Why did they replace Doc on Gunsmoke?

Doc Adams didn’t leave Gunsmoke by choice despite the stereotypes that actors leave shows over drama behind the scenes. … However, in 1971, he was forced to temporarily leave the show for just a handful of episodes because he had to undergo heart surgery after suffering a heart attack.

Who played the doctor on Gunsmoke?

Cast

  • Milburn Stone. Dr. Galen `Doc’ Adams.
  • Ken Curtis. Festus Haggen.
  • Roger Ewing. Clayton Thaddeus `Thad’ Greenwood.
  • Gregg Palmer. Herk.
  • R.G. Armstrong. Moonercan.
  • Shelley Morrison. Addie.
  • George Lindsey. Skeeter.
  • James Arness. Matt.

Who was the second doctor on Gunsmoke?

First of 6 episodes where Pat Hingle played Dr. John Chapman as a replacement for Doc Adams when Milburn Stone left the series for heart bypass surgery.

Who played Dr Sam McTavish on Gunsmoke?

Gunsmoke : Sam McTavish, M.D. (1970) – Bernard McEveety Cast and Crew AllMovie.

Did James Arness receive residuals from Gunsmoke?

Stories about actors not getting residuals from TV shows abound in Hollywood. Gunsmoke star Milburn Stone was not one of them, though. … Stone and Gunsmoke lead actor James Arness were the only original actors who stayed during the show’s entire 20-season run.

Are there any Gunsmoke actors still alive?

One died during the run of the show, in 1973, at the age of 74Glenn Strange, a real New Mexico cowboy who played Sam the bartender. The regulars who are still with us are: Roger Ewing (Thad Greenwood), who is 73; Buck Taylor (Newly O’Brien), who is 77; and Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper), who is 79.

How was Chester written out of Gunsmoke?

Actor Dennis Weaver (who played TV Chester) decided to exit the series after nine seasons to pursue other opportunities. His last episode, titled Bently, saw Chester leave Dodge City, Kan. to find a murderer following a suspicious deathbed confession. … Dennis Weaver dressed as his character from ‘McCloud. ‘

Did Charles Bronson play on Gunsmoke?

Gunsmoke The Killer (TV Episode 1956) – Charles Bronson as Crego – IMDb.

How did Quint Asper leave Gunsmoke?

Likewise, Burt Reynolds starred on Gunsmoke as Quint Asper. He appeared on the hit western for three seasons. The episode occurred during the middle of his run. Reynolds decided to leave the show a year later to pursue a career in movies.

Who does Matt Dillon shoot at the beginning of Gunsmoke?

Arvo Ojala One can’t speak of fast draw shooting without mentioning Arvo Ojala. The Hollywood gun coach, actor, stuntman and quick draw artist appeared most famously in the opening sequence of television’s long-running Gunsmoke. Ojala, the man in black, is gunned down by Marshall Matt Dillon, played by James Arness.

Who is Sam McTavish?

Vera Miles, who was named Miss Kansas as a young woman, plays Dr. Sam McTavish in this story. Her performance is as good as any that have graced Gunsmoke over the years. Miles was an extremely talented actress.

Did Vera Miles play in Gunsmoke?

Vera Miles, who was named Miss Kansas as a young woman, plays Dr.Sam McTavish in this story. Her performance is as good as any that have graced Gunsmoke over the years. … Dee Carroll makes the first of her two Gunsmoke appearances as Barn’s wife, Ellen.

What happened Jenny Arness?

daughter, Jenny, took her own life in May 1975 with an overdose of sleeping pills.

Who was the mother of Matt Dillon’s daughter?

Michael Learned, who actually played Dillon’s romantic interest in a Gunsmoke episode years ago, plays Dillon’s former love and mother of their daughter, and Richard Kiley is Chalk Brighton, an Army Scout who is Learned’s die-hard suitor.

What happened to James Arness from Gunsmoke?

James Arness, the 6-foot-6 actor who towered over the television landscape for two decades as righteous Dodge City lawman Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke, died Friday. He was 88. The actor died in his sleep at his home in Brentwood, Calif., according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer.

How many times did Matt Dillon get shot in the series Gunsmoke?

In 2013, Marshall Trimble, the board president of the Arizona Historical Society and vice president of the Wild West History Association, documented that Matt Dillon’s TV character was shot at least 56 times, knocked unconscious 29 times, stabbed three times, and poisoned once.

Was James Arness really a fast draw?

There’s no one faster with a gun, Arness, who received fast-draw pointers from Ojala, said in a 1959 Times story. He was the top gun, you might say, Hardin, who played western adventurer Bronco Layne for four seasons, told The Times last week.

Who owns the rights to Gunsmoke?

Encore Westerns will give Marshal Dillon, Miss Kitty, Chester, Doc and Festus a six-gun salute in January, when the channel will begin airing Gunsmoke again.

Did they drink real beer on Gunsmoke?

The Gunsmoke actors actually drank beer, but the whiskey was tea or colored water. Marshall Trimble is Arizona’s official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association.

Was there a real Matt Dillon?

The character Marshall Matt Dillon was modeled after the real lawmen such as Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) who tamed Dodge City. … Gunsmoke includes the talented actors of Howard McNear (Doc), Parley Baer (Chester) Georgia Ellis (Kitty) along with Dillon who makes up the cast of four main characters.

Is Festus from Gunsmoke still alive?

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) _ Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who starred as Marshal Matt Dillon’s sidekick on the long-running television western Gunsmoke, has died at age 74. Curtis, who played deputy Festus Haggin from 1963-75, died in his sleep Sunday at his home here, family members said Monday.

Was Festus married?

Ken Curtis
Years active 19411991
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Spouse(s) Lorraine Page ( m. 1943, divorced) Barbara Ford ( m. 1952; div. 1964) Torrie Ahern Connelly ( m. 1966; his death 1991)
Children 2

Where was Gunsmoke filmed?

The television series of Gunsmoke ran from 1955 to 1975 and is said to be one of the longest running prime-time shows on television. There were 635 episodes and many of the outdoor scenes for this show were shot in Johnson Canyon near Kanab, Utah. The setting of Gunsmoke is Dodge City, Kansas during the 1870’s.

How much did James Arness make per episode on Gunsmoke?

During the early years of the series, Arness made $1,200 each episode filmed. As the seasons went on, and the show became more popular, the actor renegotiated his contract. By this time, Gunsmoke had won numerous awards, and Arness’ new contract reflected that.

Is Virginia Arness related to James Arness?

Virginia Arness, wife of James Arness, made her final acting appearance on Perry Mason.

Did William Shatner ever guest star on Gunsmoke?

On The Big Valley, Shatner fantastically acts as a slick college pal of Jarrod who is suspected of counterfeiting cash. The Enterprise captain again entertains his darker side on Gunsmoke, portraying a con artist. Both episodes aired in 1966, the year Star Trek took off.

Who was the most frequent guest star on Gunsmoke?

‘Gunsmoke’: Michael Landon’s Best Friend Victor French Held Record for Most Guest Appearances on the Show. Gunsmoke was on the air for two decades. So the beloved western relied on a bevy of guest stars. Victor French was there alongside Marshal Matt Dillon in Dodge City for 23 shows.