlowe Philip Marlowe () is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler, who was characteristic of the hardboiled crime fiction genre. The hardboiled crime fiction genre originated in the 1920s, notably in ''Black Mask'' magazine, in which Dashiel ...
'' radio series, asked his programming chief, Hubell Robinson, to develop a hard core Western series, about a "Philip Marlowe of the Old West". Robinson delegated this to his West Coast CBS vice president, Harry Ackerman, who had developed the ''Philip Marlowe'' series. Ackerman and his scriptwriters, Mort Fine and David Friedkin, created an audition script called "Mark Dillon Goes to Gouge Eye" based on one of their
Michael Shayne Michael "Mike" Shayne is a fictional private detective character created during the late 1930s by writer Brett Halliday, a pseudonym of Davis Dresser. The character appeared in a series of seven films starring Lloyd Nolan for Twentieth Century Fo ...
radio scripts, "The Case of the Crooked Wheel" from mid-1948. Two versions were recorded. The first, recorded in June 1949, was very much like a hard core detective series and starred
Michael Rye Michael Rye (born John Michael Riorden Billsbury; March 2, 1918 – September 20, 2012) was an American actor. His decades-long career spanned radio, television, animated cartoons and video games. Aside from his voice over work, Rye also acted in ...
(credited as Rye Billsbury) as Dillon; the second, recorded in July 1949, starred '' Straight Arrow'' actor Howard Culver in a more Western, lighter version of the same script. CBS liked the Culver version better, and Ackerman was told to proceed. A complication arose when Culver's contract as the star of ''Straight Arrow'' would not allow him to do another Western series. The project was suspended for three years, when producer Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston discovered it while creating an adult Western series of their own. Macdonnell and Meston wanted to create a radio Western for adults, in contrast to the prevailing juvenile fare such as '' The Lone Ranger'' and '' The Cisco Kid''. ''Gunsmoke'' was set in Dodge City, Kansas, during the thriving cattle days of the 1870s. Dunning notes, "The show drew critical acclaim for unprecedented realism."


Cast

The radio series first aired on CBS on April 26, 1952, with the episode "Billy the Kid", written by Walter Newman, and ended on June 18, 1961. The show stars
William Conrad William Conrad (born John William Cann Jr., September 27, 1920 – February 11, 1994) was an American actor, producer, and director whose entertainment career spanned five decades in radio, film, and television, peaking in popularity when he s ...
as Marshal Matt Dillon,
Howard McNear Howard Terbell McNear (January 27, 1905 – January 3, 1969) was an American stage, screen, and radio character actor. McNear is best remembered as the original voice of Doc Adams in the radio version of ''Gunsmoke'' and as Floyd Lawson, the ...
as Doc Charles Adams,
Georgia Ellis Georgia Ellis (March 12, 1917 – March 30, 1988) was an American actress who is best known for her recurring role of Kitty in the Western radio drama ''Gunsmoke''. She was the daughter of John R. Hawkins and Blanche E. Sparling. She married K ...
as Kitty Russell, and Parley Baer as Dillon's assistant, Chester Wesley Proudfoot.


Matt Dillon

Matt Dillon Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including an Oscar and Grammy nomination. Dillon made his feature film debut in '' Over the Edge'' (1979) and established himself as a te ...
was played on radio by William Conrad and on TV by James Arness. Two versions of the same pilot episode titled "Mark Dillon Goes to Gouge Eye" were produced with Rye Billsbury and Howard Culver playing Marshal Mark Dillon as the lead, not yet played by Conrad. Conrad was one of the last actors to audition for the role of Marshal Dillon. With a resonantly powerful and distinctive voice, Conrad was already one of radio's busiest actors. Though Meston championed him, Macdonnell thought Conrad might be overexposed. During his audition, however, Conrad won over Macdonnell after reading only a few lines. Dillon, as portrayed by Conrad, was a lonely, isolated man, toughened by a hard life. Macdonnell later claimed, "Much of Matt Dillon's character grew out of Bill Conrad." Meston relished the upending of cherished Western fiction clichés and said that few Westerns gave any inkling of how brutal the Old West was in reality. Many episodes were based on man's cruelty to man and woman, in as much as the prairie woman's life and the painful treatment of women as chattels were touched on well ahead of the time of most media. As originally pitched to CBS executives, this was to be an adult Western, not a grown-up ''
Hopalong Cassidy Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of short stories and novels based on the character. Mulford portrayed the character as rude, dangerous, and rough-talking. He was ...
''. Dunning writes that Meston was especially disgusted by the archetypal Western hero and set out "to destroy hat type ofcharacter he loathed". In Meston's view, "Dillon was almost as scarred as the homicidal psychopaths who drifted into Dodge from all directions."Dunning, 304.


Doc Adams

Howard McNear starred as Dr. Charles Adams in the radio series, and
Milburn Stone Hugh Milburn Stone (July 5, 1904 – June 12, 1980) was an American actor, best known for his role as "Doc" (Dr. Galen Adams) on the CBS Western series ''Gunsmoke''. Early life Stone was born in Burrton, Kansas, to Herbert Stone and the forme ...
portrayed Dr. Galen Adams in the television version. In the radio series, "Doc" Adams was initially a self-interested and somewhat dark character with a predilection for constantly attempting to increase his revenue through the procurement of autopsy fees. He was acerbic, somewhat mercenary, and borderline alcoholic, in the program's early years. His real name was Dr. Calvin Moore. He came west and changed his name to escape a charge of murder. However, McNear's performances steadily became more warm-hearted and sympathetic. Doc wandered throughout the territories until he settled in Dodge City 17 years later under the name of Charles Adams. Conrad borrowed the surname from cartoonist
Charles Addams Charles Samuel Addams (January 7, 1912 – September 29, 1988) was an American cartoonist known for his darkly humorous and macabre characters, signing the cartoons as Chas Addams. Some of his recurring characters became known as the Addams Fa ...
as a testament to Doc's initially ghoulish comportment. Milburn Stone was given free rein to choose the character's first name, and chose that of the ancient Greek physician and medical researcher
Galen Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus ( el, Κλαύδιος Γαληνός; September 129 – c. AD 216), often Anglicized as Galen () or Galen of Pergamon, was a Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman Empire. Considered to be one of ...
.


Miss Kitty

Kitty was played by actress Georgia Ellis on radio, and by
Amanda Blake Amanda Blake (born Beverly Louise Neill, February 21, 1929 – August 16, 1989) was an American actress best known for the role of the red-haired saloon proprietress "Miss Kitty Russell" on the western television series ''Gunsmoke''. Along with ...
on TV. Ellis first appeared in the radio episode "Billy the Kid" (April 26, 1952) as "Francie Richards" – a former girlfriend of Matt Dillon's and the widow of a criminal, but the character of "Miss Kitty" did not appear until the May 10, 1952, episode "Jaliscoe". Sometime in 1959, Ellis was billed as Georgia Hawkins instead of Georgia Ellis. Amanda Blake appeared in over 500 episodes of the television series, with her last being the April 1, 1974, episode titled, "The Disciple". In the radio series, Kitty's profession was hinted at, but never explicit; in a 1953 interview with ''Time'', Macdonnell declared, "Kitty is just someone Matt has to visit every once in a while". The magazine observed that she is "obviously not selling chocolate bars". The television show first portrayed Kitty as a saloon dance hall employee, then from season two, episode 36 ("Daddy-O"), as half-owner of the
Long Branch Saloon The Long Branch Saloon was a well-known saloon in Dodge City, Kansas from about 1874 to 1885. It had several owners, most notably Chalk Beeson and gunfighter Luke Short. The establishment provided gambling and live entertainment, including B ...
. Dillon and Kitty clearly have a close personal relationship. In a July 2, 2002,
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
interview with Bob Thomas, Arness explained, "If they were man and wife, it would make a lot of difference. The people upstairs decided it was better to leave the show as it was, which I totally agreed with."


Distinction from other radio Westerns

''Gunsmoke'' is often a somber program, particularly in its early years. Dunning writes that Dillon "played his hand and often lost. He arrived too late to prevent a lynching. He amputated a dying man's leg and lost the patient anyway. He saved a girl from brutal rapists, then found himself unable to offer her what she needed to stop her from moving into ... life as a prostitute."Dunning, 304 Some listeners, such as Dunning, argue the radio version was more realistic. Episodes were aimed at adults with some of the most explicit content of their time, including violent crimes, scalpings, massacres, and
opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...
addicts. Many episodes end on a somber note, and villains often get away with their crimes. The program was set after the arrival of the railroad in Dodge City (1872) and Kansas had been a state since 1861. In reality, a U.S. Marshal (actually a deputy marshal, because only the senior officer in the district holds the title "marshal") would not be based in Dodge City and would not be involved in local law enforcement. Apart from the doleful tone, ''Gunsmoke'' is distinct from other radio Westerns, as the dialogue is often slow and halting, and the outstanding sound effects give a palpable sense of the prairie setting. The effects are subtle but multilayered, giving the show a spacious feel. John Dunning wrote, "The listener heard extraneous dialogue in the background, just above the muted shouts of kids playing in an alley. He heard noises from the next block, too, where the inevitable dog was barking."Dunning, 305 ''Gunsmoke'' is unique from other Westerns in that it was unsponsored in the first few years of production. The program was funded by CBS in the first two years. Series producers said that if the show were sponsored, they would have to "clean the show up". The producers wanted to find a sponsor that would allow them to keep the show the way it was.


Television proposal

Not long after the radio show began, talk began of adapting it to television. Privately, Macdonnell had a guarded interest in taking the show to television, but publicly, he declared, "our show is perfect for radio", and he feared, as Dunning writes, "''Gunsmoke'' confined by a picture could not possibly be as authentic or attentive to detail. ... In the end, CBS simply took it away from Macdonnell and began preparing for the television version." Conrad and the others were given auditions, but they were little more than token effortsespecially in Conrad's case, due to his obesity. However, Meston was kept as the main writer. In the early years, most of the TV episodes were adapted from the radio scripts, often using identical scenes and dialogue. Dunning wrote, "That radio fans considered the TV show a sham and its players impostors should surprise no one. That the TV show was not a sham is due in no small part to the continued strength of Meston's scripts." Macdonnell and Meston continued the radio version of ''Gunsmoke'' until 1961, making it one of the most enduring vintage radio dramas. Conrad directed two television episodes, in 1963 and 1971, and McNear appeared on six, playing characters other than Doc, including three times as storekeeper Howard Rudd.


Television series (1955–1975) and TV movies

The TV series ran from September 10, 1955, to March 31, 1975, on CBS, with 635 total episodes. It is the second Western
television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
written for adults, premiering on September 10, 1955, four days after ''
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before ''Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely base ...
''. The first 12 seasons aired Saturdays at 10 pm, seasons 13 through 16 aired Mondays at 7:30 pm, and the last four seasons aired Mondays at 8 pm. During its second season in 1956, the program joined the list of the top-10 television programs broadcast in the United States. It quickly moved to number one and stayed there until 1961. It remained among the top-20 programs until 1964.


Transition from radio to TV

When ''Gunsmoke'' was adapted for television in 1955, contrary to a campaign to persuade the network, the network was not interested in bringing either Conrad or his radio costars to the television medium. Conrad's weight was rumored to be a deciding factor.
Denver Pyle Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor and director. He was well known for a number of TV roles from the 1960s through the 1980s, including his portrayal of Briscoe Darling Jr. in se ...
was also considered for the role, as was
Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas ''Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...
, who was ultimately also seen as too heavy for the part. Charles Warren, television ''Gunsmoke''s first director, said, "His voice was fine, but he was too big. When he stood up, his chair stood with him." It has long been rumored that
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
was offered the role of Matt Dillon; according to Dennis Weaver's comments on the 50th Anniversary DVD, disc one, episode "Hack Prine", John Wayne was never even considered for the role; to have done so would have been preposterous, since Wayne was a top movie leading man. The belief that Wayne was asked to star is disputed by Warren. Although he agrees Wayne encouraged Arness to take the role, Warren says, "I hired Jim Arness on the strength of a picture he's done for me ... I never thought for a moment of offering it to Wayne." According to Thomas "Duke" Miller, a TV and movie celebrity expert, this story was told to him by legendary actor
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...
: "Jimmy said he was in the office with Charles Warren when Mr. Wayne came in. Mr. Warren asked Wayne if he knew James Arness, and Mr. Wayne said yes. Mr. Warren told Mr. Wayne about the transition of the show from radio to TV, and Mr. Wayne readily agreed that James Arness would be a terrific choice for the part of Matt Dillon. I have no reason to doubt the story, because Jimmy absolutely knew everybody." In the end, the primary roles were all recast, with Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon (on the recommendation of Wayne, who also introduced the pilot), Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, Milburn Stone as Dr. G. "Doc" Adams (later Galen "Doc" Adams), and Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell. Macdonnell became the associate producer of the TV show and later the producer. Meston was head writer. The series was filmed at the present site of
California Lutheran University California Lutheran University (CLU, Cal Lutheran, or Cal Lu) is a private university in Thousand Oaks, California. It was founded in 1959 and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, but is nonsectarian. It opened in 1960 ...
(CLU) and nearby
Wildwood Regional Park Wildwood Regional Park is a suburban regional park in the western Simi Hills and Conejo Valley, in Ventura County, California. It is located in western Thousand Oaks, northern Newbury Park, and southern Moorpark. Wildwood is home to over 27 mi ...
in
Thousand Oaks, California Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is in the northwestern part of Greater Los Angeles, approximately from the city of Los Angeles and from Downtown Los Angeles, Downtown. It is named af ...
. In 1975, CBS made the decision not to renew ''Gunsmoke'' for a 21st season, without making any public announcement or informing the producers or cast members ahead of time. The entire cast was stunned by the cancellation, as they were unaware that CBS was considering it. According to Arness, "We didn't do a final, wrap-up show. We finished the 20th year, we all expected to go on for another season, or two or three. The (network) never told anybody they were thinking of cancelling." The cast and crew read the news in the trade papers. This seemed to have been a habit of CBS. Three other popular shows, ''Gilligan's Island'', ''Lost in Space'', and ''The Incredible Hulk'', met the same abrupt fate.


Cast

*
U.S. Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforceme ...
Matt Dillon Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including an Oscar and Grammy nomination. Dillon made his feature film debut in '' Over the Edge'' (1979) and established himself as a te ...
(1955–1975):
James Arness James Arness (born James King Aurness; May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the CBS television series '' Gunsmoke''. Arness has the distinction of having played the ...
* Galen "Doc" Adams (1955–1975):
Milburn Stone Hugh Milburn Stone (July 5, 1904 – June 12, 1980) was an American actor, best known for his role as "Doc" (Dr. Galen Adams) on the CBS Western series ''Gunsmoke''. Early life Stone was born in Burrton, Kansas, to Herbert Stone and the forme ...
* Kathleen "Kitty" Russell (1955–1974):
Amanda Blake Amanda Blake (born Beverly Louise Neill, February 21, 1929 – August 16, 1989) was an American actress best known for the role of the red-haired saloon proprietress "Miss Kitty Russell" on the western television series ''Gunsmoke''. Along with ...
* Chester B. Goode (1955–1964): Dennis Weaver * Festus Haggen (1964–1975): Ken Curtis File:James Arness Matt Dillon Gunsmoke 1969.JPG, Matt Dillon, 1969 File:Gunsmoke supporting cast 1960.JPG, Chester, Doc, and Kitty, 1960 File:Amanda Blake Milburn Stone Gunsmoke 1958.jpg, Kitty and Doc, 1958 File:Amanda Blake Kitty Gunsmoke 1966.JPG, Miss Kitty Russell, 1966 File:Dennis Weaver Chester Gunsmoke 1960.JPG, Chester Goode File:Ken Curtis Milburn Stone Gunsmoke 1974.JPG, Festus Haggen and Doc Adams, 1974 Chester and Festus Haggen are Dillon's sidekicks, though others became acting deputies for - to -year stints: Quint Asper (
Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
) (1962–65), Thad Greenwood (Roger Ewing) (1965–67), and Newly O'Brien (Buck Taylor) (1967–75), who served as both back-up deputy and doctor-in-training, having some studies in medicine through his uncle, which then continued under Doc Adams. Initially on the fringes of Dodge society, Festus Haggen was slowly phased in as a reliable sidekick and part-time deputy to Matt Dillon when Reynolds left in 1965. When Milburn Stone temporarily left for heart bypass surgery in 1971,
Pat Hingle Martin Patterson Hingle (July 19, 1924 – January 3, 2009) was an American character actor who appeared in stage productions and in hundreds of television shows and feature films. His first film was ''On the Waterfront'' in 1954. He often play ...
played Dr. John Chapman for several episodes. * Sam Noonan (bartender; 1955–1959): Bert Rumsey * Clem (bartender; 1959–1961): Clem Fuller * Sam Noonan (bartender; 1961–1973):
Glenn Strange George Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 – September 20, 1973) was an American actor who mostly appeared in Western films and was billed as Glenn Strange. He is best remembered for playing Frankenstein's monster in three Universal films d ...
* Jim Buck (stage driver; 1957–1962) and Floyd (bartender; 1974–75):
Robert Brubaker Robert Brubaker (October 9, 1916 – April 15, 2010) was an American character actor best known for his roles in television and movie westerns, including '' Gunsmoke'' and ''40 Guns to Apache Pass''. Early years Brubaker was born in Robinson ...
* Quint Asper (blacksmith; 1962–1965):
Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
* Deputy Marshal Clayton Thaddeus "Thad" Greenwood (1965–1967): Roger Ewing * Newly O'Brian (gunsmith/Deputy Marshal; 1967–1975): Buck Taylor * Wilbur Jonas (storekeeper, 1955–1963):
Dabbs Greer Robert William "Dabbs" Greer (April 2, 1917 – April 28, 2007) was an American character actor in film and television for over 60 years. With nearly 100 film roles and appearances in nearly 600 television episodes of various series, Greer m ...
* Howie Uzzell (hotel clerk, 1955–1975): Howard Culver * Moss Grimmick (stableman; 1955–1963):
George Selk George Selk (May 15, 1893 – January 22, 1967) was an American film and television actor. He was known for playing the role of stableman Moss Grimmick in the American western television series ''Gunsmoke'' from 1955 to 1963. Selk portrayed Ge ...
* Bill Pence (Long Branch owner/co-owner 1955?–56–?): Judson Pratt * Bill Pence, (1958–1961): Barney Phillips * Jim Buck (stagecoach driver; 1957–1962):
Robert Brubaker Robert Brubaker (October 9, 1916 – April 15, 2010) was an American character actor best known for his roles in television and movie westerns, including '' Gunsmoke'' and ''40 Guns to Apache Pass''. Early years Brubaker was born in Robinson ...
* Louie Pheeters (town drunk; 1961–1970):
James Nusser James Nusser (May 3, 1905 – June 8, 1979) was an American film and television actor. He was known for playing the recurring role of town drunk Louis Pheeters in the American western television series '' Gunsmoke'' from 1956 to 1970. Buzzer w ...
* Ma Smalley (boardinghouse owner; 1961–1972):
Sarah Selby Sarah Elizabeth Selby (born August 30, 1905 – January 7, 1980) was an American actress. Career Selby was a character actress who played minor roles for the most part – usually a town gossip, maiden aunt, or teacher. Beginning her career as a ...
* Hank Miller (stableman; 1963–1975):
Hank Patterson Elmer Calvin "Hank" Patterson (October 9, 1888 – August 23, 1975) was an American actor and musician. He is known foremost for playing two recurring characters on three television series: the stableman Hank Miller on ''Gunsmoke'' and farmer ...
* Mr. Bodkin (banker; 1963–1970):
Roy Roberts Roy Roberts (born Roy Barnes Jones, March 19, 1906 – May 28, 1975) was an American character actor. Over his more than 40-year career, he appeared in more than nine hundred productions on stage and screen. Life and career Born in Tampa ...
* Barney Danches (telegraph agent; 1965–1974): Charles Seel * Roy (townsperson; 1965–1969): Roy Barcroft * Halligan (rancher; 1966–1975): Charles Wagenheim * Mr. Lathrop (storekeeper; 1966–1975):
Woody Chambliss Woodrow Lewis Chambliss (October 14, 1914 in Bowie, Texas – January 8, 1981 in Ojai, California) was an American character actor who appeared in both feature films and television. He is probably best known for his appearances as several chara ...
* Nathan Burke (freight agent; 1966–1975):
Ted Jordan Edgar Harrison Friedman Jr. (May 23, 1924 – March 30, 2005) was an American film and television actor. He was known for playing freight agent Nathan Burke on 108 episodes of the American western television series '' Gunsmoke'' from 1966 to 1 ...
* Percy Crump (undertaker; 1966–1972):
Kelton Garwood Kelton Bradford Garwood, also known and credited as Jonathan Harper, and John Harper, (May 21, 1928 – July 28, 1991) was an American actor on stage, film and television, perhaps best known as undertaker Percy Crump on the western television ...
(also credited as Jonathan Harper) * Ed O'Connor (rancher; 1968–1972): Tom Brown * Judge Brooker (1970–1975): Herb Vigran * John Chapman (1971):
Pat Hingle Martin Patterson Hingle (July 19, 1924 – January 3, 2009) was an American character actor who appeared in stage productions and in hundreds of television shows and feature films. His first film was ''On the Waterfront'' in 1954. He often play ...
* Miss Hannah (saloon owner; 1974–75):
Fran Ryan Fran Mary Ryan (November 29, 1916 January 15, 2000) was an American character actress featured in television and films. She was born in Los Angeles, California. Career Ryan began performing at the age of six at Oakland's Henry Duffy Theatre. ...


Music

The ''Gunsmoke'' radio theme song and later TV theme is title
"Old Trails"
also known as "Boothill". The ''Gunsmoke'' theme was composed by Rex Koury. The original radio version was conducted by Koury. The TV version was thought to have been first conducted by CBS west coast music director
Lud Gluskin Ludwig Elias "Lud" GluskinState of New York Certificate and Record of Birth, January 4, 1899. (December 16, 1898 – October 13, 1989) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader.Donnelly, K.J. and Philip Hayward (2012''Music in Science Fiction ...
. The lyrics of the theme, never aired on the radio or television show, were recorded and released by Tex Ritter in 1955. Ritter was backed on that Capitol record by Rex Koury and the radio ''Gunsmoke'' orchestra. William Lava composed the original theme music for television, as noted in the program credits. Other notable composers included: *
Elmer Bernstein Elmer Bernstein ( '; April 4, 1922August 18, 2004) was an American composer and conductor. In a career that spanned over five decades, he composed "some of the most recognizable and memorable themes in Hollywood history", including over 150 origi ...
*
Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer and conductor known for his work in film and television scoring. He composed scores for five films in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and three in the Rambo (franchise) ...
*
Bernard Herrmann Bernard Herrmann (born Maximillian Herman; June 29, 1911December 24, 1975) was an American composer and conductor best known for his work in composing for films. As a conductor, he championed the music of lesser-known composers. He is widely re ...
* Jerome Moross * Franz Waxman


Format

From 1955 to 1961, ''Gunsmoke'' is a half-hour show, retitled ''Marshal Dillon'' in syndication. It then went to an hour-long format. The series was retitled ''Gun Law'' in the UK. The ''Marshal Dillon'' syndicated reruns of half-hour episodes lasted from 1961 until 1964 on CBS, originally on Tuesday nights within its time in reruns.


Episodes


Syndication

In syndication, the entire 20-year run of ''Gunsmoke'' is separated into three packages by
CBS Television Distribution CBS Media Ventures, Inc. (formerly CBS Television Distribution, Inc. and CBS Paramount Domestic Television, Inc.) is an American television distribution company owned by CBS Studios, part of CBS Entertainment Group, a division of Paramount Glob ...
: * 1955–1961 half-hour episodes: These episodes are sometimes seen in their original format and sometimes in the ''Marshal Dillon'' format. When first-run, prime-time episodes of ''Gunsmoke'' expanded to an hour in fall 1961, CBS-TV reran the half-hour episodes as ''Marshal Dillon'' on the network on Tuesday nights from 1961 through 1964. These were later rerun in syndication. General syndication ended in the 1980s, but they do air occasionally on cable TV. Local stations would show the retitled ''Marshal Dillon'' version of the series, while the series under the original ''Gunsmoke'' title (with some episodes under the ''Marshal Dillon'' retitling) were seen in the late 1990s on
TV Land TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division. Originally a spinoff of Nick at Nite consisting exclusively of classic television shows, the channel now airs a combination of recent and cla ...
and later Hallmark Channel. STARZ! Westerns Channel aired this version under the ''Marshal Dillon'' title. RetroPlex also aired two half-hour episodes under the original ''Gunsmoke'' title, although the episodes are advertised as ''Marshal Dillon'', on Saturday nights from 8 to 9 pm Eastern time. MeTV announced that it would begin the half-hour black-and-white episodes beginning on January 2, 2017. * 1961–1966 one-hour black-and-white episodes: These episodes have not been widely seen in regular syndication since the 1980s, although selected episodes did air from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s on CBN Cable/The Family Channel, and later on Encore Westerns on a three-year contract that ended around 2006. As of January 2010, Encore Westerns was again airing the episodes. In October 2015, MeTV announced that it would begin airing the one-hour black-and-white episodes on October 26. * 1966–1975 one-hour color episodes: The last nine seasons of the Western, the most widely syndicated episodes of the entire series run, are still aired on some local stations, and nationally on TV Land and MeTV. The program currently airs on four major venues:
TV Land TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division. Originally a spinoff of Nick at Nite consisting exclusively of classic television shows, the channel now airs a combination of recent and cla ...
, which has carried the show since its inception in 1996,
Encore Westerns Starz Encore is an American pay television, premium television television channel, channel owned by Starz Inc. a subsidiary of Lionsgate, Lions Gate Entertainment and headquartered at the Meridian International Business Center complex in Meridia ...
, INSP, and
Weigel Broadcasting Weigel Broadcasting Co. is an American television broadcasting company based in Chicago, Illinois, alongside its flagship station WCIU-TV (Channel 26), at 26 North Halsted Street in the Greektown neighborhood. It currently owns 25 television sta ...
's MeTV
digital subchannel In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a method of transmitting more than one independent program stream simultaneously from the same digital radio or television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compress ...
network. Individual stations such as
KFWD KFWD, virtual channel 52 (VHF digital channel 9), is a ShopHQ- affiliated television station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas, United States and serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. The station is owned by Rye Brook, New York-based WRNN-TV ...
in Dallas also carry the series in their markets. It has also been shown on satellite channel CBS Action in the UK, Ireland and Poland. The series also appears intermittently on MeTV's themed sister network Decades, which CBS holds a partial interest in; it appears on the schedule depending on the theme and year a particular day has.


Home media

In 2006, as part of ''Gunsmoke''s 50th anniversary on TV, selected episodes were released on DVD in three different box sets. Twelve episodes, from 1955 to 1964, were selected for the ''Gunsmoke: Volume I'' box set, and another twelve episodes, from 1964 to 1975, were selected for the ''Gunsmoke: Volume II'' box set. Both sets are also available as a combined single "Gift Box Set". A third unique DVD box set, known as ''Gunsmoke: The Directors Collection'', was also released with 10 selected episodes from certain seasons throughout the series' 20-year history. All of these box sets are available on Region 1 DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS DVD. Additionally, Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS DVD have released the series in its entirety on DVD for 13 years between 2007 and 2020 in Region 1 (all of the seasons except for season one and seasons sixteen through twenty were split into two volumes). A complete series box set was released on May 5, 2020. All DVDs have been released with English audio and close captioning from season 1 to 5 and starting season 6 English SDH.


TV movies

In 1987, CBS commissioned a reunion movie titled '' Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge''. James Arness and Amanda Blake returned in their iconic roles of Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty, with Fran Ryan returning as Kitty's friend and saloon-owner Hannah and Buck Taylor as Newly O'Brian. Doc Adams and Festus Haggen were not featured in the film. Milburn Stone had died 7 years earlier in 1980 and the role of Doc was not recast. Ken Curtis balked at the salary offer he received and said that he should be paid based on Festus's importance in the character hierarchy. The screenwriters responded to Curtis's absence by making Newly the new Dodge City marshal. The film, shot in
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
, features a now-retired Marshal Dillon being attacked and a vengeful former rival returning to Dodge City to entrap him. In 1990, the second telefilm, ''Gunsmoke: The Last Apache'', premiered. Because Amanda Blake had died the year before, the writers revisited a 1973 episode for the movie. The episode was based on "Matt's Love Story". In the episode, Matt loses his memory and his heart during a brief liaison with "Mike" Yardner (played by
Michael Learned Michael Learned (born April 9, 1939) is a distinguished American actor, known for her role as Olivia Walton in the long-running CBS drama series ''The Waltons'' (1972–1981). She has won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in ...
, better known for playing Olivia in '' The Waltons''). In the film, Learned returns as Mike, who reveals to Marshal Dillon that he is the father of their daughter, Beth (played by
Amy Stock-Poynton Amy Elizabeth Stoch is an American actress and academic, also known as Amy Stock and Amy Stock-Poynton. Life and career Stoch was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and wanted to be an actress from a young age. She had her break when she reache ...
) and asks him for help in saving her from a band on Apaches. Other films included '' Gunsmoke: To the Last Man'' (1992), '' Gunsmoke: The Long Ride'' (1993), and '' Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice'' (1994). Arness stars in all five made-for-television movies.


Reception


Primetime Emmy


1955 (presented March 17, 1956)

* Best Action or Adventure Series – nominated (winner: ''
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
'')


1956 (presented March 16, 1957)

* Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Series: James Arness – nominated (winner: Robert Young for '' Father Knows Best'')


1957 (presented April 15, 1958)

* Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic or Comedy Series: James Arness – nominated (winner: Robert Young for ''Father Knows Best'') * Best Continuing Supporting Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic or Comedy Series: Dennis Weaver – nominated (winner: Carl Reiner for ''
Caesar's Hour ''Caesar's Hour'' is a live, hour-long American sketch-comedy television program that aired on NBC from 1954 until 1957. The program starred, among others, Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Janet Blair, and Milt Kamen, and f ...
'') * Best Dramatic Series with Continuing Characters won * Best Editing of a Film for Television: Mike Pozen for "How to Kill a Woman" – won * Best Teleplay Writing (Half-Hour or Less):
John Meston John Lyman Meston (July 30, 1914March 24, 1979) was an American scriptwriter best known for co-creating with producer Norman Macdonnell the long-running Western series ''Gunsmoke''. He developed storylines and wrote radio scripts and teleplays f ...
for "Born to Hang" – nominated (winner: Paul Monash for '' Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' – "The Lonely Wizard")


1958 (presented May 6, 1959)

* Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series: James Arness – nominated (winner:
Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas ''Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...
for '' Perry Mason'') * Best Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series: Dennis Weaver – won * Best Supporting Actress (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series:
Amanda Blake Amanda Blake (born Beverly Louise Neill, February 21, 1929 – August 16, 1989) was an American actress best known for the role of the red-haired saloon proprietress "Miss Kitty Russell" on the western television series ''Gunsmoke''. Along with ...
– nominated (winner: Barbara Hale for ''Perry Mason'') * Best Western Series – nominated (winner: ''
Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Bureau ...
'')


1965–1966 (presented May 22, 1966)

* Individual Achievements in Music - Composition: Morton Stevens for "Seven Hours to Dawn" – nominated (winner: Laurence Rosenthal for ''Michelangelo: The Last Giant'')


1967–1968 (presented May 19, 1968)

* Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition: Morton Stevens for "Major Glory" (winner: Earle Hagen for ''
I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...
'' – "Laya") * Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama: Milburn Stone – won


1969–1970 (presented by June 7, 1970)

* Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing: Norman Karlin and Richard E. Raderman – won (tied with Alex Bamattre, Michael Colgan, Douglas H. Grindstaff, Joe Kavigan, Bill Lee, and Josef E. Von Stroheim for ''ABC Movie of the Week: The Immortal'')


Awards

* In ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
''′s April 17, 1993, issue celebrating 40 years of television, the all-time-best-TV programs were chosen. "No contest, this 'Gunsmoke''was ''the'' TV western." * ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' (February 19, 1999, issue) ranked the premiere of ''Gunsmoke'' as No. 47 in the "100 Greatest Moments in Television". * ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'', in 1998, ranked ''Gunsmoke'' as No. 16 in The 100 Greatest TV Shows of all time. * In a 1998 ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' poll of 50,000, ''Gunsmoke'' was ranked as CBS's best western and James Arness was ranked as CBS's best "Gunslinger". * In 1997, the episode "The Jailer" was ranked No. 28 on ''TV Guide''s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. * In 2002, ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' ranked ''Gunsmoke'' as No. 40 in the 50 greatest television shows of all time. * In 2013, ''TV Guide'' ranked it as #27 on their list of the 60 Best Series. * In 2019, the radio episode "The Cabin" was selected by the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
for preservation in the
National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservati ...
for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".


Viewer reception

''Gunsmoke'' was TV's number-one-ranked show from 1957 to 1961, then expanded to one hour, and slipped into a decline. In 1967, the 12th season, CBS planned to cancel the series, but widespread viewer reaction (including a mention in Congress and the behind-the-scenes pressure from Babe Paley, the wife of CBS's longtime president William S. Paley) prevented its demise. On the Biography Channel's ''Behind The Scenes: Gilligan's Island'' (2002), ''
Gilligan's Island ''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells. It aired for thr ...
'' producer Sherwood Schwartz states that Babe pressured her husband not to cancel ''Gunsmoke'' in 1967, so the network cut ''Gilligan's Island'', instead. The show continued in its new time slot at 8 pm on Mondays. This scheduling move led to a spike in ratings that had it once again rally to the top 10 in the
Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, which again saved the series when CBS purged most of its rural content in 1971. The series remained in the top 10 until the 1973–74 television season. In September 1975, though still ranking among the top-30 programs in the ratings, ''Gunsmoke'' was canceled after a 20-year run; it was replaced by ''
Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore (December 29, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1961–1966) and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), which ...
'' spin-offs ''
Rhoda ''Rhoda'' is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns starring Valerie Harper that originally aired on CBS for five seasons from September 9, 1974, to December 9, 1978. It was the first spin-off of ''The Mary Tyle ...
'' and '' Phyllis'' (though ''Rhoda'' actually debuted while ''Gunsmoke'' was still airing first-run). Thirty TV westerns came and went during its 20-year tenure, and ''Gunsmoke'' was the sole survivor, with '' Alias Smith and Jones'' and ''
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...
'' both leaving the airwaves years earlier in January 1973.


Legacy


Spin-off

''Gunsmoke'' has one spin-off series, ''
Dirty Sally ''Dirty Sally'' was a humorous western television series about a hard-drinking cantankerous old woman and a young former outlaw traveling to the California gold fields in a wagon pulled by a mule named Worthless. The series consisted of 14 half-h ...
'', a semicomedy starring Jeanette Nolan as an old woman and
Dack Rambo Norman Jay Rambo (November 13, 1941 – March 21, 1994), professionally known as Dack Rambo, was an American actor, widely known for his role as Walter Brennan's grandson Jeff in the series ''The Guns of Will Sonnett'', as Steve Jacobi in the ...
as a young gunfighter, leaving Dodge City for California to
pan for gold Gold panning, or simply ''panning'', is a form of placer mining and traditional mining that extracts gold from a placer deposit using a pan. The process is one of the simplest ways to extract gold, and is popular with geology enthusiasts especia ...
. The program lasted 14 weeks and aired in the first half of 1974, a year before ''Gunsmoke'' ended.


Longevity records

The television series was the longest-running, primetime, live-action television series at 20 seasons, until September 2019 with the 21st-season premiere of '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''. The original ''
Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...
'', which was canceled in 2010 after tying ''Gunsmoke''s longevity record for a live-action, primetime television series, began its 21st season in February 2022. , it had the highest number of scripted episodes for any U.S. primetime, commercial, live-action television series. On April 29, 2018, ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' surpassed the show for the most scripted episodes. Some foreign-made programs have been broadcast in the U.S. and contend for the position as the longest-running prime-time series. , ''Gunsmoke'' was rated fourth globally, after ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' (1963–present), '' Taggart'' (1983–2010), and ''
The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused on ...
'' (1984–2010). ''Gunsmoke'' is the last fictional primetime show that debuted in the 1950s to leave the air and only three shows from the 1960s that lasted past its final season in 1974–75.


Character longevity

James Arness and Milburn Stone portrayed their ''Gunsmoke'' characters for 20 consecutive years, a feat later matched by Kelsey Grammer as the character Frasier Crane, but over two half-hour sitcoms (''
Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...
'' and '' Frasier''). This feat would be surpassed by Mariska Hargitay, who has portrayed the character
Olivia Benson Olivia Margaret "Liv" Benson is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the NBC police procedural drama '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', portrayed by Mariska Hargitay. Benson holds the rank and pay-grade of Captain and is the Com ...
on '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' for over 23 consecutive years to date. George Walsh, the announcer for ''Gunsmoke'', began in 1952 on the radio series and continued until the television series was canceled in 1975. James Arness, Milburn Stone, Ken Curtis, Dennis Weaver, and Amanda Blake are all inductees of the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 American West, Western and Native Americans in the United States, American Indian art works and Artifact (archaeology), ar ...
.


In popular culture

Dodge City's Boot Hill Museum has a tribute to ''Gunsmoke'', including set furniture from the 1960s and an old television tuned to the show. Signed photographs from the show's actors and other memorabilia are on display including a vest worn by Sam the bartender and a dress worn by Miss Kitty. In 2015, several of the surviving staff reunited at Wild West Fest in Dodge City, including stars
Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
, Buck Taylor,
Jess Walton Mary Jesse Walton is an American actress, best known for her role as Kelly Harper in CBS soap opera ''Capitol'' and as Jill Abbott on the CBS soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless''. She also starred in the 2018 movie ''Christmas with a View'' ...
, Bruce Boxleitner, and writer Jim Byrnes. German-American
political philosopher Political philosophy or political theory is the philosophical study of government, addressing questions about the nature, scope, and legitimacy of public agents and institutions and the relationships between them. Its topics include politics, l ...
and
Plato Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
scholar
Leo Strauss Leo Strauss (, ; September 20, 1899 – October 18, 1973) was a German-American political philosopher who specialized in classical political philosophy. Born in Germany to Jewish parents, Strauss later emigrated from Germany to the United States. ...
was a fervent fan of ''Gunsmoke''. Strauss "had one vice, or rather obsession. He would never miss a Saturday night TV program called Gunsmoke, a western about Marshall Matt Dillon in Dodge City, Kansas, and his many exploits. Strauss once said that the situation in the Old West was an excellent representation, unintentional or not, of what Hobbes meant by the state of nature."


In media

The ''Gunsmoke'' brand was used to endorse numerous products, including cottage cheese and cigarettes. The Hartland toy company included an 8" (1/9th scale) plastic Matt Dillion figure and his horse Old Faithful Buck in their line of famous TV cowboys and horses during the 1950s. Lowell Toy Manufacturing Corporation ("It's a Lowell Game") issued ''Gunsmoke'' as game No. 822. Other products include ''Gunsmoke'' puzzles,


Comics

*
Dell Comics Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publishing, which got its start in pulp magazines. It published comics from 1929 to 1974. At its peak, it was the most prominent and successful American company in the medium.Evanier, Mark"Wh ...
published numerous issues of their ''
Four Color ''Four Color'', also known as ''Four Color Comics'' and ''Dell Four Color'', was an American comic book anthology series published by Dell Comics between 1939 and 1962. The title is a reference to the four basic colors used when printing comic ...
'' comics series on ''Gunsmoke'' (including issues #679, 720, 769, 797, 844 and, in 1958–1962, #6–27). * Gold Key Comics continued with issues #1–6 in 1969–70. * A comic strip version of the series ran in British newspapers for several years under the show's UK title, ''Gun Law''. * Hardcover comic ''BBC Gunsmoke Annuals'' were marketed in Great Britain under the authority of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
which had broadcasting rights there. * ''Gunsmoke'' comics in Spanish were published under the title ''Aventura la ley del revolver'' (''Gun-Law Adventures'').


Books

* In 1957,
Ballantine Books Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann in 1998 and remains ...
published a collection of short stories. Each story is based on a half-hour ''Gunsmoke'' episode. Although a photo of James Arness and the CBS TV logo are on the book cover, in at least one story Matt introduces Chester as "Chester Proudfoot", an indication that the stories are actually adapted from radio scripts. * Whitman Books published ** ''Gunsmoke'' by Robert Turner in 1958, and ** ''Gunsmoke: "Showdown on Front Street"'' by Paul S. Newman in 1969 ... * In 1970, Popular Library published the following paperback book written by Chris Stratton: ** ''Gunsmoke'' * In 1974, Award Books published the following paperback books written by Jackson Flynn based on the TV series: ** ''Gunsmoke #1: "The Renegades" ** ''Gunsmoke #2: "Shootout"'' ** ''Gunsmoke #3: "Duel at Dodge City"'' ** ''Gunsmoke #4: "Cheyenne Vengeance"'' * In 1998, Boulevard Books published the following paperbacks written by Gary McCarthy based on the TV series: ** ''Gunsmoke'' ** ''Gunsmoke: "Dead Man's Witness"'' ** ''Gunsmoke: "Marshal Festus"'' * A series of novels based upon the television series written by Joseph A. West with forewords by
James Arness James Arness (born James King Aurness; May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the CBS television series '' Gunsmoke''. Arness has the distinction of having played the ...
was published by Signet: ** ''Gunsmoke: "Blood, Bullets and Buckskin"'', January 2005 () ** ''Gunsmoke: "The Last Dog Soldier"'', May 2005 () ** ''Gunsmoke: "Blizzard of Lead"'', September 2005 () ** ''Gunsmoke: "The Reckless Gun"'', May 2006 () ** ''Gunsmoke: "Dodge the Devil"'', October 2006 () ** ''Gunsmoke: "The Day of the Gunfighter"'', January 2007 () ** "Gunsmoke: An American Institution, Celebrating 50 Years of Television's Best Western" Written by Ben Costello, Foreword by Jim Byrnes, and Introduction by Jon Voight and published by Five Star Publications, Inc.(now Story Monsters LLC) Published 1 edition (December 22, 2012), Independent e-book * ''Gunsmoke: Battlefield Dodge'', June 2015


Notes


References


Further reading

* John Dunning, ''On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio'',
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 1998. * SuzAnn Barabas & Gabor Barabas, ''Gunsmoke: A Complete History and Analysis of the Legendary Broadcast Series'', McFarland & Company, Inc., 1990. * Bill Carter, "NBC Will Bring Back All Three ''Law & Order'' Shows", ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', May 14, 2007. * David R. Greenland, ''The Gunsmoke Chronicles: A New History of Television's Greatest Western'', BearManor Media, 2013.


External links

*
Listen to the entire ''Gunsmoke'' radio series

Listen to the complete series of the radio version of ''Gunsmoke''

Zoot Radio, over 450 free ''Gunsmoke'' radio shows

Listen to radio ''Gunsmoke'' at OldClassicRadio
{{TopUSTVShows 1950s American radio programs 1950s Western (genre) television series 1955 American television series debuts 1960s American radio programs 1960s Western (genre) television series 1970s Western (genre) television series 1975 American television series endings American radio dramas American television series revived after cancellation Black-and-white American television shows CBS Radio programs CBS original programming Dell Comics titles Dodge City, Kansas English-language television shows Gold Key Comics titles Nielsen ratings winners Period radio series Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series winners Radio programs adapted into television shows Television franchises Television series based on radio series Television series by CBS Studios Television shows adapted into comics Television shows set in Kansas United States Marshals Service in fiction United States National Recording Registry recordings Western (genre) radio series