John Meston

Gunsmoke was an adult western and was the creation of writer, John Meston, and producer-director, Norman Macdonnell. It absolutely took the country by storm....

Originally a story editor for CBS, John Meston left that behind in 1953 and went to work full time writing Gunsmoke. The next three years, Meston essentially...

The strength of Gunsmoke as a whole largely relied on the depth of every figure in each episode, from small quirks given to one time only roles to complex...

Marshall Matt Dillon was different from the traditional Western hero radio archetype because he stood alone and had no real friendships. Dillon had only one...

Without Conrad as the lead in Gunsmoke, it's doubtful if the "adult radio" program would have flourished during its nine-year run on radio. Not only did...

It is 1872 and you are living 12 miles from town. Your wife is screaming in pain in her last stages of labor, about to give birth to your first born. You are...

The Gunsmoke theme is considered by many to be one of the most renowned pieces of music of classic radio themes. Rex Koury was hired to provide the music for...

If Gunsmoke had followed the traditional, but strictly constrictive cookie-cutter programming format that most successful radio shows adhered to during the...

Gunsmoke was an adult western and was the creation of writer, John Meston, and producer, Norman Macdonnell. With CBS Chairman William S. Paley in their camp,...

Authenticity was something that the creators of Gunsmoke strived for. A key locale in Dodge City for Marshall Dillon, Doc Adams, Chester, and Miss Kitty was...

Intent on setting it apart from other programs, the creators behind Gunsmoke focused on upending the traditional storybook ending in Westerns. Sure, The Lone...

While Norman Macdonnell and John Meston were openly relishing the opportunity to upend the highly popular romanticized cliches of the Old West in a new show...

Early on, Gunsmoke received the acclaim due it from both critics and the audience. One major reason for this was the program's dedication to authenticity....

In the early programs, Matt Dillon has a grudging tolerance for his deputy, Chester Proudfoot. Chester's primary purpose it seemed, both to Matt and the...

Gunsmoke added a layer to Matt Dillon that many western lawmen in fiction did not have. He was a paradox. First and foremost, Dillon sought to keep the law...