Gunsmoke was an adult Western ensemble that put James Arness’ U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon at the center. He played the character for 20 seasons, starting in 1955 until its surprise cancelation in 1975. However, the creatives behind the scenes had a strong understanding of the American West and the real-life names that lived during that time. An early episode of Gunsmoke featured a real-life stagecoach robber that Matt had on his radar.
‘Gunsmoke’ U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon kept Dodge City safe
Arness took on the role of Matt on Gunsmoke from radio actor William Conrad, which offered a slightly different version of the character. Conrad utilized a voice narration that wasn’t present in Arness’ iteration of the television show. The original version of the character was a bit darker, as Matt was quick to anger and violence.
