"Gunsmoke" (1955) TV series 1955-1975

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20

Release Date:

10 September 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Plot:

Marshall Matt Dillon keeps the peace in the rough and tumble Dodge City.

Plot Keywords:

Marshal | Cult Western | Famous Opening Theme | Saloon Owner | One Word Title

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 11 wins & 14 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 23	1:00 PM	TVLAND	Milligan	#18.9
Tue. Nov. 24	1:00 PM	TVLAND	The Sodbusters	#18.11

Cast

James Arness	...	Marshal Matt Dillon / ... (617 episodes, 1955-1975)
Milburn Stone	...	Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams / ... (459 episodes, 1955-1975)
Amanda Blake	...	Kitty Russell / ... (422 episodes, 1955-1974)
Ken Curtis	...	Festus Haggen / ... (252 episodes, 1959-1975)

Also Known As:

Gun Law (UK)
Marshal Dillon (USA) (rerun title)

Runtime:

USA:30 min (1955-1961) (233 episodes) (including commercials) | USA:60 min (1961-1975) (402 episodes) (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1955-1966) | Color (1966-1975)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:TV-G (some episodes) | USA:TV-PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Bell Ranch, Santa Susana, California, USA

Company:

Arness Production Company

Trivia:

The actress originally offered the part of Miss Kitty, Polly Bond (aka Polly Ellis), turned it down due to her recent (at the time) marriage to actor Tommy Bond in 1953.

Quotes:

[the teaser of the very first episode, "Matt Gets It."]
John Wayne: Good evening. My name's Wayne. Some of you may have seen me before. I hope so. I've been kicking around Hollywood a long time. I've made a lot of pictures out here. All kinds. Some of them have been westerns and that's what I'm here to tell you about tonight...

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Nunsense (1993) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Old Trail

Gunsmoke will be remembered as the finest television western series of all time.

I remember watching Gunsmoke in the late 1950's. In black and white or in color it was consistently good, in large part, due to its talented cast. Originally John Wayne was offered the part but felt TV was not his cup of tea. He recommended a tall, good looking James Arness to play Matt Dillon and the rest is history.For the first 9 years, Dennis Weaver played Matt's devoted friend and deputy. Amanda Blake was perfect in the role of Miss Kitty, who ran the local Dodge City saloon. Milburn Stone, a long time screen actor, was given the part of Doc Adams, an outspoken man with a heart of gold. Then there was Ken Curtis who played Festus Hagen, a lovable deputy who was an equal replacement for Dennis Weaver. For 20 years, Gunsmoke graced the television line up at CBS. It was a different western in that its scripts were often filled with emotional stories that developed its characters. It employed many of our finest actors in guest roles. Realistic filming in Thousand Oaks, Ca. and in southwest Utah added to its appeal. It still runs today on Nick at Night and continues to captivate its audience. It is just plain good!!!