Actor James Arness finally achieved mainstream success thanks to his performance as U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. He had to deal with leading men not wanting to share the screen with him because of his height. However, Gunsmoke would become the home Arness was always looking for, which he wasn’t expecting to find in the world of television. When another Western television show called Maverick parodied the long-running one in Dodge City, he didn’t take too kindly to it.
‘Gunsmoke’ actor James Arness didn’t take himself too seriously on the set
The original Gunsmoke cast didn’t all approach the television show the same way. Doc Adams actor Milburn Stone had a serious perspective and he wanted to make sure that his co-stars were taking the opportunity seriously. However, not everyone felt the same way. Stone initially hated Arness on the Gunsmoke set because he frequently joked around rather than appearing to take the work seriously.
Arness surprised him by agreeing with Stone when he spoke out against his behavior. They ultimately developed a strong respect for one another. The cast became somewhat of a tight-knit family, looking after one another and putting the overall quality of the show first. They were willing to sacrifice their own time in the spotlight within an episode to shift the narrative focus around.
James Arness called ‘Maverick’s ‘Gunsmoke’ parody in ‘poor taste’
Maverick was a comedic Western television series that ran from 1957 until 1962. The show included a parody of Gunsmoke, which Arness wasn’t very pleased with. According to a TV Guide interview, no viewers considered the “lampoon” to be entirely innocent and without insult, but the actor felt differently.
“It’s poor taste and poor business for one show to rap another,” Arness said. But, why did he take offense to this particular harmless spoof?
The actor had a good sense of humor, but he was very intentional with how he handled his Gunsmoke character. As a result, Arness didn’t appreciate when control of Matt and his arc are taken away from him in other television shows, even if it was in jest.
Much of Matt’s character truly comes through when he interacts with his loyal friends on the show. Chester Goode, Miss Kitty Russell, Doc, Quint Asper, Buck Taylor, and Festus Haggen were just some of the folks who he regularly engaged with. They also played into his ability to fight injustice across Dodge City and those who would pose a risk of further disturbing his pursuit of peace.
He didn’t initially want to play Matt Dillon
The initial rumors surrounding Gunsmoke indicated that movie star John Wayne turned down the role before it went to Arness. However, this statement proved to be untrue. Rather, Wayne worked with Arness and struck a solid friendship with him, so he recommended him for the part.
Arness didn’t initially want to take a leading role on television, yearning for a movie career in Hollywood. Nevertheless, Wayne encouraged him to accept the part because it had so much room for growth. Arness took the advice and ultimately became CBS’ biggest asset on their most popular show.