Some Gunsmoke actors still living and working today include Roger Ewing, Buck Taylor, Kim Darby, and William Shatner. William Shatner, known for Star Trek, made a memorable appearance on Gunsmoke as Fred Bateman in a single episode.
One died during the run of the show, in 1973, at the age of 74—Glenn 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.
103-year-old Uncle Finney was played by 84-year-old Burt Mustin. Although this was his only appearance in Gunsmoke, he had 197 film acting credits, beginning in 1951 at age 67. Mr. Mustin passed away in 1977 at the age of 92.
The cast of Gunsmoke was able to get pretty chummy with each other during the show's twenty-season run, to the point where they felt like a family. Leading this cast of Western stars was James Arness, a man who was— apparently— as tall as he was kind.
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Why did Festus quit Gunsmoke?
Gunsmoke made Ken Curtis' Festus Haggen a series regular to replace Dennis Weaver's beloved Chester Goode after he left to pursue other acting opportunities. However, Curtis refused to return for the first made-for-tv Gunsmoke movie after its 20-season run because of a couple of serious disagreements with a producer.
Although he was only in 50 episodes and joined mid-season, Reynolds didn't feel like an outsider. In fact, while he was there, he and the cast became great friends. "He was a wonderful guy to work with, and we all became friends," Arness said. "He just fit right in with the family group, and we had a wonderful time.
But the changing of the guard really happened in the Season 9 episode titled "The Prairie Wolfer," where Chester and Festus actually appear together. In fact, this particular episode had appearances from Matt, Kitty, Doc, Chester, Festus, Sam and Quint.
A list of Gunsmoke cast members in order of how many episodes they appeared in would start predictably enough. James Arness, who lead the series as Marshall Matt Dillon, was in all 635 episodes.
How old was Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke when he died?
James Arness, who presided over the frontier town of Dodge City as television's most enduring western hero, the laconic, fair-minded and incorruptible Marshal Matt Dillon of the two-decade-long series “Gunsmoke,” died June 3 at his home in Los Angeles at 88.
Chronologically, John Colicos (playing Judge Flood) was the last death "filmed". He was shot at the end of episode 631, first aired 24-Feb-75. According to William Smith this was the last episode of "Gunsmoke" filmed, although not the last one aired.
Contrary to what you might think, Matt Dillon hasn't vanished from Hollywood. The truth is, he never left. He has remained Matt Dillon for over 40 years, but on his own terms — away from the spotlight, and doing what he wants, when he wants.
This friend was certainly a man that you should probably listen to if he's talking to you about Westerns. Arness stated that John Wayne encouraged him to take the role, reasoning that it would be a wonderful learning opportunity and citing his own experience.
Unlike many television stars, Arness never took on too many characteristics of his most famous role, nor did Dillon become more like the actor. "As for the issue of the onscreen personality and the real person, there's no comparison, no way.
James Arness was 6' 7" (2.01m) tall. However, in this episode Hollywood tricks make him appear smaller than Chuck Conners, who was 6' 5½" (1.9m) tall. Chuck Conners was also known as "The Rifleman" in the series The Rifleman (1958).
Things all turn out for the best in the end. Festus helps save the Pugh family's welfare, Av Marie and Toby get married and plan to leave for California, and Dibble even gets up from under his tree, but the rest of the Gunsmoke leads have nothing to do at all.
He stayed with Gunsmoke through its entire television run, with the exception of 7 episodes in 1971, when Stone required heart surgery and Pat Hingle replaced him as Dr. Chapman.
Fully retired to his ranch in 1975 after the show's cancellation, he was eventually awarded an honorary doctorate from St. Mary of the Plains College in (of course) Dodge City, Kansas. Married to Jane Garrison, the 75-year-old veteran died of a heart attack on June 12, 1980 in La Jolla, California.
The wealth and fame Arness gained from "Gunsmoke" could not protect him from tragedy in his personal life: His daughter and his former wife, Virginia, both died of drug overdoses.
James Arness was the quiet type while he was away from his character, Marshal Matt Dillon. His Gunsmoke character was known for his strong moral code, sense of justice, and fairness, but off-screen Arness was known to limit personal appearances and interviews.
A: Matt Dillon (James Arness) and Kitty (Amanda Blake) never married during the series 1955-75 run, although close watchers of the show were convinced they had connected at some time. But in a 1973 episode, Matt had a brief affair with another woman, Mike Yardner (Michael Learned), while he had amnesia.
