Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. You also get to see Peter, Jan, and Cindy from The Brady Bunch. Matt: James Arness. She was a mainstay on the show, however, she decided to leave her role after 19 years. 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Hickman Hill, grandson of veteran Western actor Tom Mix, makes his acting debut in a segment of Gunsmoke. 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Jeffords: Lee Van Cleef. Torreon: Vito Scotti. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Festus: Ken Curtis. CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA. "I felt it was time to move on. Doc: Milburn Stone. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. McGovern: Karl Swenson. Shortly after departing "Gunsmoke," the actor was cast in the single-season NBC comedy-drama "Kentucky Jones." then this list will help you answer those questions. Matt: James Arness. Verlyn: Bob Random. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Radio cast [ edit] Regulars [ edit] William Conrad as Matt Dillon Parley Baer as Chester Wesley Proudfoot Howard McNear as Doc Adams Georgia Ellis as Kitty Russell [2] Cookies help us deliver our Services. Web: Jeremy Slate. Vote for your favorite items on this poll, including William Shatner Burt Reynolds and more. Banjo: Tom McCauley. Director Bill Conrad (center, with his back to the camera) walks the cast through a script. Keeping the peace in Dodge City is no funny business, but Arness and Curtis share a laugh with Betty Hutton on the set. Williams: Jim Davis. Thad . Gray Horse: Michael Ansara. Okie: Tom Reese. Gunsmoke (1955-1975) Brooke Bundy: Alice, Orabelle. His castmates, including Amanda Blake (Miss Kitty), Ken Curtis (Festus) and Milburn Stone (Doc), would also play theirroles for years and years. John Wayne turned down the. 7 2020, Updated 8:23 p.m. Doc: Milburn Stone. Sholo: Morgan Woodward. Coy: Michael Davis. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Travers: Victor French. It was one of her last roles on screen. Originating on radio (with William Conrad as Dillon), it moved to TV in September 1955. Why did Amanda Blake leave Gunsmoke? Gunsmoke was the classic Western tale of a troubled town that needed someone to make sure that law and order was enforced. Abelia Johnson lives with her two children on a farm in the hill country north of Dodge City. Movies. The Ward gang is on the run after a bank robbery. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. ", The Real Reason Chester Was Written Off Gunsmoke. Armstrong. Frank: Tom Simcox. 2023 TV GUIDE, A FANDOM COMPANY. When his years of searching for gold finally pay off, prospector Jeb Carter hires a bodyguard to protect his wealth. Thad: Roger Ewing. John Wayne turned down the lead, suggesting James Arness (who remained for its entire run). The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television. Rev. Doc: Milburn Stone. Matt: James Arness. You can various bits of trivia about these Gunsmoke stars, such as where the actor was born and what their year of birth is. A startled Matt discovers that the fleeing train robber he wounded is a woman. Skeeter: George Lindsey. Amy: Amber Flower. However, in 1971, he was forced to temporarily leave the show for just a handful of episodes because he had to undergo heart surgery . Originally a popular radio show (called "Gun Law"), Gunsmokeis one of the most popular TV westerns in television history. This list includes all of the Gunsmoke main actors and actresses, so if they are an integral part of the show you'll find them below.You can various bits of trivia about these Gunsmoke stars, such as where the actor was born and what their year of birth is. Doc: Milburn Stone. How well do you know the character MacGyver? <Previous "Gunsmoke" Next> Season 11 (CBS)(1965-66) (60 min black-and-white) Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive with contributions by: references: TV Guide Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov) Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com) UCLA Film and Television Archive Festus's relatives descend on Dodge City in search of a wife. Kitty: Amanda Blake. Starr: Dub Taylor. Members of the Texas A&M football team meet Arness as they visit the set, October 9, 1964. Doc: Milburn Stone. Classic Western! The Ward gang is on the run after a bank robbery. Pinto: Nehemiah Persoff. [1] The listing includes regular cast members, guest stars, and recurring cast members. Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 September 6, 2018) was an American actor, director and producer. Matt: James Arness. Blake was presented the American Cancer Society's Courage Award. Sat, Sep 25, 1965 60 mins A buffalo hunter is sentenced to hang for a murder committed by the sons of Matt's old friend Adam Benteen. Along with shows like "Bonanza," "The Big Valley," and "The High Chaparral," the series helped popularize the image of the American cowboy as the ultimate rugged individual fighting for justice on a lawless frontier. I know it was risky doing that because a lot of actors did the same thing and really disappeared. Kitty: Amanda Blake. Ab: Richard Evans.. Allie: Lane Bradbury. She was openly a madame on the radio show, but producers felt that they needed to shy away from those details to be family-friendly on television. She was 60. The Ward gang is on the run after a bank robbery. Walker: Willard Sage. 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 role of Dillon in five decades: 1955 to 1975 in the weekly series, then in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge (1987) and four more made-for-television Gunsmoke films . Starring James Arness as the stolidly courageous Marshal Matt Dillon and Dennis Weaver as his loyal, down-home deputy Chester Goode along with Amanda Blake as saloon owner Miss Kitty and Milburn Stone as the crusty doc Galen Adams the series claimed the record as the longest-running scripted primetime franchise for over four decades until it was bested by "The Simpsons" in 2018 (via Entertainment Weekly). Updates? Arness peers over a collar of leis he received after he crossed the finish line first in the Multihull Transpacific Yacht Race, Sunday, July 15, 1968, in Honolulu. Lambert: Royal Dano. Betsy: Lesley Ann Warren. Chummer: Denver Pyle. Sarah: France Nuyen. Arness sits with his wife, Virginia Arness, 23, in 1958. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gunsmoke-American-television-series. Holtz: Ted Gehring. But towards the end of her time on Gunsmoke, she faced a different problem: her declining health. Festus: [changing clothes and hears a knock at the door] What do you want? The TV show Gunsmoke was a classic and it ran for 20 years on CBS. Mrs. Preeker: Maudie Prickett. Yes, Jill from "The Young and The Restless" played Patricia in the episode of the same name. Find movie and film cast and crew information for Gunsmoke : Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs (1966) - Alvin Ganzer on AllMovie. Doc: Milburn Stone. Milburn Stone collects an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor Drama in 1968. Kitty: Amanda Blake. A Word on Westerns 139K subscribers 70K views 1 year ago GUNSMOKE starring James Arness as Marshal. Web: Jeremy Slate. If you are looking for a serious drama then this episode is not for you. Doc: Milburn Stone. From 1957-61 this was the number one show on television. Billy: Bobby Crawford. Distractify is a registered trademark. Brown: Martin West. Its popularity spawned a number of copycats, but none would enjoy the longevity (and few the consistent quality) of this classic. With 635 episodes Gunsmoke seemed hard to beat, but The Simpsons have now surpassed it. Angus: Chips Rafferty. After the mules disappear, Festus walks toward Doc and Kitty, who are standing outside the Long Branch, and a boom mic shadows appears on the Long Branch sign. James Arness is the only actor to appear in every episode, 5. Arness starred in all of them. Woodrow Chambliss. After 26 actors tested, Wayne recommended his friend James Arness who won the role. Omissions? Richard: Tom Nardini. Airing during what's regarded as the Golden Age of TV Westerns, "Gunsmoke" was just one of 30 different shoot-em-ups, or "horse operas," on TV in 1959 (via PBS).Along with shows like "Bonanza . Malachi: Harry Townes. Thankfully though, William Paley, who was the network's president at the time, was a big fan (along with his wife) and didn't want it to end. She also worked on eight episodes of Gunsmoke, five of Have Gun Will Travel and three of the original Perry Mason. Blake sure earned a lot of clams working on the show. Fans loved watching the relationship unfold between Marshal Matt Dillon. Gunsmoke cast list, including photos of the actors when available. The gang loses one of the Ward brothers, shot in the stomach, while Abelia and another gang member go to Dodge for a painkiller; in town Festus and Newly have a run-in with the pair. Pearl: Judy Carne. or "Who starred on Gunsmoke?" By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. So why was Weaver's fan-favorite character written off the show in its ninth season ostensibly at the height of the show's popularity? Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs is the seventeenth episode of the eleventh season of Gunsmoke, and the three hundred ninety-fourth episode overall. Tensions mount when a stranger wearing the coat of a murdered preacher announces that he has come to Dodge to watch someone die. Jud: Paul Carr. Orabelle: Brooke Bundy. Doc: Milburn Stone. Kitty: Amanda Blake. Gore: John Drew Barrymore. Brown: Stuart Erwin. Doc: Milburn Stone. Miss Blake died Wednesday night at Mercy General Hospital, said hospital spokeswoman Jerri Ewen. Answer: Jess Walton. David: James MacArthur. Eb: Michael Vandever. It ended its 20 seasons with a regular episode. Festus: Ken Curtis. Matt: James Arness. David: Teno Pollick. The movie was one of the very last times Amanda was on screen, but that doesn't explain why she left the role in the first place. Amanda started with the show, airing on its first episode which ran in 1955. John Wayne turned down the lead, suggesting James Arness (who remained for its entire run). Mr. Porter: Sean Garrison. Conclusion. Festus: Ken Curtis. Ordman: Jack Elam. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. It's not certain whether it's a coincidence or not that the CBS show was canceled the next year, in 1975 or if after 20 years on air, it was just time. Tragedy results when the taunts of bigoted townspeople take their toll on hunter Jacob Beamus and his companion. Emery . Festus: Ken Curtis. Matt comes under fire when he tries to protect a wounded outlaw worth $30,000---dead or alive---from two bounty hunters. In this episode, Doc and Festus are kidnapped by a clan of buffalo hunters. While the radio series had relatively few recurring supporting characters, and those roles were often shared, the following actors played recurring roles with comparative consistency, in addition to a variety of one-time roles, Many actors appeared regularly on Gunsmoke, in the majority of episodes, but in a variety of one-shot roles; others were only heard once or twice. She was caretaker to a young boy that was injured during a tornado. The show once held the primetime record for the most-ever episodes, 16. [1] The listing includes regular cast members, guest stars, and recurring cast members. This landmark adult Western centered on Marshal Matt Dillon of Dodge City. After 19 years, though, why did Amanda leave? Showing all 6 items Jump to: Photos (6) Photos . Gunsmoke, American television western that aired on CBS for 20 seasons (1955-75), becoming the longest-running prime-time television western in history. But the programs enduring success resulted largely from the psychological drama and tense situations that were resolved with moral ambiguity rather than with a showdown at high noon. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ Actress Amanda Blake, who as Miss Kitty reigned for 19 years as the queen of Dodge City's Long Branch Saloon in the TV series Gunsmoke, died after a long battle with cancer. True to its name, the show did feature shoot-outs. Originally a popular radio show (called "Gun Law"), Gunsmoke is one of the most popular TV westerns in television history. Orabelle . Judd Ward and his gang of outlaws are on the run after robbing a bank in Garden City. Dan: Charles Dierkop. The gang loses one of the Ward brothers, shot in the stomach, while Abelia and another gang member go to Dodge for a painkiller; in town Fes Read allThe Ward gang is on the run after a bank robbery. By Sara Belcher. James Arness would continue to return to the role of Marshal Matt Dillon in subsequent TV movies, all the up until 1994. Running from 1955 to 1975, this old-time western classic . Matt: James Arness. Long before its characters were name-dropped in a Toby Keith classic,. How else to explain that a core cast could work together for two decades? All things considered, it seems that Weaver's desire to move beyond playing Chester was the real reason that the beloved character permanently rode off into the sunset on "Gunsmoke. Its popularity spawned a number of copycats, but none would enjoy the longevity (and few the consistent quality) of this classic. Ed: Scott Marlowe. The gang loses one of the Ward brothers, shot in the stomach, while Abelia and another gang member go to Dodge for a painkiller; in town Festus and Newly have a run-in with the pair. Arness and Blake get big laughs at Dennis Weaver's rope fumbling during a rehearsal. Matt is taken hostage by four convicts who are fleeing to Mexico. The series was the top-rated show from 1957 to 1961 and maintained excellent ratings throughout its run. Weaver's, Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. (dramatic theme music playing) (both guns fire) ANNOUNCER: starring James Arness as Matt Dillon. He soon finds one, but runs into difficulties earning the money he needs for her dowry.Festus's nephew arrives, seeking a bride who can read and write. Doc: Milburn Stone. 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