Rescued from cancellation by an eleventh-hour decision from CBS president William Paley, Gunsmoke entered its 13th season in a brand-new timeslot: Monday evenings at 7:30 PM, rather than Saturdays at 10. It was felt that an earlier slot would attract younger fans and stronger sponsors; and besides, the only real competition at that time was NBC's The Man From UNCLE, which was dying on the vine in its fourth and final season. However, NBC pulled a fast one by cancelling UNCLE in January of 1968 and replacing it with Rowan ...
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Rescued from cancellation by an eleventh-hour decision from CBS president William Paley, Gunsmoke entered its 13th season in a brand-new timeslot: Monday evenings at 7:30 PM, rather than Saturdays at 10. It was felt that an earlier slot would attract younger fans and stronger sponsors; and besides, the only real competition at that time was NBC's The Man From UNCLE, which was dying on the vine in its fourth and final season. However, NBC pulled a fast one by cancelling UNCLE in January of 1968 and replacing it with Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, which turned out to be the "hottest" show of the year. Even so, Paley's instincts were right on target: Despite Laugh-In's spectacular ratings ascendancy, Gunsmoke performed better than it had in years, ending the season as network television's fourth most popular series. Nor was it only the timeshift that brought Gunsmoke back from the dead. With the dismissal of producer Philip Leacock, whose executive decisions had met with wide disfavor not only with the series' fans but also with its four main stars, Gunsmoke became the creative responsibility of John Mantley, who'd been on the producing staff since 1965. Quickly, Mantley repaired much of the damage incurred during the past few seasons by hiring writers who were simpatico with the established Gunsmoke format in particular and the "adult western" genre in general, and paring down the use of celebrity guest stars who, in the past, had only been sporadically effective within the show's framework. Also, Mantley managed to hire one of the series' most welcome cast additions: Buck Taylor as Dodge City's new gunsmith Newly O'Brien, a man of infinite resourcefulness--as he proved in his debut episode "The Plunderers", in which he used his wits to save both himself and Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake) from a dangerous pack of bandits--and unlimited charm. Although actor Taylor (the son of veteran western sidekick Dub Taylor) had appeared only once before on Gunsmoke in a villainous role, he adapted to the series like a fish to water, more than holding his own with veteran series stars James Arness (Marshal Matt Dillon), Milburn Stone (Doc Adams), Ken Curtis (Festus Haggen) and the aforementioned Amanda Blake. Hal Erickson, Rovi
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James Arness, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, Dennis Weaver. New. 2018 Run time: 751. Buy with confidence-Satisfaction Guaranteed! Delivery Confirmation included for all orders in the US.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
James Arness, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, Dennis Weaver. New. 2018 Run time: 503. Buy with confidence-Satisfaction Guaranteed! Delivery Confirmation included for all orders in the US.
