Dillon Rides Again

Marshal Matt Dillon was honest, brave, sincere and true. He never wavered from his duty of protecting the citizens of Dodge City, Kan. He may not have been the fastest gun in the West, but you knew he’d always get his man.

For 20 seasons, James Arness rode the range as Dillon on CBS’ “Gunsmoke,” the longest-running Western in TV history.

Arness has strapped on his holster and marshal’s badge once more for the new CBS Western “Gunsmoke III: To the Last Man,” airing Friday.

“Gunsmoke III” is based on the one of the bloodiest feuds in the history of the American West: the Pleasant Valley (Ariz.) War of the 1880s, which started as a dispute between the Graham and Tewksbury clans. More than 50 settlers were murdered as a result.

Dillon becomes embroiled in the dispute when a young ranch hand (Matt Mulhern of “Major Dad”) informs Dillon that his cattle have been stolen by a gang led by Tommy Graham (Joseph Bottoms) and that two of his men have been killed. Dillon sets out with his daughter Beth (Amy Stock-Poynton) to retrieve the cattle.

“Gunsmoke” has been part of our popular culture for nearly four decades. It began on radio in 1952; William Conrad, who later starred in “Cannon” and “Jake and the Fat Man,” was Dillon’s voice for the radio series’ nine-season run. It was such a hit that CBS decided to do a small-screen version in 1955.

John Wayne was CBS’ first choice to play Dillon, but the Duke didn’t want to do a weekly series. He suggested his good friend, the 6-foot-7 Arness, for the role. Arness got the part and Wayne even did his bit by introducing the first episode. Before “Gunsmoke,” Arness was best known as the vegetable alien in the classic sci-fi movie “The Thing.”

“Gunsmoke” made its debut on a Saturday, Sept. 10, 1955, as a half-hour series. Character actor Milburn Stone co-starred as Dr. Galen (Doc) Adams, and Amanda Blake played Kitty Russell, the beautiful owner of the Longbranch Saloon who was “best friends” with Marshal Dillon. Dennis (“McCloud”) Weaver added comic relief as Dillon’s limping deputy, Chester Goode, who would always say in his pronounced twang, “Mister Dillon!”

From 1957 to 1961, “Gunsmoke” was unbeatable, ranking No. 1 in the ratings. In the fall of ‘61, CBS expanded the series to an hour and the ratings began to drop. A very young Burt Reynolds arrived in Dodge City in 1962 and stayed for three seasons as the part Native American blacksmith, Quint Asper. (Reynolds named his young son after this character).

From 1961 to 1964, CBS aired repeats of the 30-minute version of “Gunsmoke” Tuesday nights under the title “Marshal Dillon.”

Weaver departed “Gunsmoke” in 1964 and was replaced by Ken Curtis as Dillon’s new deputy, Festus Haggen.

By the spring of ‘67, “Gunsmoke” was on its last legs. But CBS gave its old warhorse one more chance and moved it that fall to Mondays. The series made an amazing comeback and placed No. 4 that season. Although “Gunsmoke” finally left the CBS airwaves on Sept. 1, 1975, it has been going strong in repeats ever since.

After starring in two short-lived series, ABC’s “How the West Was Won” (1978-79) and NBC’s “McClain’s Law” (1981-82), Arness reprised Dillon in the popular 1987 CBS movie “Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge” and also scored high ratings in 1990’s “Gunsmoke: The Last Apache.”

“Gunsmoke III: To the Last Man” airs Friday at 9 on CBS. Repeats of “Gunsmoke” air Wednesday at 12:35 a.m. and Saturday at 4:05 a.m. on TBS, 4 p.m. on the Family Channel.