‘Gunsmoke’: Milburn Stone Hated the Show Bringing on Guest Stars
Gunsmoke put actors such as Milburn Stone and James Arness in the spotlight. The show was the longest-running primetime live-action television series for quite some time, but it had its share of ups and downs. Stone wasn’t afraid to speak his mind when he didn’t agree with how Gunsmoke evolved over the course of its long run, especially when they brought guest stars onto the show.
‘Gunsmoke’ dropped badly in ratings after 8 years
John Peel’s book, The Gunsmoke Years, took a look at how the television series evolved over its lifetime. Eight years into the show’s run, its ratings encountered a sharp dip in ratings. As a result, CBS worried about what they should do to switch things up to remedy the situation. However, Stone and other Gunsmoke cast members weren’t thrilled with how they decided to take action.
CBS made the decision to fire producer Norman Macdonnell, who brought the show to life. The cast didn’t agree with the studio because he was the series’ “guiding light” for eight years. Nevertheless, CBS saw the change as necessary, and they brought in Philip Leacock as his replacement. He previously directed the likes of 1960’s Let No Man Write My Epitaph and 1962’s The War Lover.
Leacock also brought in John Mantley as his story editor, which presented a line of changes from then on out. However, it ultimately held the rating dips at bay for a period of time.
Milburn Stone didn’t want ‘Gunsmoke’ to have guest stars
The Gunsmoke Years chronicled how Stone disapproved of these changes. It all started with the removal of Macdonnell. However, this was only the beginning for the actor, who became furious over many of the creative decisions.
“We were all stunned,” Stone said. “They called Norm over to CBS at 6 p.m. one evening and told him the news. The scripts coming through now are written by people who don’t understand the show at all.”
Stone hated the decision to bring in fresh faces onto Gunsmoke. He wanted it to focus on the main characters rather than bringing in guest stars to encourage more audiences to tune in.
Stone continued: “We’re also getting into something else I certainly don’t agree with. They’re bringing in guest stars.”
Nevertheless, Leacock defended his decision to bring guest stars onto Gunsmoke. “It’s awfully good for us to have a good outside actor give us a breath of fresh air occasionally,” he said.
However, the actor would ultimately calm down after adjusting to the changes. Stone would still blow up when he didn’t like one of the scripts, but he did come to appreciate the new creative forces behind the show.
The show ran for 20 seasons
Gunsmoke ensured stable careers for Stone and the rest of the cast, as the show ran for 20 seasons. It marked the longest-running live-action series until Law & Order: Special Victims Unit surpassed it in 2019.
The cast didn’t expect the studio to cancel it when it did. However, it wasn’t the only popular CBS television series to meet its surprise demise. Gilligan’s Island, Lost in Space, and The Incredible Hulk also met a similar fate.
Nevertheless, Stone and the rest of the Gunsmoke cast remain a significant part of television history with a long run that moved from radio to television in a way that captivated audiences for many years.
