Gunsmoke Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Gunsmoke
James Arness as Matt Dillon | CBS via Getty Images
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke is a Western drama TV series that ran from 1955 to 1975. Based on a radio program of the same name, Gunsmoke is set in Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870s. James Arness starred in the TV version as Marshal Matt Dillon.
- TV Genres: Western, Drama
- Creator: Norman Macdonnell and John Meston
- Network: CBS
- Where to Watch: TV Land, Paramount+
- Original Cast: James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Dennis Weaver, Ken Curtis
- Seasons: 20
- First Episode: Sept. 10, 1955
- Last Episode: March 31, 1975
- TV Movies: Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, Gunsmoke: The Last Apache, Gunsmoke: To the Last Man, Gunsmoke: The Long Ride, Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice
Entertainment
2 years ago
Are Any ‘Gunsmoke’ Cast Members Still Alive?
Entertainment
2 years ago
Milburn Stone Refused to Play Doc in ‘Gunsmoke’ Unless They Agreed to 1 ‘Ridiculous’ Contract Condition
Entertainment
2 years ago
‘Gunsmoke’: Amanda Blake Was so Terrified to Work With 1 Guest Star She Almost Had to Be ‘Carried out on a Gurney’
Entertainment
2 years ago
Physicist Confirmed Why ‘Gunsmoke’s Matt Dillon Won the Title Credits Duel, Despite Drawing Second
Entertainment
2 years ago
1 Disgusted ‘Gunsmoke’ Fan Letter Changed How Milburn Stone Played a Doc Adams Habit

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John Wayne, who married 3 women. A portrait picture with Wayne smiling and wearing a suit.

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Burt Reynolds Said the ‘Gunsmoke’ Cast Worked Hard to Make It Look ‘Effortless’

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'Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice' James Arness as Matt Dillon and Amy Stoch as Beth Readon. Matt is smiling, wearing a Western outfit, while Beth is holding onto his arm and resting her head on his shoulder, looking up at him.

James Arness Made Every Returning ‘Gunsmoke’ Member Feel Special While Filming the Movies

U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon actor James Arness made sure to make every returning member of the 'Gunsmoke' cast and crew feel welcome after so many years away from Dodge City.

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'Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice' James Arness as Matt Dillon hiding behind a rock, holding a gun. He's wearing his Western costume.

‘Gunsmoke’: 1 Simple Way James Arness Transformed Into Matt Dillon

Actor James Arness transformed into U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon with a simple detail that made a whole world of difference.

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Emmy Awards winner 'Gunsmoke' Amanda Blake as Kitty Russell, James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode and Milburn Stone as Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams. They're smiling standing behind a fence.

‘Gunsmoke’ Won 5 Emmy Awards, None Were Given to James Arness

'Gunsmoke' earned big points with audiences thanks to its ensemble cast, but its 5 wins at the Emmy Awards didn't include any love for James Arness.

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'Gunsmoke' James Arness as Matt Dillon in a black-and-white portrait photo wearing a cowboy hat.

1 ‘Gunsmoke’ Episode Made James Arness Look Smaller to Make This Villain Look Bigger

'Gunsmoke' brought guest stars on to play the bad guys, but the production had to make lead actor James Arness appear smaller than a specific actor.

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'Gunsmoke' Season 4 Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, Amanda Blake as Kitty Russell, and James Arness as Matt Dillon. Chester and Kitty are looking up at Matt, who is staring ahead in front of the Long Branch Saloon.

5 Best ‘Gunsmoke’ Season 4 Episodes, According to IMDb

Longtime 'Gunsmoke' fans rated all of the episodes from season 4 on IMDb, and here are the 5 best of the lot.

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'Gunsmoke' Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell sitting on a couch with a smile on her face in a Western costume.

‘Gunsmoke’: Miss Kitty Russell First Her Iconic ‘Beauty Mark’ in This Episode

'Gunsmoke' gave Miss Kitty Russell a 'beauty mark' in a specific episode, which followed the character through the remainder of her episodes.

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'Gunsmoke' Season 3 episodes 'Crack-Up' James Arness as Matt Dillon and Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell. They're wearing Western costumes, leaning against a fence. A horse stands behind Matt.

5 Best ‘Gunsmoke’ Season 3 Episodes, According to IMDb

Here's a look at the 5 best-rated episodes from 'Gunsmoke' Season 3, according to the Western's longtime fans on IMDb.

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'Gunsmoke' Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen and James Arness as Matt Dillon with a gun. Matt is shooting his pistol and Festus is standing behind him looking surprised.

‘Gunsmoke’: Matt Dillon Used the Same Gun in Every Episode but 1

'Gunsmoke' actor James Arness always used the same gun when playing U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon in every episode, except for 1.

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'Gunsmoke' James Arness as U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon shooting a pistol.

5 Best ‘Gunsmoke’ Season 2 Episodes, According to IMDb

Here's a look at all 5 of the best 'Gunsmoke' episodes from season 2, according to longtime viewers on IMDb.

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'Gunsmoke' episodes James Arness as Matt Dillon looking at the camera in a black-and-white picture, wearing a Western costume.

5 Best ‘Gunsmoke’ Season 1 Episodes, According to IMDb

Here's a look at how longtime 'Gunsmoke' fans rated their top 5 favorite episodes from the first season on IMDb.

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'Gunsmoke' episode James Arness as Matt Dillon leaning against a wooden beam, wearing a marshal costume.

‘Gunsmoke’ Season 1 Episode 26 Was Actually the First Episode Ever Filmed, Featuring a Very Different Dodge City Set

The first-ever shot 'Gunsmoke' episode was moved to the 26th episode, showcasing a very different Dodge City than audiences became accustomed to.

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'Gunsmoke' James Arness as Matt Dillon wearing a cowboy hat with a wanted poster faded in the background.

‘Gunsmoke’: Matt Dillon Hunted a Dangerous Real-Life Stagecoach Robber in 1 Episode

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'Gunsmoke' James Arness as U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon looking up and to the side in a black-and-white picture.

‘Gunsmoke’: Matt Dillon First Slapped Someone Across the Face in 1 Early Episode

'Gunsmoke' lead U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon slapped another character for the first time in the show's early episodes in an intense scene.

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'Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge' movies James Arness as Matt Dillon and Amanda Blake as Kitty Russell. He's holding his pistol, looking down at it, while she's in the background in the window.

Movies / TV

All 5 ‘Gunsmoke’ Movies Ranked Worst to Best, According to IMDb

5 'Gunsmoke' movies came out years after the Western show's cancelation. Here's how the fans ranked the made-for-TV movies on IMDb.

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'Gunsmoke' Milburn Stone as Doc Adams holding a pocket watch, wearing a Western costume.

Why Milburn Stone Missed Only 7 ‘Gunsmoke’ Episodes as Doc Adams

Emmy Award-winning actor Milburn Stone didn't appear as Doc Adams in 'Gunsmoke' for 7 episodes for a reason completely out of his control.

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'Gunsmoke' James Arness as Matt Dillon with his hand on his pistol on his belt with the title card over the image.

‘Gunsmoke’ Season 1 Episode 13 Title Is Actually a Bible Verse Reference

An early episode of 'Gunsmoke' incorporated a Bible verse into the inspiration for its title that provided it with more meaning.

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'Gunsmoke' James Arness as Matt Dillon in a gunfight on a street opposite a black-hatted villain.

Physicist Confirmed Why ‘Gunsmoke’s Matt Dillon Won the Title Credits Duel, Despite Drawing Second

The opening 'Gunsmoke' duel saw Matt Dillon win, despite drawing second. A physicist proposed a hypothesis as to how the marshal managed to win.

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'Gunsmoke' shows Milburn Stone as Doc Adams, James Arness as Matt Dillon, Amanda Blake as Kitty Russell, and Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen standing next to each other wearing Western costumes

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'Gunsmoke' Easter egg Western. James Arness as Matt Dillon and Ben Cooper as Breck Taylor. Arness and Cooper are looking at each other, wearing Western costumes.

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