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The Things You Never Knew About "Gunsmoke"
Sept. 10th marks exactly 70 years since the most successful TV western in history made its debut on CBS, after a run on radio. "Gunsmoke" remains the second longest running show in history, surpassed only recently by the seemingly never-ending "The Simpsons."
The article below features some fascinating facts about the show I never knew, including the star himself - James Arness.
"The 33-year-old, 6-foot, 7-inch Arness had been hit in the knee by machine gunfire while storming the beaches of Anzio, Italy, in World War II. He underwent painful reconstruction surgeries and lost part of a foot. “Gunsmoke” directors would film scenes in which Dillon walked a long way early in the mornings, when Arness’ leg felt better."
Gunsmoke One Of The Biggest Hits In TV History
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James Arness played the humanoid space alien in the 1951 science fiction film The Thing from Another World. Arness's role involved wearing a large, cumbersome costume, and he was affectionately referred to as "the intellectual carrot" by the other characters in the film.
James Arness and Peter Graves were iconic American actors and brothers who shared the same birth surname, Aurness, but adopted the stage name Graves to avoid confusion.
Graves was famous for playing Jim Phelps in Mission Impossible, but he later regained fame as the pervert pilot in Airplane!
Last edited by newsguy1 (September 4, 2025 3:31 pm)
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To add to the "things you never knew", much has been said about Paul Anka's residuals for writing "Johnny's Theme" for the Tonight Show. But it probably doesn't hold a candle to the Gunsmoke theme.
"Old Trail", or "Boot Hill" was written by a fine gentleman that I had the privilege of knowing. Rex Koury was the musical director of the radio show, and was so preoccupied with writing the "interior music" that he forgot to write the main theme until the morning it was due. As it turns out, it was written in the bathroom.
Rex had absolute pitch, and what he heard in his head went to page with no effort. It took all of ten minutes. He told me that when the TV show finally went off the air in 1975, the residual cheques stopped...
for a few weeks. Then the floodgates opened as the reruns started all over the world.
Ka-ching!
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And of course it was Gunsmoke that led to the cancellation of Gilligan's Island.
The latter show had been renewed for a 4th season, but CBS owner William Paley and his wife were fans of the long running western - and wanted it to go on. There wasn't room on the schedule for both, so even though the castaways had been renewed for another season, the Island was put out to sea.
How Gunsmoke Led to a Fan-Favorite Sitcom's Controversial Cancelation
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Thread Starter- newsguy1
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When I was a kid really liked Miss Kitty played by Amanda Blake.
As I got older I eventually understood that Kitty was a brothel owner and probably an ex hooker herself.
Ironically Blake died of AIDS and rumours flew that she was promiscuous or a drug abuser.
In fact she had five husbands and it is believed she contracted HIV from her fifth husband who also died of AIDS and was probably a drug abuser and or also a person who had many sex partners.
Another fun Gunsmoke fact.
The first choice for the role of Matt Dillon was John Wayne who actually later appeared on the show.
But he turned down the role because he was already an established movie star.
- BowmanvilleBob
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The radio version probably went about as far as it could, given the era, for implying that Miss Kitty ran a brothel. It was understood that she was in charge of the “dance hall girls” at the saloon but Matt Dillon frequently had to step in when some loutish cowboy got a little too handsy with Miss Kitty.
Incidentally, this rehearsal broadcast from a 1950s edition of Gunsmoke is probably one of the funniest old time radio bloopers you’ll ever hear. The amount of drinking, swearing and outright silliness is worth a listen.
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RadioActive wrote:
And of course it was Gunsmoke that led to the cancellation of Gilligan's Island.
The latter show had been renewed for a 4th season, but CBS owner William Paley and his wife were fans of the long running western - and wanted it to go on. There wasn't room on the schedule for both, so even though the castaways had been renewed for another season, the Island was put out to sea.
How Gunsmoke Led to a Fan-Favorite Sitcom's Controversial Cancelation
The move of Gunsmoke to Mondays at 7:30pm in 1967-68, and 8pm in later seasons, allowed the durable Western to climb back into the Neilsen Top 10 for six of its final eight seasons.