Gunsmoke actor Burt Reynolds went from television to a major movie star and sex symbol. However, his successful career in feature films would have never happened without the wins that he got on projects, such as Gunsmoke. There, Reynolds worked hard on Gunsmoke along with the Western television show cast to make their performances look as “effortless” as possible for the longtime fans.
Burt Reynolds appeared in 50 ‘Gunsmoke’ episodes
Reynolds first appeared on Gunsmoke as Quint Asper in season 8 episode 3, “Quint Asper Comes Home.” The 1962 episode follows the half-Native American character, who vows to take vengeance against all white men after a pair of them kill his father and threaten his mother. However, U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) sees the good in him and brings him into his inner circle of friends.
Most actors would be envious of the fact that Reynolds got such as stable acting gig on Gunsmoke, one of the biggest shows ever to air on television. However, playing Quint grew boring for him. Even so, the actor starred in the Western series for 50 episodes from seasons 8 through 10. Afterward, the only mention of Quint was in reference to what a strong blacksmith he was for Dodge City.
Arness’ book, James Arness: An Autobiography, included some written words from Reynolds himself, who had a lot to say about Gunsmoke. He recalled the ups and downs that he incurred over the course of his time on the Western set. However, he only had positive things to say about his experience working with the well-established cast. Reynolds called this time “priceless” and valued the “time spent with each and every one of them.”
“We all hated ‘acting’ that looked pretentious,” Reynolds explained. “If you could catch us ‘working,’ it wasn’t good. We worked hard to make it look effortless. That’s why those shows, although now thought of as part of the ‘Golden Years of TV,’ were not as honored by our industry as they should have been.”
Reynolds continued about Gunsmoke: “Who knew when we watched Gleason, Lucy and Andy that we were watching irreplaceable performances? Only now, when every episode is being collected and sold over and over again, do we finally get it.”
Above all else, Reynolds was impressed with Arness on the Gunsmoke set. The leading actor sets the tone of any set, which establishes either a positive or a negative working environment. In the case of CBS’ top Western series, Arness put everybody at ease. He remainder remarkably friendly with his colleagues and never forced himself to be the center of attention.
After all, the Gunsmoke cast, including Reynolds, was one of the primary reasons why audiences continued to tune into the show for so many years. It’s a tremendous ensemble cast, with each actor pulling their weight with striking chemistry and strong storytelling that felt grounded and real.