Adam West Explained Why He Really Didn’t Want to Have a Career Like ‘Gunsmoke’ Actor James Arness
Actor Adam West had a strong appreciation for Gunsmoke and other popular Westerns of its time. However, he didn’t want to create a career out of them. Western stars, such as James Arness, made successful careers out of shows like Gunsmoke, but West had other plans that didn’t include the genre whatsoever. There was almost a world where he would have had a similar path as the Matt Dillon star.
Adam West starred in Westerns, such as ‘Maverick’
West had his share of experiences working on Westerns, including Gunsmoke itself. He played Emmett on the 1963 episode titled “Ash” – season 8 episode 23. The Harry Harris-directed episode follows two business partners named Ben (John Dehner) and Ash (Anthony Caruso). They’re longtime friends, but everything changes when Ben’s personality suddenly changes after an injury. They begin to bicker over a woman, which could separate them forever. West’s Emmett is the woman’s fiancé.
The actor was under a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. at the time. Through this business transaction, he came to star in several Western television shows. Some of his credits include Maverick, Colt .45, and Sugarfoot. However, West’s future changed forever with a mix between industry politics and his own career aspirations.
Adam West didn’t want to get typecast in a show like ‘Gunsmoke’
According to an interview with Emmy TV Legends, West talked about how he was initially an excellent casting decision for Westerns like Gunsmoke. He enjoyed working with the cast and crew involved in these productions, but he was never ultimately typecast in the way that Arness was.
“At that time, you were going from show to show, and there were a lot of horses, and stunts, gags,” West said. “And luckily, because I’d grown up on a ranch and been around horses a lot, I could handle that. I was never typecast as a Western star or cowboy. It was always fun because the guys were good folks. They took their work very seriously, because you had to get it done and get it done quickly, and you had to come in prepared, which was marvelous training.”
Fortunately, West caught the eye of other decision-makers on other shows at Warner Bros., providing him with access to a greater variety of roles. He wanted to have the opportunity to work on other projects.
“I was lucky because … it was kind of a Golden Age of TV, and just on the edge of the golden age of movies and so there was a lot of … great opportunities,” West recalled. “After a year or so, I got out of the contract, by mutual agreement because they lost their relationship, I believe it was with ABC, and they didn’t have the number of shows that they did before, and I wanted to freelance. I wanted to do other things.”
West concluded: “Because, when I left Warner Bros, I did many different things. I played an ancient Greek general, I played a private eye, different things, so, no, I never was [type]cast as a Western hero.”
James Arness made a successful career out of ‘Gunsmoke’
West moved on to other successful roles, such as one of his most iconic ones with Batman, while Arness stuck with Gunsmoke. However, the Western television star had a stable gig for 20 seasons and five made-for-TV movies. Arness didn’t have the variety of roles that West did, but he still found massive success in the role that made him a legendary name across the entertainment industry.
Meanwhile, West even got to flex his voice work talent in various cartoons over the years. He lent his voice to shows such as The Fairly OddParents, The Simpsons, and Family Guy, proving that he had quite a sense of humor.
