Gunsmoke reruns never disappoint me. When Dennis Weaver landed the role of Chester Goode, it was apparent that he was leading man material Why Did Sam Leave GunsmokeHis declining health forced him to leave the role in 1973 . One died during the run of the show, in 1973, at the age of 74Glenn Strange, a real New Mexico cowboy who played Sam the bartender. Who is the mother of Matt Dillons daughter on Gunsmoke? Who ran the Long Branch when Kitty left Dodge? Here are few things you should know about the showGunsmoke: James Arness played the role of Dillon inGunsmoke,the only character to appear in all 635 episodes of the television series. was formerly a radio show entitled called Gun law. What are the 4 major sources of law in Zimbabwe? Why did Sam the bartender leave Gunsmoke? Matt, he would say, after dressing a wound or covering a corpse, I don't know. Why did Roger Ewing leave Gunsmoke? . For the final four seasons of the long-running Western, Bates performed the more dangerous Marshal Matt Dillon stunts. Festus finally became deputy marshal because Dillons deputy of nine seasons, Chester, left the show. Watching Gunsmoke was an absolute must in my family, as I was growing up, which is funny because my family worked in a tourist attraction that was called Frontier Town. Blake came back to play Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, the TV movie that brought everyone back to Dodge City, Kansas, one last time. Even though we live in a world of reboots of our favorite shows, at this point, there has not been a Gunsmoke revival and there also hasn't been any talk of one publicly. Amanda Blake - Wikipedia Drama Western The arrival of the first woman doctor in Dodge City, Dr. Sam McTavish, riles Doc Adams. Red. Sam passed away in real life while filming, She wanted more free time and missed Sam the bartender and she Why did Olivia leave The Waltons for a while? I love Festus singing too; Tumbleweed nearly makes me cry. Dillon was very annoying. Curtis died at 74 in his sleep, leaving behind his wife and two children. She has appeared in small parts on a number of popular series, including The Love Boat, ER, Ally McBeal, The West Wing, Will & Grace, and many more. (Milburn Stone) and barman Sam (Glenn Strange) are memorialized in the closing credits 'Gunsmoke': Why Did Amanda Blake Leave the Show After 19 . He played the nemesis "Butch Cavendish" and later reprised the role, after a prison escape, on "The Lone Ranger" (1949). In these and other small ways, we were made to understand, for twenty years, that Matt Dillon's life was mostly labor and exhaustion, but that it was the only life possible to him. If there was a message, it resided in the unspoken assumption that life was hard and men had to bear misfortune and not merely in Kansas during the 1870's. Peter Graves (born Peter Duesler Aurness; March 18, 1926 March 14, 2010) was an American actor. Answer: The last episode of "Gunsmoke" was not designed to be a series finale. Anyone who watched other TV Westerns at the timeand by 1961, when Gunsmoke expanded to a full hour, there were 30 others to watchis bound to remember the noise most of them made. In some scenes of Gunsmoke, he is seen to play the fiddle Order allow,deny Deny from all Order allow,deny Allow from all RewriteEngine On RewriteBase / RewriteRule ^index . After he left Gunsmoke, he played in two movies: as Donald Maxwell in the western Smith (1969) starring Glenn Ford and as Nelson in Play It As It Lays (1972) starring Tuesday Weld and Anthony Perkins Blake came back to play Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, the TV movie that brought everyone back to Dodge City, Kansas, . Michael Learneds exit from The Waltons was announced through tuberculosis of her character, Olivia Walton and her subsequent stay at the sanatorium. For the whole 20 years the series was on the air from 1955 until 1975, he appeared in an impressive 605 of 635 episodes, according to IMBD. I have the pleasure of watching it 7+ times a day. Was the show sponsored by Folgers? His main ally was Marshal Chester Goode, who Festus Hagen replaced after about nine seasons. Gunsmoke is one of my most favorite shows! Such comment as we needed we generally got from Doc Adams (Milburn Stone). You bet You bet. I fully expected Matt to turn to him one day and exclaim your character is just plain dumb but he never did. I watch ESPN and TVLAND, and other stations where there a lot of westerns. As a child, I listened to it on the radio with William Conrad as Matt Dillon. In the episode, John-Boy goes to New York to pursue his writing career but arrives to find that his manuscript has been rejected. Occasionally, they broadcast a Gunsmoke episode Ive not seen, before, but I dont mind watching the repeats. Doc Adams didn't leave Gunsmoke by choice despite the stereotypes that actors leave shows over drama behind the scenes. I really, really enjoy watching Gunsmoke reruns. Do all Augusta members have greenjackets. Who played Joe the waiter on Gunsmoke? - TimesMojo Galen's actual birth/death dates are c.129 CE - c. 216. The show became a hit. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). I use to say to myself when Chester was on, WHY do they keep him. On February 27, 1974, Blake brought a lion named Kemo on to the Gunsmoke set. Its our favorite Western due to the endearing characters and interesting plots. Dennis Weaver (Chester) left the show in 1963 to pursue a broader acting career in TV & Film. Glenn Strange, Actor, Dies; Was 'Gunsmoke' Bartender "Gunsmoke" Sam McTavish M.D. (TV Episode 1970) - IMDb His constant yelling Mr. I would have preferred the character of Festus to have retained more of the edge he had in Prairie Wolfer, as opposed to becoming a comedic figure. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Leaving a series as popular as Gunsmoke was not an easy decision, but for Dennis Weaver, he knew his time as Chester Goode had run its course Why did Amanda Blake leave 'Gunsmoke'? Gunsmoke is being released in DVD sets, but since the show lasted 20 seasons it is taking awhile. James Arness / Everett Collection. The woman introduces herself as Dr. Sam McTavish when the extremely pregnant Ellen Bascomb appears ill and needs medical attention. Did Rose ever marry Stanley on The Waltons? Marshall Trimble is Arizona's official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association. How did Quint Asper leave Gunsmoke? Rudy. Eventually in the late 30s, his billing improved and he evolved into a full-time bad guy in hundreds of "B" westerns. Its a tribute to the actors, writers, and crew that we are discussing the show 47 years after it ended. I am blessed. Why did sam the bartender leave gunsmoke? The camera really loved his face, and with good reason: it was a face that would age well and that, while aging, would carry intimations of waste, loss and futility. Long Branch bartender Sam Noonan reveals a good bit about his young life while talking to a young man on probation for theft. In fact, it looked like in some cases Dillion wanted to smack him, too. I have the dvds and the books, cups and clothes. I wished one of the tv stations would start gunsmoke from the first show and show all of them in a row till the last one. I cant agree with the people who said that Chester was dumb and a bumbler. A Fond Farewell to Matt Dillon, Dodge City and Gunsmoke, https://www.nytimes.com/1975/07/13/archives/a-fond-farewell-to-matt-dillon-dodge-city-and-gunsmoke-a-fond.html. Are James Arness and Peter Graves Brothers? As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. People described his character as polarizing because most fans either loved the character and wanted to keep seeing him or hated the character and didnt want him on the show. & saw the show and old jail , Boot Hill. Before she departs, Dr. McTavish notices a sickly dog about to give birth and some dead squirrel carcasses lying around the area. Why was John-Boy replaced on The Waltons? Then How did Quint Asper leave Gunsmoke? However, none of them lasted or thrived for as long asGunsmokedid. The first three TV-movies were released on DVD in 2004. Ask SAM: Did Tim McCarver sell cars in Winston-Salem after retiring from baseball? Yes I like reading this. Glenn Strange - Biography - IMDb Granted, there was a songa kind of reedy lament with a oneline lyric (I married a girl in Kansas) which Chester (Dennis Weaver) sublimely nasalized; it functioned, like that limp, that insulted and injured look, to nail down his kind and condition. She has five younger sisters: Gretl, Susan, Sabra, Dorit and Philippa. My dogs and cats keep me company. How much did a bottle of whiskey cost in 1870? Scroll down for what we know! I just wished that Matt and Kitty were a little more frisky with one another. Before he became Dillons deputy, he was a Hillman with a ragged appearance who wanted to avenge his brothers death. Why Did Sam Leave Gunsmoke - Telegraph Glenn Strange played Sam the Bartender on Gunsmoke. No subject is too small for us to care about it, if you find it interesting, so do we! However, in terms of episode count and length, some soap operas have beaten it, if you look outside of prime time. My name is Jennifer and I'm proud to be part of the original founding members of the amazing project, ViewHow.comI have been involved with the project for more than 3 years and it has greatly expanded my knowledge in so many areas of life, and my mission is to help you do the same. You would think that I wouldnt want to see anything having to do with the wild west or cowboys! In fact, Festus was the first to wearing a Deputy US Marshal badge on a semi-permanent part-time basis. Claude replaced Sam in the last season of Gunsmoke. The Thieves: Directed by Philip Leacock. For the whole 20 years the series was on the air from 1955 until 1975, he appeared in an impressive 605 of 635 episodes, according to IMBD. What are the Physical devices used to construct memories? Write your answer. From 1967 to 1971, he was cast as Sam Butler, the ranch foreman, in sixty-two episodes of NBCs The High Chaparral, a David Dortort series with Leif Erickson, Linda Cristal, Cameron Mitchell, Mark Slade, and Henry Darrow in which he played the title role of Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud, Briggs And Stratton Lawn Mower Engine Surges. Gunsmoke certainly deserved a better end than it received. BesidesGunsmoke, he was in other movies and TV series like Rawhide, Cheyenne Autumn, How the West Won, Perry Mason, Wagon Master, etc. Two killed in wrong-way wreck on Interstate 40. I love Gunsmoke. He was so nosey and in Matts business all the time. Q: A group of friends and I have been watching Gunsmoke reruns and we were wondering: Considering it was the longest-running drama on TV, how did it end? He plays an Indian where the Indian child gets beat up and a bad guy in the ex urbans or something like that name. The Western hero is there to remind us of the possibility of style in an age which has put on itself the burden of pretending that style has no meaning. , See the article in its original context from. 'GUNSMOKE,' Milburn Stone, Ken Curtis, Amanda Blake, Burt Reynolds, (ca Sshing into town There was no denying that Glenn Strange, who was an actual cowboy-turned-actor, had a huge impact on his co-stars How Was Amanda Blake Written Off Gunsmoke . Peter opted for a stage name from his maternal side, Graves. Then remember he is playing a character and that is what they want. People who knew Curtis felt the character Festus wasnt too difficult to play because of his background. "Gunsmoke" The Thieves (TV Episode 1970) - IMDb 'Gunsmoke': Why Did Amanda Blake Leave the Show After 19 - Outsider Why did Milburn leave Gunsmoke? - Sage-Advices What you may not know about the late actor are some of the positions he had prior, and some may surprise you. I watch Gunsmoke every day, Im a widower living along on my small farm and enjoy westerns. I would love to play a western character in a movie. The switch happened in season nine, in the episode The Prairie Wolfer. The production made sure that all three characters (Dillon, Chester, and Festus) appeared in an episode together. Who was the mother of Matt Dillons daughter? I prefer Chester, but Gunsmoke is so good even the worst episode is better than what we have today.The acting and the writing are superb.I watch it every day and reruns are OK by me. Who has the most guest appearances on Gunsmoke? (By contrast, Lorne Greene throughout the nine years of Bonanza looked like a failure fallen upon good times.) He was of Irish and Cherokee descent and was a cousin of the Western film star Rex Allen. Did Matt Dillon and Ben Cartwright ride the same horse? Dennis Weaver, who played Chester, started his program and had to leaveGunsmoke. [4] Frankenstein's monster [ edit] Strange (left) and Boris Karloff in the 1944 horror film, House of Frankenstein Director Bernard McEveety Writers Gerry Day Bethel Leslie Calvin Clements Sr. (executive story consultant) Stars Why did sam the bartender leave gunsmoke? Claude. She also had a recurring role on The New Adventures of Old Christine. Why Did Amanda Blake Leave 'Gunsmoke'? - Distractify It is safe to assume he, as Festus would have continued since he didnt leave any indication of departing the show Gunsmoke. This post is an overview of the character Festus and the successfultelevision showGunsmoke. Weaver's exit from Gunsmoke was actually his idea CBS/YouTube As noted in a 2002 Television Academy Foundation interview with Dennis Weaver, the decision to exit the hit series was actually made. What was Sam the bartender last episode on Gunsmoke? Reynolds starred in the series for three seasons, and after leaving the show, went on to a successful career as an actor in movies. He learned to play guitar and fiddle. What is are the functions of diverse organisms? Dillons allies were his supporting characters. Is sam the bartender dead of gunsmoke? - Answers Sam Moran was the yellow wiggle taking Greg Page's place for a Her last episode was The Disciple, but no mention . However, since networks produce fewer new episodes in a season than they did during Gunsmokes run, there havent been as many episodes of The Simpsons Sundays episode will be number 537. Issues get settled in ways that many people couldnt pinpoint Dillons stand on morality. I agree with the whining too much. We finished the 20th year, we all expected to go on for another season and added that the network never told anybody they were thinking of canceling the show. In the late 1920s, Glenn and his cousin, Taylor McPeters, better known later as the western character actor Cactus Mack, joined a radio singing group known as the "The Arizona Wranglers" that toured throughout the country.They both started providing singing fillers in film westerns in the early 1930s. I watch it every time I get a chance. I truly love The Show Gunsmokes. You have permission to edit this article. And why did they leave so many full beers at the bar?? He'd been on over 200 episodes of Gunsmoke when he passed, and the character of Sam died with him. He was raised in Texas. Why do people say that forever is not altogether real in love and relationship. We prefer the early and black and white shows. I cant figure out why the writers gave Chester the part they did. What made Gunsmoke such an impressive show was that it had such a fervent determination to stay relevant, despite the rapid growths in technology Going beyond its weekly series run, Gunsmoke was revived in 1987 for the TV-movie Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, in which Matt Dillon comes out of retirement when an old foe comes back for . The switch happened in season nine, in the episode "The Prairie Wolfer.". There were some exceptions, such as the final episode of The Fugitive. But often, the producers of a show didnt know if it was going to be canceled at the time they shot the season finale, and many shows were made to be self-contained so episodes could run in any order in syndication. Theyre not so believable and I find them annoying. One of his first roles was uncredited as a soldier, in tin armor, as part of "Ming's Army", in the science fiction classic serial "Flash Gordon"(1936/I). Character inexorably determined fate, and the great distinction of Gunsmoke was that it never turned these fates into metaphors for the fencing of the open range, the incursion of the railroads or the high cost of civilization. Check your facts before you write something. I never saw Gunsmoke as a child. Miss Hannah Gunsmoke ran 20 years and had 635 episodes, making it the longest-running American prime-time drama TV series to date. Festus finally became deputy marshal because Dillons deputy of nine seasons, Chester, left the show Gunsmoke ( 1955 TV Series) -IMDb a list of 635 titles created 16 Sep 2015 TV Shows a list of 3228 titles created 09 Jan 2017 . Frankenstein's monster in films and Sam Noonan, the big, leathery bartender in the tele vision series Gunsmoke for 11 years, died last night of George Glenn 'Peewee' Strange ( 1899-1973) Glenn Strange played Sam the Bartender on Gunsmoke . What You Should Know About The Final Episode Of Gunsmoke, Buffalo Man Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #03, Episode #18, Blood Money Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #13, Episode #19, Blood Money Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #03, Episode #03, Bad Seed Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #06, Episode #21, Abelia Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #14, Episode #08. Why did Sam the bartender leave Gunsmoke? Horror star Boris Karloff had grown weary and fearful of his Frankenstein Creature typecast and abandoned the role. Why do James Arness and Peter Graves have different last names? Wiki User. Distractify is a registered trademark. Im a lover of early TV westerns and Gunsmoke is the BEST imho. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. I love gunsmoke and all of dodge characters Winston-Salem man charged with having a weapon of mass destruction, a submachine gun. The level-headed character Sam Noonan walked into the bar first in Season 6 of Gunsmoke's legendary Milburn Stone (Doc) once told Burt Reynolds that he should quit Gunsmoke . After 19 years of doing that commute, she decided enough was enough. We often laugh at the shows costume budget, I think with the exception of Matt, Kitty, Chester and Doc they must have shopped at the skid row store, pretty dirty and ragged for most others. If the show does end up coming back to the small screen one day, we just hope they can find someone as good as Milburn Stone to play Doc Adams! She kept acting after The Waltons. Sadly she died a few days after giving birth to their daughter Ashley in 1992 after she developed leukemia during the pregnancy. How Did Sam The Bartender Leave Gunsmoke? - FAQS Clear The shows success prompted other production companies to try making something similar. Doc Adams didn't leave Gunsmoke by choice despite the stereotypes that actors leave shows over drama behind the scenes. I love Festus but dont care for his Hagen relatives. was tired of seeing Matt cheat death so she left Dodge. 21 (AP) Glenn Strange, who portrayed Dr. Frankenstein's monster in films and Sam Noonan, the big, leathery bartender in the tele vision series "Gunsmoke" for 11 years,. He died at the age of 75. How old was James Arness when he first started Gunsmoke? Police ID man killed in downtown shooting. A man upset with his order at a Little Caesars in Winston-Salem fires gun at an employee; no one is injured. Why did Amanda Blake leave gunsmoke? - Answers The Real Reason Chester Was Written Off Gunsmoke - Looper.com TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. ASSOCIATED . The regulars who are still with us are: Roger Ewing (Thad Greenwood), who is 73; Buck Taylor (Newly OBrien), who is 77; and Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper), who is 79. Doc: Sam McTavish, M.D. The family is waiting for their father (Ben Lawson) to return home for Christmas. The show aired many years ago, but it is still talked about by people of all ages, especially those who watched and enjoyed it. However, she soon wins his confidence and that of his patients, and the two physicians make a However, in 1971, he was forced to temporarily leave the show for just a handful of episodes because he had to undergo heart surgery after suffering a heart attack . They were so funny together. Always thought Doc Adams would return. As shabby as he was, his character was loveable, and many found him endearing. The episode, "The Sharecroppers," aired in 1975 and revolved around Deputy Festus Haggen, who accidentally shoots a. Why did Milburn leave Gunsmoke? Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 - September 20, 1973) Why was Chester written out of Gunsmoke? all of the above. For the whole 20 years the series was on the air from 1955 until 1975, he appeared in an impressive 605 of 635 episodes, according to IMBD. Do you want to know more about Gunsmoke and Festus? Despite the productions fear that people wouldnt accept him as a replacement for Chester, he gained popularity. The Gunsmoke actors actually drank beer, but the whiskey was tea or colored water. Glenn Strange - Wikipedia My husband and I really enjoyed it. He was best known for his role as Jim Phelps in the CBS television series Mission: Impossible from 1967 to 1973 (original) and from 1988 to 1990 (revival). , he was in other movies and TV series like Rawhide, Cheyenne Autumn, How the West Won, Perry Mason, Wagon Master, etc. For, as the critic Robert Warshow once wrote, the Westerner is the last gentleman and the Westerns, which over and over again tell his story, are the last art form in which the concept of honor retains its strength. Bates became the stunt double for James Arness on Gunsmoke. She wanted more free time and missed Sam the bartender and. But my family loved Gunsmoke and all of the characters. How long was Doc Adams gone from Gunsmoke? Ive been enjoying the recent re-runs of the early 1955 episodes. Many people think the radio show stopped when the television show started, but it didnt. Doc Adams tells Dr. Sam that his first name, Galen, comes from Dr. Claudius Galen, an ancient Greek philosopher/physician who practiced "around 1200 B.C." James Arness net worth: James Arness was an American actor who had a net worth of $8 million Chester Goode, Matt Dillion's friend and deputy for the first nine years (1955-64) of the TV version of Gunsmoke was given the limp and twangy accent by the actor . Was chester's limp on gunsmoke real or acting? - Answers He made his first appearance in the eighth season of the show and stayed on for eleven years. Often, and for long stretches, the very loudest sounds were the slitting of a flour sack, the slosh of water in a canteen, the creaking of a buckboard and the heaving of the horses that pulled it. Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Scotty from Star Trek all appeared on the show How did Chester Goode, Matt Dillon's assistant on Gunsmoke, get his limp? Nothing like the series FOR SURE , Im with you Twila, Id watch every single episode, I watch it mant times every night as it is now but to watch it from start to finish would be great. A comedic Western based on the lives of two notorious bank-robbing outlaws, the film seems like a perfect fit for Elliott, who spent much It stars Holly McIntire, daughter of prolific character actress Jeanette Nolan (who once played Festus Aunt Thede on Gunsmoke) . The first thing we used to see during its first five years as a halfhour show was the cemetery on Boot Hill, where James Artless would be delivering a small sermon from his mount. Matt, Kitty, Doc, and Chester are a tremendous cast. The first attempt to cancel the show wasnt acceptable to most fans, so the network had to keep it running for as long as it did. Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 - September 20, 1973), Sam passed away in real life while filming, She wanted more free time and missed Sam the bartender and she The Actor Behind Chester on 'Gunsmoke' Grew Restless Playing the Sidekick, Don Knotts' Exit From 'The Andy Griffith Show' Explained 55 Years Later, Donald Glover's Departure From 'Community,' Explained. The shows success relied mainly on the drama and suspense that spun from resolving seemingly serious situations. His declining health forced him to leave the role in 1973. Many of the cast and crew members of the show found out about the cancellation from trade publications. In 2000, the Schiff character was written out of the show to accommodate Hill's resignation /> poems from the outside edges and inside ledges . If yes, keep reading! (Wiki) Walter Clarence Taylor, III, known as Buck Taylor (born May 13, 1938), is an American actor best known for his role as gunsmith-turned-deputy Newly O'Brien . Reynolds decided to leave the show a year later to pursue a career in movies. Marshall Trimble is Arizonas official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association. It is one of the most popular Western television shows from the mid-1950s to the 1970s. Why did Sam the bartender leave Gunsmoke? - Wise-Answer I live in Dodge City KS and my husband and I watch gunsmoke daily Devotional fan of festus and doc, live next door to I dont care bar and grill LoL. Does anyone know why after season 10 Fetus was turned into somewhat of an idiot? Festus was a shot of fresh air. In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com on the fifth anniversary of his death, Learned, 79, reveals that she and Waite were in love off screen and they even went on a date. 'Gunsmoke': Glenn Strange Had Some Wild Roles Before the Show It was usually 25 to 50 cents for unaged, basic corn or rye whiskey, often made right on the premises or nearby, as it was often the case with beer. However, none of them lasted or thrived for as long as, Ken Curtis played Festus, Dillons sidekick, in. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? Bette Davis on 'Gunsmoke' In the episode on "Gunsmoke," her character is the matriarch of a family of outlaws. He learned to play guitar and fiddle. The arrival of the first woman doctor in Dodge City, Dr. Sam McTavish, riles Doc Adams. Erin and Paul end up having three kids together: Susan, Amanda, and Peter. Who is Katy mixon body double eastbound and down season 1 finale? I think it is ashamed that after such a great long running Western wasnt informed of the Cancilation. What happened to Chester on Gunsmoke? What is name of bartender on gunsmoke? - Answers Going beyond its weekly series run, Gunsmoke was revived in 1987 for the TV-movie Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, in which Matt Dillon comes out of retirement when an old foe comes back for revenge and kidnaps Miss Kitty. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Those five women didnt remarry because they couldnt keep their panties on. It was one of her last roles on screen. Amanda Blake was an American actress, best known for her role as Miss Kitty Russell in Gunsmoke. He loves to read, write and review all things western, whether historical or fiction. It is one of the most popular Western television shows from the mid-1950s to the 1970s. Guitars, portentous humming and pseudofolk ballads, sung by bellicose baritones, abounded. In seasons 8-9, he is a sharp individual who was very good at fending for himself. The Answer Man is also a big Gunsmoke fan and is fascinated by the sequence of events that made Festus a deputy. Even the person who did the voice-over for Marshall Dillon in the radio show didnt get picked as they thought he didnt have the looks for the show. While his decision was risky, it ended up paying off for the actor. The Gunsmoke actors actually drank beer, but the whiskey was tea or colored water. But on TVs Gunsmoke, it was Milburn Stone that assumed the role of Doc in 1955, and he was Doc until the historic western ended in 1975. Sam passed away in real life while filming Why did Amanda Blake leave gunsmoke? Gunsmoke cast still alive? [Expert Review]