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TV GUIDE

GUNSMOKE

1963

Dennis Weaver and James Arness

(Chester and Marshall Matt Dillon)

Happy 60th Birthday Gunsmoke

September 10th 1955, CBS television debuted its version of the already popular radio western "Gunmsoke".  With James Arness cast as US Marshall Matt Dillon of Dodge the show would be a mainstay of US television until its final episode on March 31st 1975 (a then record of 20 years on prime time television).

The debut episode, "Matt Gets It" was introduced to the US audience by John Wayne, which lent an air of credence to James Arness as Matt Dillon.  His portrayal of Dillon was in the vein of the radio version created by William Conrad, but over the ensuing the years Arness molded the character to more of his personality and less bitter about life and people.  CBS' in later years would tone down the violence seen in the first few seasons of Gunsmoke and it became more of a character drama than western.  In the beginning many of the radio scripts with small changes were used and by the 3rd season was the #1 program on primetime television.   Gunsmoke paved the way for a slew of "adult" westerns with good scripts and believable situations with the good guy not always winning or getting the girl.

Today on its 60th birthday "Gunsmoke" is still seen as a high point in drama and westerns on TV and in 1958 was awarded the Emmy Award for Best Dramatic Series.  In 1959 the Emmy Awards added a category for Best Western Series, thanks to the popularity of Gunsmoke every network had several on their schedule, but they lost to ABC's "Maverick".

Even today Gunsmoke is seen on at least 3 different networks everyday, ME-TV, TVLand and Starz Westerns, proving that some shows are so good they transcend generations.

"Matt Get Its"

Season 1 episode 1

September 10th 1955

Gunsmoke on Radio and Television

This week's presentation of Gunsmoke on Radio and Television is the episode that was the television version's season 4 premiere.  The 1958-59 television season would be the 2nd of 4 straight seasons that Gunsmoke was the #1 show on prime time network television.

Matt For Murder

July 26th 1954

season 2 episode 46

Matt For Murder

September 13th 1958

Season 3 episode 1

Gunsmoke on Television

Season 3 of Gunsmoke (1957-58) was the first of 4 consecutive seasons that Gunsmoke was the #1 show on network prime time television.  Airing on Saturday nights at 10:30pm on CBS tv, it would have the record for most seasons as #1 until 1975-76 season when "All in the Family" would set the new standard with its 5 consecutive season as the top show on network television.  Oddly enough "Gunsmoke" was the #4 show of the 1971-72 season when "All in the Family" started its record setting run.

Kitty Lost

Season 3 Episode 15

originally aired December 21st 1957

Gunsmoke on TV Season 3

Season 3 (1957-58) of Gunsmoke on TV was its first of 4 consecutive seasons as the #1 prime time network show.  This was unprecedented and would not be matched until All In The Family was #1 for 5 consecutive seasons in the 1970s.

Episode 11

Fingered

originally aired November 23rd 1957

Gunsmoke on Radio and TV (Custer)

This time we hear and see the episode from Gunsmoke :

Custer

Originally aired November 21st 1953

Season 2

Episode 11

CBS Radio

Custer

Originally Aired September 22nd 1956

Season 2

Episode 3

CBS Television

Gunsmoke on Radio and Television

Tonight we again visit Dodge City 

Today:

(and yes they used this title twice)

How To Kill a Woman

aired 10/31/1953

Season 2  episode 6

CBS Radio

How To Kill a Woman

aired 11/30/1957

Season 3 episode 12

CBS Television

(This was Gunsmoke's first of 4 consecutive seasons as the #1 show on prime time network TV)

Gunsmoke on Radio and Television

Here we go with another double feature of Gunsmoke.

First up the radio broadcast of 

"How To Die For Nothing"

Season 2 Episode 6 (10/10/1953)

This episode was then used on TV 
Season 2
episode 31 
(06/23/1956)

Gunsmoke - Season 3

  This was the first of 4 consecutive seasons that Gunsmoke was the #1 show in prime time television.

Season 3

Episode 12 

"How To Kill a Woman"

originally aired November 30th 1957

story by John Meston

screenplay David Peckinpaugh

special guest - Pernell Roberts

Gunsmoke - Season 3 - Jesse

We continue our journey through season 3 (1957-58) of Gunsmoke on television.   This was the first of 4 straight season as the #1 show in primetime.  Gunsmoke would hold that record until 1975-76 when All In the Family made it 5 straight seasons as #1.

Season 3 Episode 6 - Jesse

A man named Jesse Pruett comes to Dodge to kill a man he thinks killed his father.  Marshall Dillon of course cannot let this happen.

Guest stars - Edward Binns as Bill Strapp and George Brenlin as Jesse Pruett

Gunsmoke Season 3 - Potato Road

Continuing our look at Season 3 of Gunsmoke (1957-58) in which it was the #1 show in prime time television.  This was the first of 4 straight seasons at the #1.

"Potato Road"

aired October 12th 1957

Season 3 episode 5

Gunsmoke - Season 3 (Blood Money)

The 3rd season of Gunsmoke on television (1957-58) was the first of 4 straight as the #1 show in prime time.

 Blood Money

Season 3 episode 3

aired September 28th 1957

Gunsmoke - Pucket's New Year

From the television version of Gunsmoke, Season 2 originally aired January 5th 1957

Pucket's New Year written by John Meston

this was a great episode and in the style of the radio version since it was written by the man who wrote the majority of the radio episodes and the first 10 season's of television episodes.

Gunsmoke - The Tragedian

"The Tragedian"

Season 5 Episode 20  

aired January 23rd 1960

This revolves around and down and out actor turned card sharp who Matt and Chester decide to help instead of arrest.

The highlight for Gunsmoke fans was the appearance of Howard McNear as Joe the owner/cook of a local restaurant.

The longtime cast member of the radio version of Gunsmoke originating the role of Doc Adams before moving into the equally legendary role of Floyd the barber on the Andy Griffith Show.

Gunsmoke on Radio - Amy's Good Deed

"Amy's Good Deed"

 aired on CBS radio November 27th

1955 Season 4 episode 14,  

written by John Meston.

Aired on CBS television April 12th 1958 
Episode 109 season 3 
written for tv by Kathleen Hite

Guest star Jeanette Nolan as Amy

Gunsmoke On Radio and Television - Never Pester Chester

aired on CBS TV

November 16 1957

Season 3 episode 10

Stobo as played by Jacob "Buddy" Baer who was the brother of heavyweight boxing champion Max Baer and uncle to Max Baer Jr, better known as "Jethro Bodine" on the Beverly Hillbillies.

Originally aired 

July 5th 1952

CBS radio 

Season 1 episode 11

Gunsmoke - Grass

Season 4 Episode 129  

CBS TV

aired 11/29/1959

originally aired 

CBS Radio 

Season 1 episode 62  

07/11/1953

Gunsmoke - Smoking Out the Nolans

Season 1 Episode 7  aired 11/05/1955


originally aired on radio as "Smoking Out the Beedles" 11/06/1954

Gunsmoke

Even though I like the radio version much more than the tv show, my father never missed it. It was such a part of growing up I never realized it had been around so long.

Here from 1958-59 the 4th season - Stage Hold Up written by co creator John Meston (who wrote over 95% of the radio and tv episodes.