Gunsmoke

Has the look of a stalled series. It was coming out regularly at 6 month intervals from mid 2007 to mid 2009 for a total of 5 releases covering the first three seasons.

Now it's been a year since the last release. I wouldn't hold your breath for more anytime soon.

I have a general question about the series that I don't know the answer to, even though I was around back then.

GUNSMOKE started as a 30-minute series and later expanded to an hour.  The 30-minute versions were retitled MARSHAL DILLON when the show switched to an hour and CBS wanted to air the reruns under a different title.  The half-hour MARSHAL DILLON still airs today in syndication.

My question is about the theme music.  Did the half-hour show, as originally aired under the GUNSMOKE title use the same theme that we hear now on the MARSHAL DILLON episodes?  Did the more-familiar GUNSMOKE theme tune start later (perhaps when the series expanded to an hour) or was it used from the 1955 start?  Are the "GUNSMOKE" openings to the 30-minute show lost, or were the restored on any DVD releases?

I was never a huge fan of the show, but like so many other kids of the era, was fascinated with the opening shoot-out that was a signal for us to head up to bed.  Saturdays at 10 was too late for kids to be up in the '50s and early '60s.

I'd appreciate any answers to these questions, if anyone knows, but this could be something that only a true GUNSMOKE expert might know. 

Harry

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdee28 

When originally aired, the 30 minute Gunsmoke episodes from 1955-1961 never used the Marshal Dillion theme. That opening and theme were created for the reruns that aired on CBS from 1961-1964.
The first season of Gunsmoke, 1955-56, began with a picture of its sponsor dissolving to the Matt Dillon character walking around Boot Hill. There really wasn't an opening of note to the first season episodes.
I think it was by the beginning of the third season that they opened with the famous gun fight in the middle of the street. They kept that same footage to the end of the 1964 season. The music changed a bit in the opening over the years.
Now on the DVDs, the 3rd season Gunsmoke opening is attached to the earlier episodes, to give them a conventional opening, but they weren't originally aired that way.

Thanks for that information.  Just what I was looking for.  Your description of the Matt Dillon character walking around Boot Hill actually stirs a distant memory for me.  I'm pretty sure I saw those as we headed up to bed and Dad watched the show.

Harry