The western genre was in high fashion during the forties, fifties and early sixties. I used to listen to The Lone Ranger, and Sgt Preston of the Yukon, and Gunsmoke on the radio. Did you know that William Conrad played Marshal Dillon the radio version of Gunsmoke? You may have known Conrad later, when he played rotund Frank Cannon in the TV detective series Cannon.
When TV came along, some of the radio westerns transferred to the small screen. William Conrad was a portly gentleman whose visual image did not fit that of a Marshall Dillion, so James Arness got the TV role of Dillon. Conrad was not the only casualty of the change. Many have argued that the radio version of Gunsmoke was more gritty and readlistic than the TV series that followed.
Miss Kitty was a prostitute on the radio version, but morphed into the entrepreneurial owner of the Long Branch Saloon in the TV version. On reflection, where did we think a 19th century frontier woman would have obtained seed startup anyway?
The TV version additionally toned down scalping and opium dens of the radio version. Some villains even escaped justice. It was okay to vividly visualize certain issues, but acting them out visually crossed some fifties line.
The TV series ran 20 seasons, from 1995 through 1975 – the longest running series to this day, although the Simpsons or Law and Order could break this record in the near future.. During our Rogers years it was presented in black-and-white.
One of my favorite characters was Doc, played by Millburn Stone. Doc was crusty, but with a soft side. When the hillbilly-like character, Festus, replaced the character Chester, the interplay between Doc and Festus was hilarious comic relief. Doc would often just look like he would explode at some of the remarks made by Festus. Doc would wipe is mouth with his hand, and walk away. Fester would then call Doc “ornery.”
Gunsmoke ushered in the era of the adult western, but was also the last of them when it ended its run in 1975.
- Ed Mauget