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John Wayne said he was never offered the role. However, he was asked who he would recommend for the role in which Wayne gave a quick introduction at the beginning of the first Gunsmoke premier. James Arness said he never thought the show would last more than a couple years but ended up 20 years on the air. I liked the show the first few years when it was only 1/2 hour in length. The script was more tight. The hour shows were more drawn out.
Last edited by Grandpa Trapper; 07/02/2211:07 AM.
Re: The old Gunsmoke TV show and Matt Dillon
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7617742 07/02/2211:56 AM07/02/2211:56 AM
I watch the show once in a while, but far from reality. What I really like is how they always pretended the saloon girls were not prostitutes, and are all good looking, and Miss Kitty was the owner and not the madame.
Last edited by Squash; 07/02/2211:57 AM.
Re: The old Gunsmoke TV show and Matt Dillon
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7617785 07/02/2212:43 PM07/02/2212:43 PM
Ken Curtis sang with the Sons of the Pioneers for a while before Gunsmoke, a lot of great voices in that group. The early shows even showed blood and running blood when Doc worked on them. If you watch the show from about the second season on when peopled gelled into their roles they and the guest stars really played their parts well and with conviction. Many lines were period based and very accurate. Those people involved were twice the actors most doing it today will ever be. The young Burt Reynolds sure gave hints at what a great star he would be. I enjoy it a lot for the portrayal skills. Osky
"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"
In one of the beginning shows. I saw Matt Dillon draw on the bad guy first and I remember after Dillon killed him, Doc said to Matt “ for a minute I thought you were going to get noble and let him draw first.” Dillon just said “with a man like that” and then walked away. Unheard of back then for a good guy to draw first.
Re: The old Gunsmoke TV show and Matt Dillon
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7617795 07/02/2201:04 PM07/02/2201:04 PM
In one of the beginning shows. I saw Matt Dillon draw on the bad guy first and I remember after Dillon killed him, Doc said to Matt “ for a minute I thought you were going to get noble and let him draw first.” Dillon just said “with a man like that” and then walked away. Unheard of back then for a good guy to draw first.
Are you talking unheard of in the movies or in real life?
Re: The old Gunsmoke TV show and Matt Dillon
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7617851 07/02/2202:18 PM07/02/2202:18 PM
Not all bad buys got to draw first. Such was the case for Bad Bob.
What the video cuts out was what followed next as the crowd gathered round.
"Geeze Judge..........you never gave him a chance"? "Nope....no chance at all. A guy could get himself killed messing around with a guy like Bob".......or something to that effect.
Re: The old Gunsmoke TV show and Matt Dillon
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7617985 07/02/2205:21 PM07/02/2205:21 PM
As per Quora, Marshall Matt Dillon packed a colt single action model 1873 7 1/2 inch barrel in 45 caliber. (.45 Long Colt). It was an actual antique manufactured in 1895, not a modern day copy (I wonder where the gun is now?). The first generation single action Colts were made between 1873 - 1941. Gunsmoke was on TV between 1955 to 1975. Marshall Dillon during the the 20 year TV run was shot 56 times, knocked unconscious 29 times, stabbed 3 times and poisoned once. He survived all of them. I read someplace that U.S. Marshall’s back then were not assigned to a town like Dillon was to Dodge City in the TV series. A town was the Sheriff’s responsibility.
I think Dillon was a TOWN Marshal, County's had a Sherriff, US Marshals were generally in the non State Indian territory's. Originally, the producers wanted John Wayne to be the Marshal, but he declined, and recommended James Arness for the roll.
Last edited by BigBob; 07/02/2205:27 PM.
Every kid needs a Dog and a Curmudgeon.
Remember Bowe Bergdahl, the traitor.
Beware! Jill Pudlewski, Ron Oates and Keven Begesse are liars and thiefs!
Re: The old Gunsmoke TV show and Matt Dillon
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7618038 07/02/2207:23 PM07/02/2207:23 PM
He played in the 1949 sci-fi "The Thing From Another World". A great movie IMO. They needed somebody tall and he fit the bill at 6'6" or thereabouts if I remember correctly.
Re: The old Gunsmoke TV show and Matt Dillon
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7618089 07/02/2208:38 PM07/02/2208:38 PM
How about Buck Taylor as Newly?How many westerns has he been in?Tombstone,Rough Riders,the new Yellowstone to name a few.His dad was Dub Taylor,if the game doesn't ring a bell a picture sure will
Buck(formely known as Zandra)
Re: The old Gunsmoke TV show and Matt Dillon
[Re: Grandpa Trapper]
#7618452 07/03/2212:26 PM07/03/2212:26 PM
Only Wayne movie I can remember with Arness in it was Hondo Lane........and as I recall.......Arness was portrayed as a wimpy weasel. But apparently, they were pretty good friends.
A few other things I can remember about Gunsmoke. Miss Kitty was hot........Doc was a drunk........Matt's horse Buck was a BIG buckskin........what was also Ben Cartwright's horse in Bonanza.......and Festus rode a mule. Might have also been the first time Burt Reynolds and Dennis Weaver saw the light of day on TV or film.
And Ken Curtis.......what played Festus.......could sing far better than anyone ever knew. Even better than Gomer Pyle. The overall talents of some of those old actors was unreal.