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Gunsmoke - The First Season | 
 enlarge | Actors: James Arness, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, Dennis Weaver
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $38.99
Buy New: $22.75
You Save: $16.24 (42%)
New (26) Used (4) Collectible (1) from $22.75
Rating:  56 reviews
Sales Rank: 1960
Format: Box Set, Closed-captioned, Black & White, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 6
Running Time: 1051 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: PARD852134D
UPC: 097368521346
EAN: 0097368521346
ASIN: B000PHX5KU
Theatrical Release Date: September 10, 1955
Release Date: July 17, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 07/17/2007
Amazon.com
A TV series doesn't get a more auspicious launch than did Gunsmoke, the first episode of which, broadcast on Sept. 10, 1955, was introduced by none other than John Wayne ("Some of you may have seen me before"). In this historic prologue (included in this first-season round-up), Wayne hypes Gunsmoke as "honest, adult, and realistic." Of James Arness, starring as United States Marshal Matt Dillon, Wayne predicts, "He'll be a big star, so you might as well get used to him." Viewers did more than get used to him. "Mr. Dillon," as his sidekick Chester (Dennis Weaver) calls him, became a television icon who literally stood tall as a steadfast, incorruptible symbol of justice through two of America's most tumultuous decades. The Bravo network ranked him among TV's 50 greatest characters. Gunsmoke was television's longest running Western, and Arness's 20-year stint as Dillon would be matched only by Kelsey Grammer's Frasier Crane (and, by the way, Milburn Stone, who costarred with Arness as crusty, "vinegar face" Doc Adams). For those who grew up with Gunsmoke's full-hour color episodes, this first season will be something of a revelation. The show is in black and white, and, at a half-hour, lean and gritty. Not that Dodge City is Deadwood, by any means, but its reputation as "the Gomorrah of the plains," as Dillon notes in the first episode, is well earned. Most episodes begin with Dillon setting the stage, Dragnet-style, like a frontier Joe Friday. "A man will choose his gun quicker to make a point than he'll draw on his logic," he ruminates at one point. "That's where I come in." Gunsmoke has its share of shootouts and traditional Western action, but the best episodes are gripping psychological dramas. In "Reward for Matt," the embittered widow of a racist Dillon was forced to gun down puts a price on his head. In "The Killer," Dillon exposes a gunslinger (guest star Charles Bronson) for the coward he is. Even an otherwise light-hearted holiday episode, "Magnus," in which Chester's backwards, backwoods brother comes to visit, is darkened by a twisted man gunning for "wicked" dance hall woman Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake), queen of the Longbranch saloon (and a close friend of the marshal—just how close is only hinted at). John Wayne was right: More than 50 years later, Gunsmoke remains "the best thing of its kind to come along." --Donald Liebenson Beyond Gunsmoke 
More TV Westerns | 
50th Anniversary Collection | 
Director's Collection | Stills from Gunsmoke: The First Season (click for larger image)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 51 more reviews...
THE KING OF ALL TV WESTERNS October 2, 2008
Noel Serrano (Tampa, Florida United States)
The television series ran from September 10, 1955 to March 31, 1975 on CBS for 635 episodes. Until 2005, it was the longest run of any scripted primetime series with continuing characters in American primetime television.
Conrad was the first choice to play Marshal Dillon on TV, having established the role, but his increasing obesity led to more photogenic actors being considered. Losing the role embittered Conrad for years, though he later starred in another CBS television series, Cannon (1971-1975). Denver Pyle was also considered for the role, as was Raymond Burr who was ultimately seen as too heavyset for the part. According to a James Arness interview, John Wayne was offered the role, but wouldn't do it; Wayne was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and at that time, working in television was seen as a huge step down in prestige for a star actor.
In the end, the primary roles were all recast, with James Arness taking on the lead role of Marshal Matt Dillon upon the recommendation of John Wayne, who also introduced the first episode of the series; Dennis Weaver playing Chester Goode; Milburn Stone being cast as Dr. Galen "Doc" Adams; and Amanda Blake taking on the role of Miss Kitty Russell, owner of the Long Branch Saloon. MacDonnell became the associate producer of the TV show and later the producer. Meston was named head writer. Arness, in his role on Gunsmoke, achieved what no other actor at the time had ever matched: he played the same character on the same scripted series for 20 years - at the time the longest uninterrupted period a primetime actor had played the same role in the same show.
In 1963, singer/character actor Ken Curtis did a guest role as a shady ladies' man. After Weaver left the series to venture out as the lead in his own TV series, Kentucky Jones, Curtis was added to the show's lineup. He played the stubbornly illiterate Festus Haggen, a character who came to town (in an episode titled "Us Haggens") to avenge the death of his twin brother, Fergus Haggen, and another brother, Jeff Haggen, and who decided to stay in Dodge when the deed was done. Initially existing on the fringes of Dodge society, Festus Haggen was slowly phased in as a reliable sidekick to Matt Dillon and was eventually made a deputy. Interestingly, his twin was never again mentioned on the show. In the episode "Alias Festus Haggen," he is mistaken for a robber and killer whom he has to expose to free himself (both parts played by Curtis). In a comic relief episode ("Mad Dog"), another case of mistaken identity forces Festus to fight three sons of a man killed by his cousin. Other actors who played Dillon's deputies for two and a half to three-year stints included Roger Ewing (1966-1968) as Thad Greenwood and Burt Reynolds (1962-1965) as Indian/white Quint Asper. Buck Taylor, who played gunsmith Newly O'Brien from 1967-1975, also served as one of Dillon's deputies.
While Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty clearly had a close personal relationship, the two never married. In a July 2, 2002 Associated Press interview with Bob Thomas, Arness explained, "If they were man and wife, it would make a lot of difference. The people upstairs decided it was better to leave the show as it was, which I totally agreed with." The nearest that Matt and Kitty had to a romantic encounter was in a comic episode ("Quiet Day in Dodge"), where Matt, tired from a long day of settling disputes, was about to have dinner with Miss Kitty. However, she was distracted and found poor Matt sound asleep. Kitty ended up storming out of the room, furious. In another episode ("Hostage!", Season 18, Episode 13, December 11, 1972) Kitty was gravely injured. Matt spent hours at Kitty's side in Doc's office, holding her hand before she stirred and he knew he would not lose her. The Marshal took off his badge to pursue the bad guy as a personal vendetta. When Kitty awoke and Doc told her of Matt's mission she feared for his safety. As Doc reassured her, "The sun hasn't come up on the day that Matt can't take care of himself," Kitty answered, "I couldn't live without him."
In an episode ("Waste") featuring Johnny Whitaker as a boy with a prostitute mother, her madam questions Dillon as to why the law overlooks Miss Kitty's enterprise. It appears that bordellos could exist "at the law's discretion" (meaning the Marshal's).
The character Miss Kitty was written out in 1974, when Blake decided not to return for the the show's 20th (and final) season.
Best TV western Ever August 3, 2008
D. Keene (tampa,fl)
This is it. The real Gunsmoke. This is the half hour broadcasts heavy on drama and character acting and in glorious black and white. The series picked up right from the radio program that was so popular in the early fifties. John Wayne even introduced the series with a brief introduction.
These are beautiful short morality tales of the kind that have gone with the wind. Tough stuff with a heart.
better than expected July 6, 2008
jojogirl777 (fresno, ca usa)
My father grew up watching gunsmoke and I thought it would be another hokey cowboy show. I was pleasently surpised to find out that it was very well written and full of life lessons applicable to anytime and place.
1st Season Gunsmoke April 14, 2008
Linda Oliver (Iowa)
This was purchased as a gift for my brother and if you like older TV shows this is a good buy.
See how it all began for the longest running dramatic series in the history of television! April 12, 2008
Henry-Clyde (North of Nowhere, South of Everywhere, East of There, West of Here)
"GUNSMOKE" premiered in 1955 and was canceled in 1975, for a total of 20 seasons and 635 episodes. It is one of the best, if not the best, television series of all time. Originally, it was in the black and white half hour format, then it went to black and white full hour, and finally to the beloved color full hour programming. The episodes in color are probably the best known to today's audiences. But I guarantee you that the episodes from the original black and white programming are just as good, and the first season is no exception. This great show also had an excellent cast. James Arness was Marshal Matt Dillon of Dodge City, Kansas, Amanda Blake was Miss Kitty Russell, a prostitute at first, and then later the full owner of The Long Branch. When the show first started out, Kitty was just a madame, or, as the show so cleverly disguised it, a "saloon girl". Over time, the many fans of the show began to see her profession as awkward, because how could she work in the saloon when there was a certain special relationship between her and Matt? Since the show was so strongly devoted to its fans, the writers changed Miss Kitty to at first half owner, and then later, full owner. However, the show never took Kitty and Matt's relationship to a higher level. It would be strange to see Marshal Dillon come home to a house full of kids, now wouldn't it? Also in the main cast were Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, and Milburn Stone as Galen "Doc" Adams. Chester was not a deputy, but more of a helper to Matt. He was best known for his straight legged limp and his high pitched cries of "Mr. Dillon". Doc was a crusty and cantankerous old coot on the outside, but had a very good heart on the inside. The constant friendly badgering between Doc and Chester was always hilarious, so much that they eventually became somewhat of a comedy act. Unfortunately, Weaver left the show in 1964 to pursue other things. This is when the newer and more familiar to modern audience age of "Gunsmoke" was ushered in. When the show brought in Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen in 1959, Roger Ewing as Thad Greenwood in 1965, and Buck Taylor as Newly O'Brien in 1967. But I am not picky, and love any episode just as much as another. I shall look forward to all those episodes, some of which I have never seen. Other wonderful characteristics of this show were its impeccable use of guest stars, and transitioning the Western genre from the old serials of the 1940's to the adult Western. This show was actually the first adult television Western. The writers and producers attempt was to break away from the cliche-laden Lone Ranger to the realistic West. No masked men found here! The first season of "Gunsmoke" did not feature as much as it would later in the way of special guest stars, because it was just viewed as another Western. However, this first season did have several guest stars, such as John Dehner, Royal Dano, Aaron Spelling, Charles Bronson, and Strother Martin. The guest stars can be found more abundantly in later seasons, but it did not take long for the producers to realize the jackpot they had found for television. Below is a list of all the episodes that can be found in this 6-disc set.
1. MATT GETS IT (Series Pilot)
2. HOT SPELL
3. WORD OF HONOR
4. HOME SURGERY
5. OBIE TATER
6. NIGHT INCIDENT
7. SMOKING OUT THE NOLANS
8. KITE'S REWARD
9. THE HUNTER
10. THE QUEUE
11. GENERAL PARSLEY SMITH
12. MAGNUS
13. REED SURVIVES
14. PROFESSOR LUTE BONE
15. NO HANDCUFFS
16. REWARD FOR MATT
17. ROBIN HOOD
18. YORKY
19. 20-20
20. REUNION '78
21. HELPING HAND
22. TAP DAY FOR KITTY
23. INDIAN SCOUT
24. THE PEST HOLE
25. THE BIG BROAD
26. HACK PRINE
27. COOTER
28. THE KILLER
29. DOC'S REVENGE
30. THE PREACHER
31. HOW TO DIE FOR NOTHING
32. DUTCH GEORGE
33. PRAIRIE HAPPY
34. CHESTER'S MAIL ORDER BRIDE
35. THE GUITAR
36. CARA
37. MR. AND MRS. AMBER
38. UNMARKED GRAVE
39. ALARM AT PLEASANT VALLEY
Excellent show! The very best in television entertainment!
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THIS REVIEW IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, INVOLVED WITH THE MAKING OF "GUNSMOKE".
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