“John Wayne was presupposed to star in ‘Gunsmoke’ however turned it down” is a kind of Outdated Hollywood myths that refuse to die. Even in 2025, half a century because the present’s finale, many nonetheless consider the Duke was presupposed to be the main man in tv’s most iconic Western. Nonetheless, this merely was by no means the case.
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In accordance with Norman Macdonnell, the co-creator of the unique “Gunsmoke” radio collection who later helped adapt it for tv, the mere thought of providing Wayne the lead position would have been a wild pipe dream. As he defined for a 1975 TV Information function: “Wayne was a giant film star and would not have thought-about TV for a minute. It was only a publicity story.” This makes good sense contemplating in these days tv was hardly ever, if ever, given the identical respect as movie.
Author and director Charles Marquis Warren, who helped kickstart the collection throughout its first two seasons, additionally threw chilly water on the concept that Wayne was supplied the lead position: “I by no means thought for a second of providing it to Wayne. However to today even a few of the solid go round repeating that story.”
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Even James Arness appears to have believed John Wayne was meant to steer Gunsmoke
As Warren put it, it wasn’t simply followers who purchased into the notion that the “Gunsmoke” tv adaptation was conceived with John Wayne in thoughts. In actual fact, it appears even U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon himself, James Arness, was below that very impression. As he defined in a 2006 interview:
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“When the ‘Gunsmoke’ supply got here in, he [Wayne] mentioned, ‘I would not be capable to do it, however I’ve a younger man right here below contract who I believe would perhaps match the invoice.’ So, he very graciously supplied to introduce the primary episode. And it was nice.”
Simply goes to indicate how hectic and unusual behind-the-scenes machinations might be in Hollywood when even main stars are below false impressions. So, sure, John Wayne could have a cameo within the first “Gunsmoke” episode, however that doesn’t imply he was ever formally approached about main the present’s solid.
Whereas it could not have ever boasted the Duke’s title within the official solid, “Gunsmoke” had an iconic roster of stars throughout its legendary 20-year run. To learn extra, take a look at what Burt Reynolds needed to say about his “Gunsmoke” costar James Arness and the way Harrison Ford wound up taking part in two utterly totally different characters on the present.
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