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Nov 1, 2022 · However, Weaver believed that Gunsmoke was popular for very specific reasons. He thought that it went beyond giving only one reason, but thought of it as a combination of winning factors.
Dec 3, 2020 · Gunsmoke was immensely popular over the course of its 20 season run. For the 18 years for which ratings are available it finished as the #1 show four times (all from 1957 to 1961) and in the top ten 13 seasons (1956-63, 1967-73).
- Mark Stoler
- The Durability of James Arness
- John Wayne’s Association with Gunsmoke
- Miss Kitty’s Real Job
- A Surprising Number of On-Screen Smooches
- Remaining Cast Members
- World War II Affected The Shooting Schedule
- The Origins of A Common Saying
- It Was Responsible For The Cancellation of A Classic Show
- The USS Enterprise Gets in and Out of Dodge
- The Surprise Ending
Gunsmokespanned 635 episodes spread out over 20 years. With such a long run, you might expect some or even most of the characters to eventually depart the cast. After all, scheduling conflicts and personal issues have forced the departure of stars from far shorter shows. Not star James Arness, though. He didn’t miss a single episode in his role as ...
When casting the role of Matt Dillon, showrunners needed to find the perfect cowboy. While there’s an urban legend circulating on the internet that they offered the iconic John Wayne the part, there’s no evidence to suggest that actually happened. According to Charles Marquis Warren, who knew Wayne and directed several episodes of the show, Wayne w...
The beautiful Amanda Blake played the role of the red-headed saloon owner, Miss Kitty Russell, on Gunsmoke. She appeared in over 500 episodes of the long-running show. In the Gunsmoke radio series, however, Miss Kitty had a much more scandalous role. Series creator Norman Macdonnell never explicitly admitted what her job was, but he did give a hint...
While many fans loved the romantic tension between characters Matt and Kitty and rooted for them to get together, it never ended up happening on screen. This was partially to keep the nature of the story from changing. As actress Amanda Blake explained about her character, “She’d love Matt to say, ‘Kitty, let’s buy a hunk o’ land and raise some bea...
With so many episodes to its name, it’s hard to keep track of all of the actors who appeared on Gunsmoke. The cast included 10 regulars, seven recurring characters, and a slew of guest stars. The last regular cast member passed away in 2018. Actor Burt Reynolds played the half-native Quint Asper from 1962 to 1965. Because of his heritage, Asper was...
How did a war that ended 10 years before Gunsmokeever aired manage to delay it? Before his acting career, Arness was drafted into the U.S. Army in March of 1943 and participated in the Battle of Anzio in Italy on January 22, 1944. Machine-gun fire hit his lower right leg and foot, earning him a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. The rehabilitation was t...
A lot of popular catchphrases come from television and movies, but not many of them stick with future generations. However, the use of the phrase “get out of Dodge” to mean running away from wherever you are before something bad happens persists. The phrase was popularized by Gunsmoke in the 60s and 80s and was especially used by kids. Dodge City i...
CBS President William Paley had his doubts about Gilligan’s Island. He couldn’t understand how a show about a group of people stranded on an island could last, but the show about an extended three-hour tour defied all odds and became a rating sensation, so he let it be. That is until Gunsmokegave him a reason. In 1967, Gilligan’s Island had a covet...
Love them or hate them, crossover cameos have been a staple of television for decades now. When done well, they delight fans of two franchises without distracting too much from the story. While there was never a direct Star Trek crossover — that would be hard to imagine — many of the actors nevertheless appeared on Gunsmoke. William Shatner (Captai...
A good series finale can make or break a series. Ideally, it should wrap up existing plots and character arcs while still allowing each character to have an engaging future offscreen. However, Gunsmokedidn’t get that chance. The network broke the bad news to producers and actors without warning. “We didn’t do a final, wrap-up show,” said Arness. “W...
Sep 14, 2022 · Gunsmoke producer John Mantley once gave his reasoning for why he thought the show became so “uniquely successful” for so many years. ‘Gunsmoke’ gave a special vision of the American West
Feb 5, 2024 · Gunsmoke was the longest-running live-action primetime series in history, with the highest number of scripted episodes. Gunsmoke revolutionized the Western genre and launched the...
- David Grove
Apr 25, 2024 · Gunsmoke ended after 20 seasons with a lackluster episode titled "The Sharecroppers." CBS had been trying to cancel Gunsmoke for years, ending the series with an underwhelming finale.
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Feb 9, 2020 · Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice is ultimately a decent if unremarkable end to the franchise, with a simple story that drags a little. Still, it's notable not only being the official end to the saga, but also for being James Arness' final time playing Marshall Dillion and his final acting role.
