Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke is an American Western media franchise consisting of a radio series (1952–1961) and a television series (1955–1975) that aired on CBS. The title refers to the smoke produced by gunfire amid frontier justice. The TV version is among the longest-running prime-time Westerns in American television history.

Set in Dodge City, Kansas, during the 1870s, the stories follow U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon as he enforces the law in a rough, developing town. The radio series, created by Norman Macdonnell and John Meston, and the television program, developed for TV by Macdonnell with Meston, emphasized character-driven narratives and moral complexity.

On television, the cast included James Arness as Dillon, Milburn Stone as Doc Adams, Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell, Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, and Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen; Burt Reynolds joined as Quint Asper in 1962. The show gradually shifted to an ensemble format, integrating social issues and long-running character arcs, while maintaining its Western frontier setting.

Gunsmoke aired for 20 seasons on television, with the color era beginning in the mid-1960s, and total episodes numbering in the hundreds. It influenced subsequent Westerns by prioritizing realism and serialized storytelling over pure action.