In 1967, “Gunsmoke” was nearly canceled, and its spot was given to someone else. But when President Lyndon B. Johnson reportedly told CBS he was a fan, they had to reevaluate. Around this time, “Gilligan’s Island” was enjoying its prime-time slot on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. Unfortunately for fans of that show, “Gunsmoke” needed somewhere else to go – and just like that, it replaced Gilligan and his crew.
Luckily, it worked like a charm, and the show’s ratings skyrocketed. It became the 4th most watched show in the U.S.
Memorable Lines
When a show is on the air for 20 years, it’s bound to leave its mark on the world. In the case of "Gunsmoke", this happened in several ways, one of which is through the show’s catchphrases. “You ain’t never going to find out, Curly,” is perhaps one of the most well-known ones.
Another phrase you may remember from the show is, of course, “get out of Dodge.” In fact, it’s actually been added to the online slang terminology site, Urban Dictionary, since it’s heard so often.
Festus Haggen
Festus Haggen is Matt Dillon’s second deputy, and one of the most beloved characters on the show. Festus brings a unique personality (and vocabulary) to the scenes he is a part of. The role is played by the late singer and actor, Ken Curtis.
Curtis grew up on a ranch in Colorado and played quarterback on his high school football team. After college, he started his career in entertainment by signing on as a vocalist with the Tommy Dorsey Band.
Committed to the Role
If you have a job for two decades, you’re bound to miss at least a few workdays over the years. Things happen. People get sick, there are family emergencies, weather issues, etc. But James Arness was wholly committed to his role as Matt Dillon. In 20 years of filming, he was the only actor to appear in each and every episode of the show.
It is possible that, because he was the star of the show, producers and the rest of the cast worked around his sick days. But, it’s also possible that he simply pushed through and showed up no matter what the circumstances were.
Turning to Art
Buck Taylor is most well-known for his eight-year stint as Newly O’Brien. But the actor is also a multi-talented man. Before he even went into acting, Taylor pursued a path as an Olympic gymnast.
At the same time, he was studying art at the University of Southern California. Then, he landed his breakthrough role and his entire life changed. Plus, the show wouldn’t be quite the same without him.