Page 4 - lw3579

The Gunman Who Killed the Critics Continued from page 29

producer and occasional director, Norman smoke" it is so sparse and in so low a key ten-thirty on Saturday nights only because
Macdonnell. To them must go the most as to be almost nonexistent. It also is tinged it's so much better than the other shows he
credit for "Gunsmoke's" phenomenal suc- with a kind of grim humor. watches ( it has, in fact, made him lose
cess. For all their ability, however, the real "I didn't know he had an enemy in the interest in the other ) , laughs his head off
reason for the smashing success of this world," Doc said on a recent show, bending at Chester and Doc. I do myself. And to
series is the six-foot, six-inch, 230-pound over a man who just had been murdered. show the hold this seri s ha even on wom-
hulk named Jim Arness. "He had one, Doc," Marshal Dillon said. en, I can report that my wife accepts Sattu-
As modest as he is tall, Arness denies "Gunsmoke" continually violates the old day night invitations only with reluctance
that his character, Marshal Matt Dillon of rule that said a story had to be stripped of and then _say~ regretful~y, "W ~11, I guess
Dodge City, is the focal figure on the show, all unnecessary detail so that only action we can miss Gunsmoke once.
even though the script invariably desig- remained. In "Gunsmoke" the characters In the beginning, the writer-producer
nates him as such. "Wouldn't be much of spend a great deal of time either saying team tried to get John Wayne for the part
a show without Chester, Doc and Kitty," he hello to each other or quibbling among of Marshal Dillon. The Duke was too busy
says. He is referring, of course, to Chester themselves. For example, on one show Doc being the number-one box office attraction
Goode, played by Dennis Weav r; Doc went into Kitty's saloon and the following in the waning movie industry. He felt that
Adam , played by Milburn Stone, and Kitty exchange ensued: he could go on a few more years as a star
Russell, played by Amanda Blake. KITTY: You going to have a drink, Doc? before trying TV on a more or less perma-
The four principals ply their trades in Doc: I don't think so. nent basis. He suggested Jim Arness.
stories that would have made old-time KITTY: Changing your habits? "Who is Jim Arness?" asked Meston and
Western heroes' eyes bug out in horror. Doc: That's the trouble with this town- Macdonnell.
Ever since "The Great Train Robbery," the always criticizing a man's bad habits and
first feature-length film and al:so the first not givin' him any credit for havin' any
Wes tern, horse operas have been noted for good ones. t wu~~~~~oo~~~d
simplicity of story structure and bold delin- KITTY: (Apologetically) I just asked, Doc. I public asked when "Gunsrnoke" was an-
eation of good and bad character. There Doc: 'Course I'm havin' :1 drink. What nounced. Arness was then under contract
have be n a few great exceptions, but for in tarnation you think I came into this to Wayne's production company. He had
the most part the stories have been de- saloon for? made twenty-odd pictures and had worked
signed to be watched while popcorn is When Meston and Macdonnell first be- his way up to a point where he could com-
chewed. "Gunsmoke" differs in that it often gan to think aboi:.tt "Gunsmoke" for TV, mand $1,500 a week when he was working.
comes to grips with serious problems. In they drew up a list of old-time Western Meston and Macdonnell called Arness in,
one episode, for example, Marshal Dillon cliches which they vowed would never be- tested him, and offered him the part. He
suddenly became obsessed with guilt. for smirch their screen. The hero would not astonished them by turning it down.
the amount of killing his job required him necessarily have a heart of gold; he would Wayne was on the telephone to Arness
to do. In another, the salty old Doc began not wear two guns; he would not have a next day. "What the hell's this I hear?"
brooding over the fact that he had lost a favorite horse named Trigger or Holster; "Hear about what?" Arness asked.
patient. "Gunsmoke" also is perhaps the there would be no chase sequences; the "They tell me you turned down that part
only Western in history in which one of the villains would not be all villainous and at CBS. What's the matter? Don't you
principal characters is a handicapped man. there would be no posses, pretty school- like money?"
Chester Goode has a stiff leg, and in addi- marms or ranchers' daughters. Every now "I like money, all right," Arness said,
tion he is an old-maidish fussbudget, wor- and then the marshal would make a mis- "and I'd like to go on earning it for a long
ried and apprehensive-until the situation take in judgment, and occasionally he would time. I figure if I take that part, I'll be
calls for courage, which he exhibits in get the h 11 beaten out of him. Also, the good for two )'ears and then my welcome'll
standard Western sty le. show would be liberally sprinkled with be worn out.
Dialogue in Westerns always has been humor. My thirteen year-old son, who is "Bull," said Wayne. "Listen, come on
fairly sparse and in a low key, but in "Gun- allowed to stay up to watch "Gunsmoke" at over and have a drink."
Amess met Wayne that evening at
Wayne's house. They sat down with a bot-
tle and a couple of glass s between them.
"Now, let me tell you why you have to
ARGOSY MAGAZINE
take this part," Wayne said. "First, it'll get
you expo ure. Inside of thr e months every-
body in the country'll know your name.
Second, from what I've heard of the guys
who are making this thing, it seems they're
doing a Western like nobody's ever done
one before. It won't be just another let's-
head-' em-off-at-the-pass kind of thing. It'll
be a good job, and it'll be good for you."
''I'll get typed as this one character."
"You don't have to. You play him the
best way you can, you'll never get typed.
And after this thing is over, you'll still be
in big demand."
By the time the bottle was nearly empty,
Arness had been convinced. He shook
hands with Wayne, went home, and the
next day he called CBS and told them he
would do the part.
Amess had told Wayne he thought that
playing Matt would be hard work, but he
never realized just how hard it would be. A
A family friend once asked Craig, Arness'
R eleven year-old son, what he wanted to do
G when he grew up. "Be an actor," he said.
0 "You have a lot of fun, make a lot of money,
s \ and hardly ever work."
y Arness' answer to that was one of his
"My lights need adjusting." rare explosive laugns. "I never knew what
70 real work was until we started this series."