The program ended on its 20th season, at a regular episode, which was sad for the cast, crew, and fans. Does anyone know why after season 10 Fetus was turned into somewhat of an idiot? In fact, Festus was the first to wearing a Deputy US Marshal badge on a semi-permanent part-time basis. Gunsmoke is one of my all-time favorite shows and Festus was my favorite character. Chester was never a Marshal, and not even a Deputy Marshal. Here's why classic Western series Gunsmoke was canceled after 20 years and didn't receive a finale episode. Once she knew she had it, she decided to keep it to herself, said Pat Derby, a close friend of Amanda. I LOVE THE THE SHOW HAVE WATCHED IT FOR OVER 55 YEARS. I was so happy! The movie was one of the very last times Amanda was on screen, but that doesn't explain why she left the role in the first place. Blake played a sassy and in-charge woman in the popular Western. CBS wanted to cancel the show, but producers panicked. When it returned, Thad no longer appeared. I also liked how he acted like his leg was bum when in real life it wasnt. The different seasons and episodes involved Dillon fighting robbers, bandits, and various people or groups that threatened the towns peace. I started watching Gunsmoke as a child and I loved watching it then and then I found it on Pluto which carries all 20 seasons Im in season 8 of it now and Im going to continue to watch it until I see every single episode I watch it all day long I dont watch nothing else I seen a lot of the actors at Sydney Iowa Rodeo several years ago our parents took us up there and we got to see a lot of movie actors some of them on Gunsmoke for there. He loves to read, write and review all things western, whether historical or fiction. God Bless Matt Dillion,Festus, Doc,Quinton,Madame Kitty.SHALOM. She had also said that they offered too much money. Heres The Truth. Dillon was very annoying. Before he became Dillons deputy, he was a Hillman with a ragged appearance who wanted to avenge his brothers death. The Lone Writer is an American frontier and Old West journalist and historian. I loved her very much, Weaver said. Eat, drink and enjoy life with the foodies of the world. . Ewen said she never saw the death certificate. My husband and I laugh so much watching Doc. My husband and I still watch it every day. Everyone on Gunsmoke are my favorites. Shortly after departing "Gunsmoke," the actor was cast in the single-season NBC comedy-drama "Kentucky Jones." Before the seventh season, the episodes were only half an hour long. I have the pleasure of watching it 7+ times a day. Blake, 60, had AIDS symptoms for about a year, said Nishimura. I watch ESPN and TVLAND, and other stations where there a lot of westerns. Airing during what's regarded as the Golden Age of TV Westerns, "Gunsmoke" was just one of 30 different shoot-em-ups, or "horse operas," on TV in 1959 (viaPBS). So why was Weaver's fan-favorite character written off the show in its ninth season ostensibly at the height of the show's popularity? Mannon also has an old score to settle with Miss Kitty. Surprised Matt didnt want to change Chesters role to make him a little more in line with the others. According to Wide Open Country, acting and westerns werent the only things Blake was passionate about. Polly retired from acting after getting married. let infinite_scroll_layout_settings = JSON.parse('{"layoutSettings":{"autoConsent":0,"introParagraphType":"Social_image","imagePosition":"","notClickableHeader":0,"additionalPost":1,"vidazooPixelStartPage":0},"topAd":{"position":"Before","element":" figure","startsFrom":1},"video":{"provider":"Vidazoo","startsFrom":3},"rightRail":{"type":"Per_item","startsFrom":0,"onceOnHowManyItems":2}}'); It was arguably one of the best sitcoms of its time, running from 1955 to 1975 and Amanda Blake played the straight-shooting Miss Kitty. In the show, Dillon would tell criminals to "Get outta Dodge." This post is an overview of the character Festus and the successfultelevision showGunsmoke. Why did Amanda Blake leave Gunsmoke? Eventually, she quit the show because she was sick of traveling. She lived in Phoenix but traveled to Hollywood to film the show. In her personal life, she was married briefly to Don Whitman in the 50s. She went on to marry three other men: Jason Seymour Day Jr., Frank Gilbert, and Mark Edward Spaeth. He probably would have continued on the program if it hadnt ended. In addition to Arness, Amanda Blake, who starred as Miss Kitty, was up in arms over it. I love Gunsmoke; I watch it nearly every day from 1-4 pm on TV Land. Chesters whining was the only thing I disliked about him. She was once a two-pack-a-day smoker. AIDS is caused by a virus that attacks the bodys immune system. Eventually Newly OBrian became a Deputy Marshal too, and he and Festus were in charge of Dodge whenever Matt was away. She had just married Tommy Bond, a child actor who had played Butch on The Little Rascals. He had left acting and was instead working in production at a local TV station. You would think that I wouldnt want to see anything having to do with the wild west or cowboys! According to the article, the final episode was titled The Sharecroppers.. Blake reigned as Miss Kitty, queen of Dodge Citys Long Branch Saloon, for 19 years in the TV series Gunsmoke. Set in the lawless cattle town of Dodge City, Kan., in the late 1800s, Gunsmoke was one of televisions original adult westerns in the mid-1950s. Chesters main full-time job was to maintain Matts office and jail, feed prisoners, pick up the mail, and so on. I watch, at least, 6 to 10 episodes per day I am wanting to find and watch the LAST episode with Ken Curtis one of my favorites I watch Gunsmoke on cable channel METV! Amanda Blakes last episode on Gunsmoke was The Disciple, which originally aired on April 1, 1974. Occasionally, they broadcast a Gunsmoke episode Ive not seen, before, but I dont mind watching the repeats. It is on two different stations at different times every day and I sometimes watch it two plus times a day I will never get enough of Matt Dillon, Festus Hagen, Kitty, Doc, Chester, Newly, Thad, and Quint. According to David R. Greenlands book, The Gunsmoke Chronicles: A New History of Televisions Greatest All Rights Reserved. An article published in People in 1989 reported, "There was no recurrence of cancer, her physician, Dr. Lou Nishimura, said at the time. Now I am watching it in 2022. "The Sharecroppers" was a more comedic outing that was in no way intended as a final episode, which is a point that led to bitterness among the cast and especially Arness. Matt, Kitty, Doc, and Chester are a tremendous cast. Arness also appeared in every single episode of Gunsmoke, which also saw countless future movie stars pass through it, including Kurt Russell, Jodie Foster - who actually appeared three times - and Burt Reynolds. Along with shows like "Bonanza," "The Big Valley," and "The High Chaparral," the series helped popularize the image of the American cowboy as the ultimate rugged individual fighting for justice on a lawless frontier. Polly Bond Turns Down Gunsmoke Role. It was hard for the show to find someone suited for the role. It is one of the most popular Western television shows from the mid-1950s to the 1970s. I never saw Gunsmoke as a child. The first attempt to cancel the show wasnt acceptable to most fans, so the network had to keep it running for as long as it did. After Gunsmoke's season 20 finale "The Sharecroppers" aired, the cast and crew all expected to be renewed for at least another series, but CBS instead opted to cancel the show and replace it with sitcom spinoff Rhoda. According to Greenlands book, the report said: CBS has done something Indians, bad guys, bad whisky and not even CBS could do earlier: Kill off U.S. Festus was a character on Gunsmoke until 1975: when the network ended the show. I meant to say new people playing the characters and it wouldnt be the same. The shows success prompted other production companies to try making something similar. He was one of my favorite characters. The TV show Gunsmoke was a classic and it ran for 20 years on CBS. That's a major reason Arness - who starred in the first The Thing adaptation - eventually returned for 1987 TV movie Gunsmoke: Return To Dodge. Even the person who did the voice-over for Marshall Dillon in the radio show didnt get picked as they thought he didnt have the looks for the show. Wayne did, however, record an introduction to Gunsmoke's first episode in support of his friend James Arness, who did take theDillion role. His official title was assistant to the Marshall, but while he often backed up Matt, he had no law enforcement authority of his own (he was a civilian employee). Kitty Left For A Strange Reason There was no denying that Glenn Strange, who was an actual cowboy-turned-actor, had a huge impact on his co-stars. Instead, she was abducted a lot. Death certificates are public documents under California law and are recorded with the county where a person dies. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, James Corden gets a star-studded send-off on his final Late Late Show, Kim Kardashian is catching shade from Patti LuPone and Sharon Stone for AHS casting, Jonathan Majors accuser gets full temporary protection order ahead of court date, Review: The Russo brothers spy thriller Citadel has plenty of action and little else, Former Springer bouncer Steve Wilkos pays tribute to TV mentor Jerry Springer. We did not have a television, so I only got to see it a few times before the show ended. My most favorite shows ever. Pluto has all the episodes on demand and pluto is free, Am retired and watch Gun Smoke at least three times a day. The last episode they worked on together was Hard labor.. So they keep having me kidnapped., After Gunsmoke, she worked only sporadically, usually in guest appearances for TV game shows, movies of the week and such series as Edge of Night, Hart to Hart, and Love Boat., Miss Blake, born Beverly Louise Neill in Buffalo, N.Y., made her dramatic debut as a 10-year-old in a school pageant. Chester makes Festus look like Biden! I love gunsmoke one of my favorite westerns watch every night watched it since I was young and Im 72 and still watch reruns but I dont care I love the actors and I think they all are fantastic, I am 85 and watched Gunsmoke with my children when they were growing up, now we get together and watch it again. Why did Matt Dillon never marry Kitty? Ultimately, Arness believed the producers behind Gunsmoke made the right choice. They didnt commit to a Dillon/Miss Kitty relationship because it kept viewers invested. They would often tune in each week to see if the two ended up together. Where does Matt Dillon live on Gunsmoke? We were a family together. For many,Gunsmoke was more than just a TV western, it was an epic journey that many followed for over two decades. Before it became a TV show, Gunsmoke started life as a radio program. And, the characters storylines were left opened ended. His character didnt fit in the show at all. Amanda Blake plays the saloon employee in season two then she becomes the half-owner of Long Branch Saloon later on. I agree with the whining too much. Chester was always whining, not very interesting. Dennis Weaver, who played Chester, started his program and had to leave, Here are few things you should know about the show, James Arness played the role of Dillon in, The Brady Bunch (Cindy, Peter, and Jan) and some Star Trek stars (Spock, Scotty, Bones, and Kirk) made guest appearances in, Here are a few things you should know about the last episode of the great, It is impossible to say if Ken Curtis would have continued playing Festus on, if the network hadnt chosen to end the show. The fighting was mostly against invaders, and he fought alongside his allies. It won a primetime award for the most episodes on television until the Simpsons surpassed it. Wayne did, however, record an introduction to, Gunsmoke: The Long Ride Finds Marshal Dillion Framed For Murder, Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice Ended a 40 Year Franchise, Black Mirror Season 6's USS Callister Sequel Tease Is A Major Concern, 1 Sorcerers Stone Problem Could Make The Harry Potter Remake Harder, The MCU Multiverse Is Continuing A Great Marvel Trend. After Blake died Aug. 16 at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, a statement composed by the hospital and the actress friends reported her death as the result of her long battle with cancer. Ken Curtis played Festus, Dillons sidekick, inGunsmoke. I notice many of the characters play different roles, from time to time (good guys and bad guys). Once a two-pack-a-day smoker, Blake had undergone surgery for oral cancer in 1977 and afterward made appearances throughout the country on behalf of the American Cancer Society. Beginning with season ten, Fetus has his right ear folded to give the impression he is not too bright and as seasons 11-20, he becomes dumber and more of a comic relief. The show took place in Dodge City, Kansas, so Dillon would send criminals out of the town saying, get out of Dodge. The phrase became popularly used among fans and soon for non-fans as well. I agree 100% with you! I really like gunsmoke. The show introduced Fran Ryan as Hannah, the new saloon owner. My husband and I really enjoyed it. Nowadays fans get time to do what fans today do. The episode occurred during the middle of his run. The shows success relied mainly on the drama and suspense that spun from resolving seemingly serious situations. However, other reports said she died of AIDS-related complications. Amen. He seemed to be around whenever there was free food or if Kitty gave him free beer. Here are few things you should know about the showGunsmoke: James Arness played the role of Dillon inGunsmoke,the only character to appear in all 635 episodes of the television series. All things considered, it seems that Weaver's desire to move beyond playing Chester was the real reason that the beloved character permanently rode off into the I noticed and it always bothered me that Festus had his ears pushed down by his hat, making his look stupid. Amanda was known to be a very heavy cigarette smoker and she unfortunately fell ill in 1977. And why did they leave so many full beers at the bar?? He died at the age of 75. The American Western series had 20 seasons, with 635 episodes aired in 20 years. They play several episodes several different episodes every day on different stations. Blakes death certificate listed the immediate cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest due to liver failure and CMV hepatitis. THANKS FOR THE MEMORY, I was watching gunsmoke in the 70s when I was growing up. My dogs and cats keep me company. But my family loved Gunsmoke and all of the characters. I just wished that Matt and Kitty were a little more frisky with one another. It was so well-loved that it went from airing for 30 minutes to an entire hour. WebGunsmoke ran 20 years and had 635 episodes, making it the longest-running American prime-time drama TV series to date. I use to say to myself when Chester was on, WHY do they keep him. Now that's out of the way, a brief introduction. Sadly The show last one more season on CBS, then was canceled. The end was a usual episode entitled The Sharecroppers, mostly centered on Festus. The Associated Press shared the news about the cancelation of Gunsmoke on April 30, 1975. He was a great singer and sang with the Sons of The Pioneers. Besides. I thought it was a good clean show for them as kids and it is a wonderful memory for us now. And that the Fans were not informed as well. Join us as we explore some of the most intriguing and obscure details about Matt Dillon and the gang from Dodge City. For whatever reason, she believed that this financial difference would cause problems for their brand new marriage. I still watch gunsmoke every night. Why did Amanda Blake leave Gunsmoke? I have the dvds and the books, cups and clothes. I love Gunsmoke. Festus didnt leave Gunsmoke. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. According to KXRB, Amanda had surgery in 1977 for what they reported was oral cancer, and she was sick for some time. After 19 years of doing that commute, she decided enough was enough. She was in over 500 of the shows episodes. Did you enjoy readingWhy Did Festus Leave Gunsmoke? In fact, it looked like in some cases Dillion wanted to smack him, too. She didnt want to live in a goldfish bowl., Milburn Stone Aka "Doc" Didn't Leave 'Gunsmoke' by Choice, The Actor Behind Chester on 'Gunsmoke' Grew Restless Playing the Sidekick. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Blake subsequently quit the popular television show, which was then in its 19th season. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Today, most long-running shows be they comedies or dramas let fans know well in advance when the final episode will air. She was very talented and a real joy for me to work with.. Copyright 2023 Distractify. I live in Dodge City KS and my husband and I watch gunsmoke daily Devotional fan of festus and doc, live next door to I dont care bar and grill LoL. The show lasted one more season on CBS, then was canceled. Was the show sponsored by Folgers? However, none of them lasted or thrived for as long as, Ken Curtis played Festus, Dillons sidekick, in. Loved the show and characters good actors. I am 65 and love this show. and Chester and Matt picking on each other. They tried out 26 different actors. According to the book, The Gunsmoke Chronicles: A New History of Televisions Greatest Western by David R. Greenland, the cast and crew of Gunsmoke were pretty shocked to find out that the show had been canceled. He played the role from 1963 to 1975, sealing himself as an actor. I just read up on Chester and enjoyed the article very much. Every day he watches the Westerns and especially Gunsmoke. I only wish it was in order. Why did Festus leave Gunsmoke? Chesters character was often written as a silly bumpkin. She projected a subdued sensuality and a clear implication that Marshal Matt Dillon, played by James Arness, had only to show his interest and she would gladly become romantically involved with him. I think it is ashamed that after such a great long running Western wasnt informed of the Cancilation. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Actress Amanda Blake was Furious After Anyway we love, love, love Gunsmoke and can only say one thing. Since the show didnt continue after its twentieth season, it is impossible to say what happened to Festus; if he would have stayed put or left Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke: Why the Original Actress Offered the Part of Miss Kitty Turned Down Role, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWDFcUW_SCo, Favorite Kitty/Matt Clips Part 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWDFcUW_SCo). What a character. However, the network didnt inform them about ending the show. I watch it every time I get a chance. Instead, CBS canceled "Gilligan's Island" and "Gunsmoke" took over their time slot. Curtis originally entered Hollywood as a singer with the swing bands, later becoming a singer and an actor. "You can't cancel Gunsmoke," she said.