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Was Gunsmoke originally called Marshal Dillon?
Development. In a 1949 audition show (or pilot) for the radio series, the character was named “Mark Dillon”, but by 1952, when the regular series aired, the name had been changed to Matt Dillon.
Why did Chester call the Marshall Mr Dillon?
Chester always referred to Matt as “Mr. Dillon”, and Festus always referred to him as “Matthew”. He also said that because he was supposed the sidekick, they told him that Chester needed something to separate himself from Matt. So Weaver came up with the idea of giving Chester his famous limp.
Was Matt Dillon based on a real Marshall?
The character Marshall Matt Dillon was modeled after the real lawmen such as Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) who tamed Dodge City. Gunsmoke includes the talented actors of Howard McNear (Doc), Parley Baer (Chester) Georgia Ellis (Kitty) along with Dillon who makes up the cast of four main characters.
Why did the character Chester leave Gunsmoke?
Dennis Weaver decided to leave his role as Chester Goode on “Gunsmoke” after nine seasons. A portion of that interview appeared in an article on Weaver’s death in The Los Angeles Times. “The reason I got away from ‘Gunsmoke’ was that I wanted to leave the second banana role,” Weaver said to the Toronto newspaper.
Was Festus married?
| Ken Curtis | |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1941–1991 |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Spouse(s) | Lorraine Page ( m. 1943, divorced) Barbara Ford ( m. 1952; div. 1964) Torrie Ahern Connelly ( m. 1966; his death 1991) |
| Children | 2 |
Who was the original Marshal Dillon on Gunsmoke?
James Arness reprised the role of Marshal Dillon for six made for television movies based on “Gunsmoke” that aired on CBS between 1987 and 1994 featuring the original cast that includes Ken Curtis, Amanda Blake and Buck Taylor. Why did the show Gunsmoke portray Chester with one stiff leg?
How many seasons of Marshal Dillon are there?
Marshal Dillon was a half hour, black and white series that ran for six seasons, from 1955-1951, with the same cast as the Gunsmoke series. “Chester’s Mail Order Bride” was episode 34 of the first season, first aired on CBS July 14, 1956.
When did Gunsmoke become the most popular show on TV?
Between Seasons 13 thru 20 saw “Gunsmoke” surging back into the Top Ten of the Nielsens becoming one of the top five shows on television between 1967-1975.
When did James Arness start shooting on Gunsmoke?
James Arness in 1956, screenshot from the first season of Gunsmoke. Tonight we are watching Marshal Dillon, and it’s a real treat. Although it’s half as long as Gunsmoke, each show opens with the trademark image of James Arness shooting down a bad guy on main street.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNyEx6wI224