‘Gunsmoke’ Had Some Famous ‘Star Trek’ Stars Appear
From radio to television, Gunsmoke made its mark on the country. It was a high-ranking TV show that had an extremely long run, which other shows surpassed. Star Trek also impacted audiences everywhere with its characters and scientific depiction.
While it had a bit of a reboot through a series of recent films, many fans still remember the original series.
While the genres of the two shows are widely different, they do have something in common. A few actors from Star Trek were guest stars on Gunsmoke.
What is ‘Gunsmoke’ about?
Gunsmoke is a radio and television Western drama. The radio series aired from 1952 to 1961, but the TV show ran from 1955 to 1975. The show had 20 whole seasons, with over 630 episodes. Gunsmoke is one of the longest-running TV series in the United States.
The show starred James Arness and Milburn Stone, who both played their characters for two decades. Other stars include Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis, and Dennis Weaver. Since the series ran for so long, the cast included dozens of actors.
The show was about a marshal named Matt Dillon, who is in charge of Dodge City, Kansas. Dillon is honest and is less willing to use violence against outlaws unless he needs to do so. The story centers around the townsfolk and any problems that happen in the community.
The plot focuses on other characters as well. Kitty Russell runs a successful saloon, and she had a relationship with Dillon. Then, there is Dr. Adams, who is a caring country doctor. In one episode, viewers learn that his real name is Calvin Moore.
A quick recap of ‘Star Trek’
Star Trek is one of the most influential shows in U.S. history. There have been multiple spin-offs and movies. The original series first aired in 1966 and ended in 1969. For such an iconic show, it had a short run, which contained three seasons.
The series starred William Shatner as the lead character, Captain James T. Kirk. His fellow stars include Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, and Nichelle Nichols. They played Kirk’s fellow crew members aboard the starship.
Star Trek is a science fiction show that centers around the crew of the USS Enterprise. The characters travel space to visit new worlds and civilizations. Many encounters they face lead to trouble. The show also explores the relationships among the crewmates as they continue their voyage.
The series takes place in the future, so much of the technology is portrayed as futuristic. However, some of it inspired people in real life.
As the show depicted non-invasive medical equipment, some companies are looking to develop similar technology. The characters use small, portable communication devices, which many people would know them cell phones nowadays.
Some ‘Star Trek’ actors appeared in ‘Gunsmoke’
Since Star Trek aired around the same time Gunsmoke did, some fans may have noticed certain Enterprise crewmates appearing in the Western drama.
According to MeTV, viewers can spot four Star Trek senior officers in various episodes of Gunsmoke. The characters were Spock, Kirk, Bones, and Scotty.
Nimoy, or Spock, was in multiple episodes. However, he played different characters. He was a guest star in “A Man a Day,” “The Search,” “I Call Him Wonder,” and “Treasure of John Walking Fox.”
Kirk’s actor, on the other hand, was only in one episode. Fans can see him in the episode titled “Quaker Girl.” DeForest Kelley, who played Bones, made a single guest star appearance as well. He had the role of Will Bailey in “Indian Scout.”
Everyone’s favorite engineer, Scotty, appears in “Quint Asper Comes Home.” Scotty’s actor, James Doohan, played Davit. Some of these episodes aired before Star Trek began its run, so fans may not have recognized them at first. It may be interesting to go back and see their performance in the show.
