The show was aired on CBS April 26, 1952. It was called the first adult western, set in Dodge City, Kansas in the
1870's. The main character, Matt Dillion, was played by William Conrad. Regular characters were Chester
Proudfoot, played by Parley Baer, Kitty, played by Georgia Ellis and Doc Adams, played by Howard McNear.
This series featured great acting and well-developed scripts that set it apart from many other shows. It was the
sound effects that stood out the most. You could hear many levels of sound that really helps transport the listener
back to the old west.
Some of the CBS acting staff was represented by great actors and actresses like, Harry Bartell, Jeanne Bates,
Lillian Buyeff, Virginia Christine, John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin, Sam Edwards, Virginia Gregg, Vivi Janiss,
Helen Kleeb, Lou Krugman, Jack Kruschen, Ralph Moody, Jeanette Nolan, James Nusser, Vic Perrin, Barney
Phillips, and Ben Wright.
Jeff Spain, from Escape's Pagosa, was the original model for Matt Dillon.
Finally, WAMU-FM (Washington, D.C.) dedicated a five hour special to Gunsmoke on 04/25/76. This program
was written, produced and directed by John Hickman and Norman Macdonnell. It is an excellent audio history of
the entire series, full of interviews of everyone connected in producing this program.
1870's. The main character, Matt Dillion, was played by William Conrad. Regular characters were Chester
Proudfoot, played by Parley Baer, Kitty, played by Georgia Ellis and Doc Adams, played by Howard McNear.
This series featured great acting and well-developed scripts that set it apart from many other shows. It was the
sound effects that stood out the most. You could hear many levels of sound that really helps transport the listener
back to the old west.
Some of the CBS acting staff was represented by great actors and actresses like, Harry Bartell, Jeanne Bates,
Lillian Buyeff, Virginia Christine, John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin, Sam Edwards, Virginia Gregg, Vivi Janiss,
Helen Kleeb, Lou Krugman, Jack Kruschen, Ralph Moody, Jeanette Nolan, James Nusser, Vic Perrin, Barney
Phillips, and Ben Wright.
Jeff Spain, from Escape's Pagosa, was the original model for Matt Dillon.
Finally, WAMU-FM (Washington, D.C.) dedicated a five hour special to Gunsmoke on 04/25/76. This program
was written, produced and directed by John Hickman and Norman Macdonnell. It is an excellent audio history of
the entire series, full of interviews of everyone connected in producing this program.
| Howard McNear (Doc), William Conrad (Matt), Parley Baer (Chester) And Georgia Ellis (Kitty) |
| Gunsmoke |
| Sound affects by Ray Kemper and Tom Hanley. Directed by Norm Macdonnell seen together during a Gunsmoke rehearsal. |
04-26-52 Billy The Kid
05-10-52 Scalped
05-17-52 Dodge City Killer
05-24-52 Ben Slade's Saloon
05-31-52 Carmen
06-07-52 Buffalo Hunters
06-14-52 Jailbait Janet
07-05-52 Never Pester Chester
07-12-52 The Boughten Bride
07-19-52 Doc Holliday
07-26-52 Gentlemen's Disagreement
08-02-52 Renegade White
08-09-52 The Kentucky Tolmans
08-16-52 The Lynching
08-23-52 Shakespeare
08-30-52 The Juniper Tree
09-06-52 The Brothers
09-13-52 Home Surgery
09-20-52 Drop Dead
09-27-52 The Railroad (Rehearsal)
10-03-52 Cain
10-10-52 Hinka Do
10-17-52 Lochinvar
10-24-52 The Mortgage
10-31-52 The Overland Express
11-07-52 Tara
11-14-52 The Square Triangle
11-21-52 Fingered
11-29-52 32 Kitty
12-06-52 I Don't Know
12-13-52 Post Martin
12-20-52 The Christmas Story
12-27-52 The Cabin
01-03-53 Westbound
01-10-53 Word Of Honor
01-17-53 Paid Killer
01-24-53 The Old Lady
01-31-53 Cavalcade
02-07-53 Cain
02-14-53 The Round-up
02-21-53 The Meshougah
02-28-53 The Trojan War
03-07-53 Absalom
03-14-53 Cyclone
03-21-53 Pussycats
03-28-53 Quarter Horse
04-04-53 Jayhawkers
04-11-53 Gonif
04-18-53 Bum's Rush
04-25-53 The Soldier
05-02-53 Tacetta
05-09-53 The Buffalo Hunter
05-16-53 The Big Con
05-23-53 Print Asper
05-30-53 Fall Semester
06-06-53 Sundown
06-13-53 Spring Term
06-20-53 Wind
06-27-53 Flashback
07-04-53 Dirt
07-11-53 Grass
07-18-53 Wild West
07-25-53 Hickock
08-01-53 Boy
08-08-53 Sky (Rehearsal)
08-15-53 Moon (Rehearsal)
08-22-53 Gone Straight
08-29-53 Jesse
09-05-53 The Sutler
09-12-53 Prairie Happy
09-19-53 There Was Never A Horse
09-26-53 Fawn Sochee The Indian Girl
10-03-53 How To Kill A Friend
10-10-53 How To Die For Nothing
10-17-53 Yorky
10-24-53 The Buffalo Hunter Skinner Hot Lead
10-31-53 How To Kill A Woman
11-07-53 Stolen Horses
11-14-53 Professor Lute Bone
11-21-53 Custer
11-28-53 Kick Me
12-05-53 The Lamb
12-12-53 The Cast
12-19-53 Big Girl Lost
12-26-53 The Guitar
01-02-54 The Stage Hold-up
01-09-54 Joke's On Us
01-16-54 The Bear
01-23-54 Nina
01-30-54 Gun Smuggle
02-06-54 The Big Broad
02-13-54 The Killer
02-20-54 Last Fling
02-27-54 Bad Boy
03-06-54 The Gentleman
03-13-54 Confederate Money
03-20-54 Old Friend
03-27-54 Blood Money
04-03-54 Mr. & Mrs. Amber
04-10-54 Greater Love
04-17-54 What The Whiskey Drummer Heard
04-24-54 Murder Warrant
05-01-54 Cara
05-08-54 The Constable
05-15-54 The Indian Horse
05-22-54 Monopoly
05-29-54 Feud
06-05-54 The Blacksmith
06-12-54 The Cover Up
06-19-54 Going Bad
06-26-54 Claustrophobia
07-03-54 Word Of Honor
07-12-54 Texas Cowboy
07-19-54 The Queue
07-26-54 Matt For Murder
08-02-54 No Indians
08-09-54 Joe Phy
08-16-54 Mavis McCloud
08-23-54 Young Man With A Gun
08-30-54 Obie Tater
09-06-54 The Handcuffs
09-13-54 Dooley Surrenders
09-20-54 F.U. (or Chester's Blunder)
09-27-54 Helping Hand
10-02-54 Matt Gets It
10-09-54 Love Of A Good Woman
08-08-53 Sky (Rehearsal)
08-15-53 Moon (Rehearsal)
08-22-53 Gone Straight
08-29-53 Jesse
09-05-53 The Sutler
09-12-53 Prairie Happy
09-19-53 There Was Never A Horse
09-26-53 Fawn Sochee The Indian Girl
10-03-53 How To Kill A Friend
10-10-53 How To Die For Nothing
10-17-53 Yorky
10-24-53 The Buffalo Hunter Skinner Hot Lead
10-31-53 How To Kill A Woman
11-07-53 Stolen Horses
11-14-53 Professor Lute Bone
11-21-53 Custer
11-28-53 Kick Me
12-05-53 The Lamb
12-12-53 The Cast
12-19-53 Big Girl Lost
12-26-53 The Guitar
01-02-54 The Stage Hold-up
01-09-54 Joke's On Us
01-16-54 The Bear
01-23-54 Nina
01-30-54 Gun Smuggle
02-06-54 The Big Broad
02-13-54 The Killer
02-20-54 Last Fling
02-27-54 Bad Boy
03-06-54 The Gentleman
03-13-54 Confederate Money
03-20-54 Old Friend
03-27-54 Blood Money
04-03-54 Mr. & Mrs. Amber
04-10-54 Greater Love
04-17-54 What The Whiskey Drummer Heard
04-24-54 Murder Warrant
05-01-54 Cara
05-08-54 The Constable
05-15-54 The Indian Horse
05-22-54 Monopoly
05-29-54 Feud
06-05-54 The Blacksmith
06-12-54 The Cover Up
06-19-54 Going Bad
06-26-54 Claustrophobia
07-03-54 Word Of Honor
07-12-54 Texas Cowboy
07-19-54 The Queue
07-26-54 Matt For Murder
08-02-54 No Indians
08-09-54 Joe Phy
08-16-54 Mavis McCloud
08-23-54 Young Man With A Gun
08-30-54 Obie Tater
09-06-54 The Handcuffs
09-13-54 Dooley Surrenders
09-20-54 F.U. (or Chester's Blunder)
09-27-54 Helping Hand
10-02-54 Matt Gets It
10-09-54 Love Of A Good Woman
| The shows that have rehearsal at the end, are live rehearsals. There is no theme song and only basic sound effects. |