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Gunsmoke facts for kids

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Gunsmoke
Created by Norman MacDonnell
John Meston
Starring James Arness
Milburn Stone
Amanda Blake (Seasons 1-19)
Dennis Weaver (Seasons 1-9)
Ken Curtis (Seasons 9-20)
Burt Reynolds (Seasons 8-10)
Buck Taylor (Seasons 13-20)
Glenn Strange (Seasons 7-18)
Roger Ewing (Seasons 11-12)
Theme music composer Rex Koury
Glenn Spencer
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 6 ('Marshal Dillon', syndication re-titling of half-hour episodes)
14 ('Gunsmoke'),
20 (total seasons)
No. of episodes 233 ('Marshal Dillon', syndication re-titling of half-hour episodes), 402 ('Gunsmoke')
635 (total episodes) (list of episodes)
Production
Running time 26 minutes (1955–1961),
50 minutes (1961–1975)
Production company(s) CBS Productions
Filmaster Productions
The Arness Production Company (1961–'64)
Distributor CBS Films (before 1971)
Viacom Enterprises (1971–95)
Paramount Domestic Television (1995–2006)
CBS Paramount Domestic Television (2006–07)
CBS Television Distribution (2007–present)
Release
Original network CBS
Picture format Black and white (1955–1966)
Color (1966–1975)
Original release September 10, 1955 – March 31, 1975

Gunsmoke was a western drama television series. John Meston created the series. It ran for twenty years from 1955 to 1975. Each episode ran for 1 hour. In 1955, CBS television network tried to hire John Wayne. They finally decided on James Arness to play the role of Matt Dillon in the Gunsmoke series. The main cast was Arness, Dennis Weaver playing Chester Goode, Milburn Stone as Doc Adams, and Amanda Blake as saloon keeper Miss Kitty Russell. Ken Curtis played Festus Haggen and Burt Reynolds played a blacksmith.

Between 1955 - 1961, the episodes were 30 minutes long. After that, they were one hour long. 635 episodes were made between 1955 to 1975. Many well known actors have been on the series. These include John Wayne (presenter of the pilot), Bette Davis, Harrison Ford, Jon Voight, Kurt Russell and Jodie Foster. In 1987, Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge was made. Arness returned in the role of Dillon. Later television movies included Gunsmoke: The Last Apache (1990), Gunsmoke: To the Last Man (1992), Gunsmoke: The Long Ride (1993) and Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice (1994).

Images for kids

  • William Conrad 1952

    William Conrad in 1952, when Matt Dillon was created on radio

  • Long Branch Saloon interior

    The interior of the real Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas, photographed between 1870 and 1885

  • Gunsmoke cast 1963

    1963 cast with Burt Reynolds

  • Ken Curtis James Arness Gunsmoke 1968

    Ken Curtis as Festus and Arness as Dillon, 1968

  • Gunsmoke main cast 1967

    Clockwise from top: Ken Curtis (Festus), James Arness (Matt), Amanda Blake (Kitty), and Milburn Stone (Doc) in 1968

  • Dennis Weaver Mariette Hartley Gunsmoke 1962

    Dennis Weaver and Mariette Hartley, 1962

  • James Arness Matt Dillon Gunsmoke 1969

    Matt Dillon, 1969

  • Gunsmoke supporting cast 1960

    Chester, Doc, and Kitty, 1960

  • Amanda Blake Milburn Stone Gunsmoke 1958

    Kitty and Doc, 1958

  • Amanda Blake Kitty Gunsmoke 1966

    Miss Kitty Russell, 1966

  • Dennis Weaver Chester Gunsmoke 1960

    Chester Goode

  • Ken Curtis Milburn Stone Gunsmoke 1974

    Festus Haggen and Doc Adams, 1974

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gunsmoke para niños

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