Read somewhere that somebody wrote a thesis about Gunsmoke and in the 20 some years the show was on that Dillon killed over 600 people. Don't know if it's true or not.
George
If the A Team could shoot they would have killed thousands. Gunsmoke was a fantastic show.
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.”
My favorite show of all time! The whole family watches it. My UNC Chapel Hill daughter laughs that almost none of her classmates have ever heard of it. She watches it with us most evenings when she is home.
I watch Gunsmoke on INSP through Directv and have not seen any warnings.
A couple of days ago John Wayne spoke before the show, telling us he thought Jim Arness would become a big star. It was season one, show one. I guess after over 600 episodes the Duke was right.
It’s a shame there aren’t any or very few writers left like you.
Thanks, Chlinstructor. As a retired screenwriter, all the Gunsmoke writers I knew except one (and myself) have all gone to the "Happy Writers' Room" in the Far Beyond. Sometimes I'm surprised -- but thankful -- I'm still on this side of dirt. Hollywood has changed radically since I was writing scripts.
Happy New Year.
L.W.
"Always go straight forward, and if you meet the devil, cut him in two and go between the pieces." (William Sturgis, clipper ship captain, 1830s.)
It’s a shame there aren’t any or very few writers left like you.
Thanks, Chlinstructor. As a retired screenwriter, all the Gunsmoke writers I knew except one (and myself) have all gone to the "Happy Writers' Room" in the Far Beyond. Sometimes I'm surprised -- but thankful -- I'm still on this side of dirt. Hollywood has changed radically since I was writing scripts.
Happy New Year.
L.W.
Well break out the ones you broke let me know I'll watch them all grade them for you there's some freaking bad shooting in them there's some bad guys there's some good girls there's some bad issues going on which ones did you write do you know or you're part of a team kind of like the Dick Van Dyke Show
Well break out the ones you broke let me know I'll watch them all grade them for you there's some freaking bad shooting in them there's some bad guys there's some good girls there's some bad issues going on which ones did you write do you know or you're part of a team kind of like the Dick Van Dyke Show
ATVALASKA, there were no staff writers on Gunsmoke, or the other dramatic shows at that time. Gunsmoke was cancelled after the 1975 season. It ran for 20 years. All shows were written by free lance writers. Only the comedy shows had staff writers. I addressed this subject in another thread. Here it is.
As for "bad shooting," it was all make believe. After all, most actors, directors, and writers knew very little about firearms, ammunition, or how to handle them. There were some efforts at "authenticity" in the use of firearms, but there were many things more important in filming than constantly trying to correct incorrect firearms use by actors.
When John Mantley took over Gunsmoke as Executive Producer, he had the following "letter" put into every script, FIRST PAGE , for actors and directors to read. It follows.
Sometimes an actor or director would take up the offer, other times they just ignored it.
That's Hollywood.
L.W.
"Always go straight forward, and if you meet the devil, cut him in two and go between the pieces." (William Sturgis, clipper ship captain, 1830s.)
It is one thing I have always noted when watching "Westerns." Of course, I am perfectly aware that by necessity all shots fired are blanks with little or no recoil, so I simply ignore it.
One other thing was that emptying and reloading a firearm was seldom if ever shown. A few times, and actor would be seen to reload, but not often.
The thing that REALLY bugged me was seeing all of them riding across country with flat saddle bags, only to later see them encamped with coffee pots, plates, food, silverware, and occasionally even kettles and iron support rods over the fire.
Gut shot in Dodge City? Gotta climb the rickety stairs to see the Doc.
I noticed that over Christmas weekend we're watching that's a hell of a flight of stairs with a bullet in your happy ass or broke leg a hand laugh out loud I do find myself with that handy DirecTV feature where you can get into the Cat cast of characters and see who that little hottie was ....... oh my
Sometimes I'm surprised -- but thankful -- I'm still on this side of dirt. 
Hollywood has changed radically since I was writing scripts. 
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/pd7D6284/Mantley.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/ZKh9XDbF/B05459-E8-DB66-411-D-9-F5-C-1-B0419-A7-EE3-B.png)
