Wasn't William Conrad the lead voice on the radio version of "Gunsmoke?" The obviously overweight actor, later the star of the TV series "Cannon," wasn't in the right shape to play the lead on television. But boy did he have a great radio voice. 

I'm curious if you remember what station you heard it on in its final days?

I remember hearing Gunsmoke, Johnny Dollar and Suspense in their final days on WBEN.  There were several attempts to revive radio drama on U.S. radio in years to come. In 1965, ABC in New York presented
a twenty minute anthology series called Theater Five intended to be broadcast during the 5:00pm hour for commuters. By this time most ABC radio stations such as WKBW Buffalo were formatted (e.g. Top 40) and
were not willing to break format to carry this program. It lasted only a few months.  In 1974, CBS radio’s attempt at revival was the CBS Radio Mystery Theater hosted by E.G. Marshall and broadcast 5 nights a week in 50 minute time slots. It was produced by Inner Sanctum’s Himan Brown and featured veteran radio
actors as well as some TV stars. It achieved some success and lasted for 8 years. WBEN carried it late at. night and very occasionally and sporadically. Most CBS stations were formatted as all news or news/talk by this time and again were not willing to break format to carry it.  Also in 1974, the Mutual network’s revival attempt was a 5 night a week anthology series hosted by Rod Serling called the Zero Hour. It failed to attract
enough sponsorship and lasted just a few months. In 1979, CBS radio tried again with the Sears Radio Theater 5 nights a week hosted each night by such stars as Lorne Greene, Vincent Price, Cicely Tyson and
Andy Griffith. This was not carried by a Buffalo station and lasted about a year. Repeats were broadcast for
another year on Mutual.  In the 1980s and 1990s, National Public Radio kept drama alive with Earplay,
NPR Playhouse and a serialized radio version of Star Wars.  Also, during this period CBC radio continued to
produce outstanding dramatic series such as Theatre 10:30, Nightfall and Mystery Project.  At the present
time, the U.K. continues to produce a wide variety of comedy and drama on BBC Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra
 both of which can be heard online. A multitude of old time radio programs are available for free streaming
or downloading at web sites such as Times Past Old Time Radio and Old Time Radio Researchers Library.

 

There was a religious program a few years ago that was styled like an old drama. I can’t for the life of me think of the title. It may even still be on the air.

Radio111 wrote:

There was a religious program a few years ago that was styled like an old drama. I can’t for the life of me think of the title. It may even still be on the air.

This is probably “Unshackled” which is produced by the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, has been on the air since
1950 and is the longest running radio drama in the U.S. still in production.

It could be. I was driving through the Deep South in the States and heard it flipping around the dial. Normally I wouldn’t listen to a religious station, but when there’s nothing else interesting...