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Streaming services haven't only facilitated the release of movies and TV shows at the same time across the world but also gave viewers a chance to rewatch or discover old titles, as well. Now, one of the longest-running TV series of all time is getting its chance.

Gunsmoke, which was the second Western television series for adults, is now finding success online. The series debuted in 1955, just four days after the first Western TV series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. Per Matthew Belloni, Gunsmoke just entered the Nielsen charts for acquired shows on a list filled with current shows, 50 years after its series finale.

Gunsmoke just entered the Nielsen Top 10 for acquired shows on streaming. Congrats to the cast and creators, who are all dead. pic.twitter.com/KCVuKDZoBG— Matthew Belloni (@MattBelloni) April 3, 2025

The Western show was in the charts for the week between Mar. 3 and 9, per the Nielsen charts.

The "Gunsmoke" episode "Quaker Girl" opens with Thaddeus apprehending a dangerous criminal named Fred Bateman, played by none other than the legendary William Shatner. 

Shatner was about to blow up in popularity thanks to "Star Trek," which debuted only a few months prior, so his appearance on "Gunsmoke" likely made him feel ubiquitous across the medium. On "Gunsmoke," Fred Bateman is an arrogant, violent character who knows no deputy will kill him because the price on his head is too high. He has a few fight scenes with Ewing right at the star of "Quaker Girl." The episode will take Thad and Bateman into a nearby Quaker village, where Bateman lies about being the deputy, claiming that Thad is his prisoner. Will the Quakers figure it out? 

Shatner played Bateman as a rough-and-tumble heavy, a devious jerk willing to throw a punch and too arrogant to admit defeat. It's a good performance.

Several seasons of one of the longest-running television shows of all time are coming to Peacock in December. Seasons seven through 15 of the classic Western, Gunsmoke, will debut on the streaming service on Dec. 9.

Starring James Arness as Marshal Dillon and based in Dodge City, Kansas, Gunsmoke ran for a total of 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975. Its considered to be one of the greatest Western television shows of all time and started its life as a radio series. It was adapted into a television show because of its popularity on the radio airwaves. On TV, Gunsmoke first aired in half-hour installments from 1955 to 1961 and then hour-long shows from 1961 to 1975.

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Though Audie Murphy is known to be the leading man in several B-Western films, there are still plenty of entries in his filmography that are enjoyed by fans of the genre. Murphy initially gained fame in America following his service in World War II. Following his rise to fame, Murphy was invited to begin his acting career by acclaimed actor James Cagney. While Murphy did act in a few different genres, he is best remembered for his work in Western films in the 50s and 60s.

Without a doubt, Murphy's best performance is in No Name on the Bullet. The film effectively shows a different side to the charismatic leading man audiences had known Murphy to be at that point in his career. Even though most of Murphy's other Westerns didn't receive as much love from critics, audiences, especially earnest fans of the genre, are still able to appreciate the traditional Western stories told.

Gunsmoke, a legendary Western TV show, featured a talented cast, including stars like Burt Reynolds, Bette Davis, and John Wayne. Notable actors from Gunsmoke, like Roger Ewing and Buck Taylor, went on to have successful careers in the industry. The series also showcased many iconic guest stars, such as Harrison Ford, Jodie Foster, and Kurt Russell, who have continued to work in Hollywood.

As a series that ran from 1955-1975, there are sadly only a few of the Gunsmoke cast still alive, but these actors have continued with long and notable careers, or have gracefully exited the acting world to pursue personal interests. Gunsmoke was originally a radio series of the same name that broadcast from 1952 to 1961 and in 1955, Gunsmoke became a television show that lasted for 20 years. The series is centered on Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870s as the settlement of the American West is getting underway.

Often...

"Gunsmoke" ran for a very, very long time. Beginning as a half-hour adaptation of a similarly long-running radio show in 1955, it transitioned to an hour-long show in its 7th season, which gave its stock Western storylines a greater sense of place, and more opportunities for great, up-and-coming actors to star in them. Over the course of 20 seasons, the show told every story under the sun (often multiple times over) about the frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas.

The show's protagonist was ostensibly Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness), whose casting has been attributed to no less a Western star than John Wayne. But the world of "Gunsmoke" went far beyond him, especially as the show went on. While Arness appeared in every one of the show's 635 episodes, he often looked more like a guest star the further along it went, showing up for scenes here and there while the supporting cast...

CBS Films is currently casting for the part of 'Marshal Matt Dillon', in the upcoming big screen adaptation of "Gunsmoke", based on the 20-season run of the classic "Gunsmoke" TV series.

Screenplay for "Gunsmoke" is by Gregory Poirier, writer of "National Treasure: Book of Secrets".

The original television series starring actor James "The Thing From Another World" Arness, ran from September 10, 1955 to March 31, 1975 on CBS with 635 total episodes. John Wayne was first offered the lead part, but turned it down, not wanting to work in TV.

Wayne introduced the show before its first episode, following-up on his recommendation of Arness for the part.

Other main characters on the series included Dennis Weaver as 'Chester Goode', Milburn Stone as 'Dr. Galen "Doc" Adams' and Amanda Blake as 'Miss Kitty Russell', owner of the 'Long Branch Saloon'.

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