I’ve been watching “Gunsmoke” again lately, and man, was he born for the role of Matt Dillon!
RIP
IIRC, John Wayne was originally asked to take the part, but he had movie commitments and recommended James Arness for the part. Wayne also did an introductory audio for the first episode. I just might have it on file somewhere.
Ken Curtis, who played Festus, also had an interesting life. He sang with the Sons of the Pioneers, it’s been rumored he was thought of as a replacement for Frank Sinatra after Frank left the Harry James orchestra, was son-in-law to the director John Ford and stared in a number of movies with John Wayne (Rio Grande, The Quiet Man, The Wings of Eagles, The Searchers, The Horse Soldiers, The Alamo and How The West Was Won), as well as his long stint as Festus.
The funny thing is that he was personally not much like Matt Dillion, a funny guy, good natured. Heard an interview of his doems several years ago, and I was surprised how articulate he was. Started out on the radio. Limited in his roles by his size, 6’6”. In “Farmer’s Daughter,” he played Loretta Young’s borther, and I notice how when they were in the same frame, he had to kind of crouch over. War wounds left him with a a limp, and constant pain. The irony was that Dennis Weaver — “Chester”—was a fine athlete, but in order for him to to play along side Arness, they gave the character a stiff knee. John Wayne liked him for his good humor and all, and got him the Gunsmoke Role. I think he said laster that after he saw what Arness did with the role, he wished he could have done it. The 30 minute “Gunsmokes” were the best, with Arness giving a very hard edge to “Matt.”
I’ve been watching “Gunsmoke” again lately, and man, was he born for the role of Matt Dillon!””
I watch an episode at least once a week. Some of the stories are just outstanding. Life was hard in the old west and the human tragedies were well portrayed.