List of Gunsmoke (TV series) episodes

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Clockwise from top: Ken Curtis (Festus), Arness (Matt), Amanda Blake (Kitty) and Milburn Stone (Doc) in 1968 Gunsmoke main cast 1967.JPG
Clockwise from top: Ken Curtis (Festus), Arness (Matt), Amanda Blake (Kitty) and Milburn Stone (Doc) in 1968

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. [1] The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history. The first episode aired in the United States on September 10, 1955, and the final episode aired on March 31, 1975. [2] [3] All episodes were broadcast in the U.S. by CBS. [4] In the United Kingdom, Gunsmoke was originally broadcast under the title Gun Law. [5]

Contents

It was originally a half-hour program filmed in black-and-white, then expanded to an hour with season seven and began filming in color in season 12. During its run, 635 episodes were broadcast, of which 233 were 30 minutes and 402 were an hour. Of the latter, 176 were in black-and-white and 226 were in color. [6] During season two, Gunsmoke became one of the 10 most popular American television programs and moved to number one in the third season. It remained so until 1961 and stayed in the top 20 until 1964. The series returned to prominence in 1967 following a shift in programming time from Saturday to Monday night. From there, Gunsmoke remained in the top 20 for the next seven years, dropping out only in its final season which ended March 1975; [4] CBS canceled the series two months later, with then-vice president Alan Wagner saying, "It's better to get rid of a program one year too soon than one year too late." [7] Between 1987 and 1994, five films based on the series were aired. [8]

Gunsmoke is set in and around Dodge City, Kansas, in the post-Civil War era and centers on United States Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) as he enforces law and order in the city. In its original format, the series also focuses on Dillon's friendship with three other citizens of Dodge City: Doctor Galen "Doc" Adams (Milburn Stone), the town's physician; Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), saloon girl and later owner of the Long Branch Saloon; and Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), Dillon's assistant. [9] In season eight (1962–63), a fifth regular character was added to the cast: blacksmith Quint Asper (Burt Reynolds), who remained until the end of season 10 (1964–65). [10] Dennis Weaver left the series during season nine (1963–64) and was replaced by Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen, who became deputy to Marshal Dillon. [11] In season 11 (1965–66), another deputy, Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood (Roger Ewing), was added to the cast. [12] Ewing's character was replaced in season 13 (1967–68) by Newly O'Brien (Buck Taylor). [13] Amanda Blake left the series at the end of season 19 (1973–74) and was replaced in the final season by a new character, Miss Hannah, portrayed by Fran Ryan. [14]

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedRank [15] Rating [15] Viewers
(millions)
First airedLast aired
1 39September 10, 1955 (1955-09-10)August 25, 1956 (1956-08-25)———
2 39September 8, 1956 (1956-09-08)June 29, 1957 (1957-06-29)832.7 [lower-alpha 1] 12.72 [16]
3 39September 14, 1957 (1957-09-14)June 7, 1958 (1958-06-07)143.118.06 [17]
4 39September 13, 1958 (1958-09-13)June 13, 1959 (1959-06-13)139.617.40 [18]
5 39September 5, 1959 (1959-09-05)June 11, 1960 (1960-06-11)140.318.43 [19]
6 38September 3, 1960 (1960-09-03)June 17, 1961 (1961-06-17)137.317.60 [20]
7 34September 30, 1961 (1961-09-30)May 26, 1962 (1962-05-26)328.313.74 [21]
8 38September 15, 1962 (1962-09-15)June 1, 1963 (1963-06-01)1027.013.58 [22]
9 36September 28, 1963 (1963-09-28)June 6, 1964 (1964-06-06)2023.512.12 [23]
10 36September 26, 1964 (1964-09-26)May 29, 1965 (1965-05-29)2722.611.91 [24]
11 32September 18, 1965 (1965-09-18)May 7, 1966 (1966-05-07)3021.311.47 [25]
12 29September 17, 1966 (1966-09-17)April 15, 1967 (1967-04-15)3419.911.33
13 25September 11, 1967 (1967-09-11)March 4, 1968 (1968-03-04)425.5 [lower-alpha 2] 14.45 [26]
14 26September 23, 1968 (1968-09-23)March 24, 1969 (1969-03-24)624.914.50 [27]
15 26September 22, 1969 (1969-09-22)March 23, 1970 (1970-03-23)225.915.15 [28]
16 24September 14, 1970 (1970-09-14)March 8, 1971 (1971-03-08)525.515.32 [29]
17 24September 13, 1971 (1971-09-13)March 13, 1972 (1972-03-13)426.016.14 [30]
18 24September 11, 1972 (1972-09-11)March 5, 1973 (1973-03-05)823.6 [lower-alpha 3] 15.29 [31]
19 24September 10, 1973 (1973-09-10)April 1, 1974 (1974-04-01)1522.114.63 [32]
20 24September 9, 1974 (1974-09-09)March 31, 1975 (1975-03-31)2620.714.04 [33]
Television films September 26, 1987 (1987-09-26)February 10, 1994 (1994-02-10)———

Half-hour episodes (1955–1961)

Season 1 (1955–56)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Matt Gets It" Charles Marquis Warren Story by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Charles Marquis Warren		September 10, 1955 (1955-09-10)
22"Hot Spell"Charles Marquis Warren E. Jack Neuman September 17, 1955 (1955-09-17)
33"Word of Honor"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Charles Marquis Warren		October 1, 1955 (1955-10-01)
44"Home Surgery"Charles Marquis WarrenJohn MestonOctober 8, 1955 (1955-10-08)
55"Obie Tater"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Charles Marquis Warren		October 15, 1955 (1955-10-15)
66"Night Incident"Charles Marquis WarrenCharles Marquis WarrenOctober 29, 1955 (1955-10-29)
77"Smoking Out the Nolans"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Charles Marquis Warren		November 5, 1955 (1955-11-05)
88"Kite's Reward"Charles Marquis WarrenJohn MestonNovember 12, 1955 (1955-11-12)
99"The Hunter"Charles Marquis Warren John Dunkel November 26, 1955 (1955-11-26)
1010"The Queue"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Sam Peckinpah 		December 3, 1955 (1955-12-03)
1111"General Parsley Smith"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : John Dunkel		December 10, 1955 (1955-12-10)
1212"Magnus"Charles Marquis WarrenJohn MestonDecember 24, 1955 (1955-12-24)
1313"Reed Survives"Charles Marquis Warren Les Crutchfield December 31, 1955 (1955-12-31)
1414"Professor Lute Bone"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.		January 7, 1956 (1956-01-07)
1515"No Handcuffs"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Les Crutchfield		January 21, 1956 (1956-01-21)
1616"Reward for Matt"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.		January 28, 1956 (1956-01-28)
1717"Robin Hood"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Daniel B. Ullman 		February 4, 1956 (1956-02-04)
1818"Yorky"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Sam Peckinpah		February 18, 1956 (1956-02-18)
1919"20-20"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.		February 25, 1956 (1956-02-25)
2020"Reunion '78"Charles Marquis WarrenHarold SwantonMarch 3, 1956 (1956-03-03)
2121"Helping Hand"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.		March 17, 1956 (1956-03-17)
2222"Tap Day for Kitty"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : John Dunkel		March 24, 1956 (1956-03-24)
2323"Indian Scout"Charles Marquis WarrenJohn DunkelMarch 31, 1956 (1956-03-31)
2424"The Pest Hole"Charles Marquis WarrenDavid Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.April 14, 1956 (1956-04-14)
2525"The Big Broad"Charles Marquis WarrenStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.		April 28, 1956 (1956-04-28)
2626"Hack Prine"Charles Marquis WarrenJohn MestonMay 12, 1956 (1956-05-12)
2727"Cooter" Robert Stevenson Story by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Sam Peckinpah		May 19, 1956 (1956-05-19)
2828"The Killer"Robert StevensonStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : John Dunkel		May 26, 1956 (1956-05-26)
2929"Doc's Revenge" Ted Post John DunkelJune 9, 1956 (1956-06-09)
3030"The Preacher"Robert StevensonStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : John Dunkel		June 16, 1956 (1956-06-16)
3131"How to Die for Nothing"Ted PostStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Sam Peckinpah		June 23, 1956 (1956-06-23)
3232"Dutch George"Robert StevensonJohn DunkelJune 30, 1956 (1956-06-30)
3333"Prairie Happy"Ted PostStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.		July 7, 1956 (1956-07-07)
3434"Chester's Mail Order Bride"Robert StevensonDavid Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.July 14, 1956 (1956-07-14)
3535"The Guitar" Harry Horner Story by : John Meston
Screenplay by : Sam Peckinpah		July 21, 1956 (1956-07-21)
3636"Cara"Robert StevensonStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.		July 28, 1956 (1956-07-28)
3737"Mr. and Mrs. Amber"Ted PostStory by : John Meston
Screenplay by : David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.		August 4, 1956 (1956-08-04)
3838"Unmarked Grave"Ted PostDavid Victor and Herbert Little, Jr.August 18, 1956 (1956-08-18)
3939"Alarm at Pleasant Valley"Ted PostJohn DunkelAugust 25, 1956 (1956-08-25)

Season 2 (1956–57)

Notes

  1. ^ A. "David S. Peckinpah" is a pseudonym for Sam Peckinpah.
  2. ^ B. "Shimon Bar-David" is a pseudonym for Shimon Wincelberg.
  3. ^ C. "Arthur Dales" is a pseudonym for Howard Dimsdale.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , pp. 74–75
  2. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , pp. 444, 742
  3. ↑ Costello 2006 , pp. 255, 539
  4. 1 2 Newcomb, Horace (2010). "Gunsmoke". Museum of Broadcast Communications. Archived from the original on 2009-10-10. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
  5. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , p. 5
  6. ↑ Costello 2006 , pp. 255–539
  7. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , p. 154
  8. ↑ Costello 2006 , pp. 541–557
  9. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , pp. 87–102
  10. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , pp. 114–116
  11. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , pp. 116–118
  12. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , pp. 126–127
  13. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , pp. 147–148
  14. ↑ Barbaras 1990 , p. 101
  15. 1 2 MacDonald 1987, p. 99
  16. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1956–1957". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  17. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1957–1958". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  18. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1958–1959". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  19. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1959–1960". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  20. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1960–1961". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  21. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1961–1962". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  22. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1962–1963". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  23. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1963–1964". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  24. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1964–1965". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  25. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1965–1966". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  26. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1967–1968". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  27. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1968–1969". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  28. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1969–1970". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  29. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1970–1971". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  30. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1971–1972". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  31. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1972–1973". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  32. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1973–1974". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  33. ↑ "TV Ratings: 1974–1975". ClassicTVHits.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2021.

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Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television.

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Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.

References

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
Lists
Seasons
TV movies
Spinoffs

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