GUNSMOKE

Basic Radio Series Information

Main Cast:

      WILLIAM CONRAD........................Matt Dillon  
      HOWARD McNEAR.................Charles "Doc" Adams  
      GEORGIA ELLIS.......................Kitty Russell  
      PARLEY BEAR..............Chester Wesley Proudfoot  

Supporting Cast:

The supporting cast included people like John Dehner, Vic Perrin,
Barney Phillips, James Nusser, Virginia Gregg, Jeanette Nolan, among others.

Broadcast Information:

Gunsmoke was broadcast on the CBS Radio Network

      First Broadcast:  April 26, 1952 ("Billy the Kid")
      Last First Run Broadcast: June 11, 1961 ("Doc's Visitor")
      Last Broadcast: June 18, 1961 (a rerun of "Letter of the Law")
  

More info about the Gunsmoke radio show is available,
including a complete episode list and other tidbits: More Radio Info and Episode List

Want to buy a Gunsmoke radio show? Visit the the Where to find... page.

Want to listen to a Gunsmoke radio show on the web? Go to the Audio/Video/Pictures page for links to follow.

More information about radio shows in general, including audio clips
and other items of interest can be found at the Old Time Radio web site <www.old-time.com>

Miscellaneous Information (radio):

• Gunsmoke was on radio for 9 seasons, from 1952 to 19612. Six of those seasons coincided with the television series.
  
• There were 413 radio stories, broadcast 480 times.
• From an e-mail from Mrs. Howard Culver (Howie, the Dodge House clerk from the TV series)

  Yes, Howard was one of several who did auditions for the radio Gunsmoke, and he was chosen from the recordings with unnamed applicants to play Marshall Dillon. He cut a record (Matt Dillon was known as Mark Dillon in it), but since Howard was playing the lead in "Straight Arrow" on Mutual Network, his contract with Mutual would not let him play the lead in the Gunsmoke show. Thence it was given to William Conrad.

• Many of the radio shows were reused as television episodes during the early years.
• William Conrad went on to play "Cannon," "Nero Wolfe," and "the Fat Man" (from "Jake and the Fat Man") on TV.
• I remember Parley Baer especially for his roll as Darby, one of Ozzie and Harriet's neighbors (notably in the "Tutti-Frutti Ice Cream" episode)
• Many of us will remember Howard McNear as Floyd the barber from the old Andy Griffith show.

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