61 years ago today

[fordwannabe]

September 10, 1955 the country was introduced to a cast of characters by a Mr. Wayne, talking about his good friend Jim Arness and a new show...GUNSMOKE. Last night the western channel aired the full intro by JW, and episode one season one. I am only 51, so I didn't see it originally but it was good to watch it last night.

[Blaine]

We didn't have a TV when that started airing. Later, we got a hand-me-down from Grandpa, and Mom never missed a western.

[Chuck 100 yd]

The highlite of the week for me. Half hour shows were about 28 minutes of show unlike today where programing is about 70% commercials.

[Griff]

I remember my Dad talking about that episode & intro. Never saw it myself.

[jkbrea]

It's on YouTube. Tried to post the link but messed it up.

[Sixgun]

I was 14 months and 5 days old.........and have persevered to this day to entertain you all at Leverguns. -----6

[Pete44ru]

.


Having listened to the radio version of GUNSMOKE (not to mention THE LONE RANGER, GANGBUSTERS, & THE GREEN HORNET) for a bunch of years, I was excited to see GUNSMOKE move to TV.


.

[Buck Elliott]

I grew up with GUNSMOKE on the radio..
We didn't have a TV in 55, so we watched the first episode with my grandparents..
Over the years, I think I've probably seen every episode ever aired..

[JohndeFresno]

...Over the years, I think I've probably seen every episode ever aired..

...the first four seasons with my father and mother; I was 10 when it started. I think I've seen each episode at least three times over the years.

It changed the course of TV history, being the "first adult Western," per the pundits of the time.

[gamekeeper]

We can still get Gunsmoke over here, when I was a kid it was titled Gun Law in the UK. One of my all time favorites.

[TraderVic]

Gunsmoke was one of the early TV shows that I remember and I'm not sure how old I was when I remembered the shows and actors....three, four ??

I do recall watch Gunsmoke on our old cabinet TV, the screen was about twelve inches square and took about five minutes for the tubes to warm up when we would finally get a picture. Rawhide was my other favorite TV show.

I was born in 1953 and would not have remembered that first show, so I'll have to look it up on youtube.

[Bill in Oregon]

Vic, I, too, was born in 1953. I can't ever recall a period of my childhood when the comfort of "Gunsmoke" was not available. I remember being a little concerned when Dennis Weaver left and Ken Curtis joined the cast, but quickly came to love Festus as much or more than Chester.
James Arness was another actor who played down his military service (from Wiki):

Arness wanted to be a naval fighter pilot, but he felt his poor eyesight would bar him. His height of 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) ended his hopes, since 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) was the limit for aviators. Instead, he was called up for the Army and reported to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, in March 1943.[5] Arness served as a rifleman with the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division, and was severely wounded during Operation Shingle, at Anzio, Italy.[7]

According to James Arness – An Autobiography, he landed on Anzio Beachhead on January 22, 1944 as a rifleman with 2nd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division. Because of his height, he was the first ordered off his landing craft to determine the depth of the water; it came up to his waist.[5]

Arness was sent to the U.S Army 91st General Hospital at Clinton, Iowa, to be treated.

On January 29, 1945, having undergone surgery several times, Arness was honorably discharged. His wounds continued to bother him, and in later years, he suffered from chronic leg pain,[1] which sometimes hurt when mounting a horse. His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart,[1] the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze battle stars, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.[8]

[mikld]

On Direct TV there is a channel "Starz Encore Westerns" that is dedicated to old western TV shows (Gunsmoke, Wanted; Dead or Alive, Laramie, Wagon Train,Wyatt Earp, Death Valley Days, etc.). In the last 6 years I think I've seen 99% of the reruns of these shows, plus the introduction of Gunsmoke by John Wayne. TV would not be on very much if it wasn't for this channel...

[1894cfan]

Nope, don't remember it, 11 days shy of 3 MONTHS when it aired!

[jeepnik]

Can't say I remember it. I was a toddler. Truthfully, I don't remember much is anything before age 5. And then it's spotty. My wife on the other hand seems to recall stuff from a very early age.

[mikld]

No matter how old you were when it started, it was on TV for 20+ years...

[Bill in Oregon]

Mike, that channel gets a lot of air time in our house, too!

[Griff]

Mike, that channel gets a lot of air time in our house, too!

+1.

[Gaucho Gringo]

I was born in 1951 and we didn't have a TV set until 1958. We inherited my grandmother's TV after she died. It was a Packard Bell cabinet model with doors, I still have the cabinet. In the late 50's Gunsmoke came on at 10pm on Saturday and my bedtime was 8pm. I would go to bed at 8 and my dad would wake me up at 10 to watch it. Many fond memories watching it.

[Montana_Jon]

I was born in 56 and I also grew up on the old westerns, I don't have the Encore channel for westerns but can get 364 INSP which also plays a host of old westerns starting at 7am. This morning The High Chaparrel x2, Big Valley, Daniel Boone x2, then Bonanza. Then at 12 noon I switch up to 304 TV Land for Bonanza, Gunsmoke x3. Lately here as well Open Range and Tombstone have aired which made it nice, and I have been able to record them.

[Rube Burrows]

September 10, 1955 the country was introduced to a cast of characters by a Mr. Wayne, talking about his good friend Jim Arness and a new show...GUNSMOKE. Last night the western channel aired the full intro by JW, and episode one season one. I am only 51, so I didn't see it originally but it was good to watch it last night.

Still a show that I watch regularly. Me and my 3 year old love watching Gunsmoke and he even said he wants to be Matt Dillon for Halloween. He came up with that all on his own.

[jeepnik]

September 10, 1955 the country was introduced to a cast of characters by a Mr. Wayne, talking about his good friend Jim Arness and a new show...GUNSMOKE. Last night the western channel aired the full intro by JW, and episode one season one. I am only 51, so I didn't see it originally but it was good to watch it last night.

Still a show that I watch regularly. Me and my 3 year old love watching Gunsmoke and he even said he wants to be Matt Dillon for Halloween. He came up with that all on his own.

Probably been lots of years since a kid said that. I imagine that if a kid dressed up like Dillon and carried a toy pistol he'd be arrested in some places. Then the parents would be tried for endangering the political correctness of the child.

[41 Redhawk]

Can't say I remember it. I was a toddler. Truthfully, I don't remember much is anything before age 5. And then it's spotty. My wife on the other hand seems to recall stuff from a very early age.

Not to mention everything that you have done wrong!

[jeepnik]

Can't say I remember it. I was a toddler. Truthfully, I don't remember much is anything before age 5. And then it's spotty. My wife on the other hand seems to recall stuff from a very early age.

Not to mention everything that you have done wrong!

What was it Sgt. Shultz said?