The show’s origins began in the form of a radio show that aired from 1952-1961. During the original years, William Conrad played Matt Dillon.
Like many stars of his time, Conrad was a World War II veteran who turned to the entertainment industry after his time serving in the military. He appeared in several films and television shows, including ‘Cannon’ on CBS, in which he starred in 1976. Although Conrad passed away in 1994, he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame a few years after his passing, due in large part to his work as Marshal Matt Dillon.
Arvo Ojala
The gun pro taught Arness everything he knew about guns, and he also appeared on the opening credits of the show. He first moved to Hollywood early on in the 1950s, during the Golden Age. He opened up a leather shop in town where he patented and sold the first fast-draw holster.
He trained a lot of western stars on how to utilize them for scenes in major hits. Aside from Arness, Ojalla taught James Garner, Paul Newman, Kevin Kline, and Robert Culp to shoot, among several others.
Emmy Award Winning
You don’t make it for 20 years as one of the most popular shows on television without at least winning or being nominated for a few Emmys. And of course, "Gunsmoke" was no exception. The show and its cast and crew garnered 15 nominations over the years and won five, including Best Dramatic Series in 1958.
In 1959, Dennis Weaver won the Primetime Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Series. And nearly a decade later, in 1968, Milburn Stone received the same honor.
Consistent Ratings
While most that have achieved the number one spot on the Nielsen ratings have done so by being aired on weeknight primetime television, "Gunsmoke" did something even more impressive. The show aired on Saturday nights, which isn’t one of the best nights for TV, and it was still able to reach the top spot.
The only other show to do that in the history of TV is "All in the Family." Both shows reached number one despite their weekend slot, and both were able to hold the number one rating for several years in a row. "Gunsmoke" was the top-rated show from 1958-1961.
The Show’s Evolution
You don’t get to stay on the air for two decades in a row by playing outdated scenarios on dead technology. Rather than roll over for the times, "Gunsmoke" continued to evolve, changing along with what audiences were looking for.
Starting from making the switch from radio to TV to changing the show’s introduction to appease the time’s politics, creators tried to keep up with the way of the world as much as possible.