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PODCAST · fiction

Gunsmoke

by Kevin Patel

In the late 1940s, CBS chairman William S. Paley, a fan of the Philip Marlowe radio series, asked his programming chief, Hubell Robinson, to develop a hardboiled Western series, a show about a "Philip Marlowe of the Old West". Robinson instructed his West Coast CBS Vice President, Harry Ackerman, who had developed the Philip Marlowe series, to take on the task.Ackerman and his scriptwriters, Mort Fine and David Friedkin, created an audition script called "Mark Dillon Goes to Gouge Eye" based on one of their Michael Shayne radio scripts, "The Case of the Crooked Wheel" from the summer of 1948. Two versions were recorded. The first, recorded in June 1949, was very much like a hardboiled detective series and starred Michael Rye (credited as Rye Billsbury) as Dillon; the second, recorded in July 1949, starred Straight Arrow actor Howard Culver in a more Western, lighter version of the same script. CBS liked the Culver version better, and Ackerman was told to proceed.A complication arose, t

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Episodes

  1. Gunsmoke The Man Who Couldn't Lose

    Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group

  2. Gunsmoke The Big Switch

    Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group

  3. Gunsmoke Bloody Hands

    Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group

  4. Gunsmoke 61-06-18 (480) Letter of the Law

    Exploring the Legacy of "Gunsmoke": The "Letter of the Law" Episode"Gunsmoke" remains one of the most iconic Western radio series, captivating audiences with its tales of the American frontier. The episode titled "Letter of the Law," which first aired on June 18, 1961, stands as a testament to…

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  5. Gunsmoke 61-06-11 (479) Doc's Visitor

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  6. Gunsmoke 61-06-04 (478) Cows and Cribs

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  7. Gunsmoke 61-05-28 (477) The Sod-Buster

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  8. Gunsmoke 61-05-21 (476) Chester's Rendezvous

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  9. Gunsmoke 61-05-14 (475) The Lady Killer

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  10. Gunsmoke 61-05-07 (474) Ma's Justice

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  11. Gunsmoke 61-04-30 (473) Ex-Urbanites

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  12. Gunsmoke 61-04-23 (472) Father and Son

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  13. Gunsmoke 61-04-16 (471) Cooter

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  14. Gunsmoke 61-04-09 (470) Hangman's Mistake

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  15. Gunsmoke 61-04-02 (469) Chester's Inheritance

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  16. Gunsmoke 61-03-26 (468) No Indians

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  17. Gunsmoke 61-03-19 (467) Joe Phy

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  18. Gunsmoke 61-03-12 (466) Sweet and Sour

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  19. Gunsmoke 61-03-05 (465) Melinda Miles

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  20. Gunsmoke 61-02-26 (464) Joe Sleet

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  21. Gunsmoke 61-02-19 (463) Kitty Love

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  22. Gunsmoke 61-02-12 (462) Daddy-O

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  23. Gunsmoke 61-02-05 (461) Love of Money

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  24. Gunsmoke 61-01-29 (460) Harriet

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  25. Gunsmoke 61-01-22 (459) Hard Virtue

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more
  26. Gunsmoke 61-01-15 (458) The Wake

    Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by…

    more

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

In the late 1940s, CBS chairman William S. Paley, a fan of the Philip Marlowe radio series, asked his programming chief, Hubell Robinson, to develop a hardboiled Western series, a show about a "Philip Marlowe of the Old West". Robinson instructed his West Coast CBS Vice President, Harry Ackerman, who had developed the Philip Marlowe series, to take on the task.Ackerman and his scriptwriters, Mort Fine and David Friedkin, created an audition script called "Mark Dillon Goes to Gouge Eye" based on one of their Michael Shayne radio scripts, "The Case of the Crooked Wheel" from the summer of 1948. Two versions were recorded. The first, recorded in June 1949, was very much like a hardboiled detective series and starred Michael Rye (credited as Rye Billsbury) as Dillon; the second, recorded in July 1949, starred Straight Arrow actor Howard Culver in a more Western, lighter version of the same script. CBS liked the Culver version better, and Ackerman was told to proceed.A complication arose, t

HOSTED BY

Kevin Patel

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Gunsmoke have?

Gunsmoke currently has 200 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Gunsmoke about?

In the late 1940s, CBS chairman William S. Paley, a fan of the Philip Marlowe radio series, asked his programming chief, Hubell Robinson, to develop a hardboiled Western series, a show about a "Philip Marlowe of the Old West". Robinson instructed his West Coast CBS Vice President, Harry Ackerman,...

How often does Gunsmoke release new episodes?

Gunsmoke publishes regularly with 200 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Gunsmoke?

You can listen to Gunsmoke on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Gunsmoke?

Gunsmoke is created and hosted by Kevin Patel.
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