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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.
- John Wayne helped James Arness get the role of Marshal Matt Dillon. By the early 1950s, Westerns were the biggest movies on the big screen, and the biggest actor in them was the Duke, John Wayne.
- Dillon was the hardest role to cast. Long before Batman became the role every actor in Hollywood wanted to play, it was Matt Dillon that practically every actor in town was fighting over.
- Polly Bond turned down the role of Miss Kitty. John Wayne wasn't the only actor to turn down a leading role in "Gunsmoke." And if fate had turned another way, starring opposite James Arness would have been someone very different than Amanda Blake — who played saloon owner Miss Kitty Russell.
- The series featured a number of actors before they were famous. Debuting in the fall of 1955, and closing out its two decades on the air in 1975, "Gunsmoke" aired more than 600 episodes.
- James Arness' War Wounds Affected The Shooting Schedule. James was severely wounded while serving as a rifleman in the Army. His life-changing injury happened during Operation Shingle, at Anzio, Italy, in 1944.
- Several Kids From 'The Brady Bunch' Appeared On The Show. Christopher Knight (Peter Brady), Eve Plumb (Jan Brady), and Susan Olsen (Cindy Brady) all made appearances at one point or another during the show's 20-year run on CBS.
- The Cast Had No Idea When They Were Canceled. Many of the cast members had to read about the cancellation in trade publications instead of hearing it directly from the network or producers.
- Dennis Weaver Auditioned Twice. Dennis didn't think his first audition went very well, so he convinced the casting directors and the other folks in charge to let him give it a second go.
- There were multiple famous guest stars. Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Scotty from Star Trek all appeared on the show. You also get to see Peter, Jan, and Cindy from The Brady Bunch.
- James Arness is the only actor to appear in every episode. Milburn Stone was almost there with him in his role as Doc but suffered a heart attack that led him to miss six episodes.
- Amanda Blake was not the first choice for Miss Kitty Russell. The role was initially offered to Polly Bond. After she declined, it was all Blake.
- The show was a number one hit. From 1957-61 this was the number one show on television. Quite the run.
Jul 26, 2024 · Gunsmoke, American television western that aired on CBS for 20 seasons (1955–75), becoming the longest-running TV western in history. Set in Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1890s, it centered on the character of Matt Dillon, a U.S. marshal charged with maintaining law and order in a frontier town.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Nov 9, 1997 · Claim: John Wayne was initially offered the role of Marshal Matt Dillon for the television version of Gunsmoke. Status: False. Origins: The role of Matt Dillon was never offered to John Wayne ...
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A TV Western Each Year: 'Gunsmoke', 1955. US Marshal Matt Dillon keeps the peace in Dodge City. A true milestone in the history of Television. The longest lasting Western TV Series, and still the weekly TV Series with the most number of episodes and hours of film.
