Wow....Marshall Dillon should come out in the first five minutes.....all guns blazin' blasting hippie sharecroppers.....maybe some support from Air Cav.....would have made it move just a little quicker.....
The first half hour shows in the 1950's really had stories to them. The fact that the actors did not cut their hair in the 1970's really made the show hard to believe that this was the West, most likely around the early 1890's. Since Gunsmoke, I believe started during the Grant Administration, Grover Cleveland or Benjamin Harrison may have been President during this episode.
@cmguy64 Actually the entire series took place in the 1870s. There was an episode that had aired earlier in this season where Festus was laying a grave marker for a friend who had just died and it said he had died in 1873. Twenty years of this series took place in a few short years in the early 1870s believe it or not.
I remember being in Korea and one of the company commanders somehow got this episode taped and sent by his wife, the whole company watched, drank and drowned our sorrows, sure is a great memory..
The show was loosing focus. The plot in this episode seemed to be loosely put together. The actors did not look like they were from the 19th century. Their hairstyles were from the 1970's. Matt Dillon and Doc were hardly on the show. Festus seemed to be the main character. Miss Kitty jumped ship the previous season. They needed to have a closing show, I believe.
@cmguy64 I know it was like a whole other show in the last season. As far as the styles went, men mostly had long hair in the 70s vs the earlier Gunsmoke seasons in the 50s and 60s, were the short hair and bouffant styles and makeup of the women of the time made it easier to make the characters look more 19th century. Men in the 70s just didn't want to cut their hair, even to star in TV shows and movies set in earlier eras. It was that way on Bonanza and Little House on the Prarie too.
Amanda Blake who played Miss Kitty quit the end of the next to last season.She later said that if she had known the show would only last one more season she would have stayed.Amanda Blake died in 1989.She died of AIDS, the result of a contaminated blood transfusion.
Hmmm. That would be news to her family. According to her death certificate, she died of: "immediate cause is cardiopulmonary arrest due to liver failure and CMV hepatitis."
I loved "Gunsmoke" but I can see that in the end it had deteriorated into a bad soap opera. Awful. But I'm only 9 minutes into this thing. Maybe the key players will arrive sometime?
@dotcomguy79 Amanda Blake left the episode of season 19, I believe that is accurate. She left because of years of friction between her and Executive Producer John Mantley. She was a true lady and did not openly discuss their disputes. She took the blame on herself. She and James Arness were true ladies and gentlemen. Kept their private lives PRIVATE! Wow imagine that???
This is 1 of the best episodes. I think they did this 1 perfectly.Festus was especially fantastic.hahahah Toby, "how"s your pie settling now". Dibble Pugh Hahahah. Av Marie to Festus "why don't you & me go find some shade" "WHAT"
Is it me, or did the quality of acting hit the skids in the last couple of seasons?
PointyTailofSatan 1 week ago
Good old festus
jsbranigan 3 months ago
Wow....Marshall Dillon should come out in the first five minutes.....all guns blazin' blasting hippie sharecroppers.....maybe some support from Air Cav.....would have made it move just a little quicker.....
sixtiksix 6 months ago
The first half hour shows in the 1950's really had stories to them. The fact that the actors did not cut their hair in the 1970's really made the show hard to believe that this was the West, most likely around the early 1890's. Since Gunsmoke, I believe started during the Grant Administration, Grover Cleveland or Benjamin Harrison may have been President during this episode.
cmguy64 6 months ago
@cmguy64 Actually the entire series took place in the 1870s. There was an episode that had aired earlier in this season where Festus was laying a grave marker for a friend who had just died and it said he had died in 1873. Twenty years of this series took place in a few short years in the early 1870s believe it or not.
Brdj010 5 months ago
I remember being in Korea and one of the company commanders somehow got this episode taped and sent by his wife, the whole company watched, drank and drowned our sorrows, sure is a great memory..
holypants133 7 months ago
The show was loosing focus. The plot in this episode seemed to be loosely put together. The actors did not look like they were from the 19th century. Their hairstyles were from the 1970's. Matt Dillon and Doc were hardly on the show. Festus seemed to be the main character. Miss Kitty jumped ship the previous season. They needed to have a closing show, I believe.
cmguy64 7 months ago
@cmguy64 I know it was like a whole other show in the last season. As far as the styles went, men mostly had long hair in the 70s vs the earlier Gunsmoke seasons in the 50s and 60s, were the short hair and bouffant styles and makeup of the women of the time made it easier to make the characters look more 19th century. Men in the 70s just didn't want to cut their hair, even to star in TV shows and movies set in earlier eras. It was that way on Bonanza and Little House on the Prarie too.
Brdj010 6 months ago
Amanda Blake who played Miss Kitty quit the end of the next to last season.She later said that if she had known the show would only last one more season she would have stayed.Amanda Blake died in 1989.She died of AIDS, the result of a contaminated blood transfusion.
Chesbelloc 8 months ago
Hmmm. That would be news to her family. According to her death certificate, she died of: "immediate cause is cardiopulmonary arrest due to liver failure and CMV hepatitis."
jstrahan2 8 months ago
I loved Gunsmoke especially Fetus!!!
limenana 9 months ago
I loved "Gunsmoke" but I can see that in the end it had deteriorated into a bad soap opera. Awful. But I'm only 9 minutes into this thing. Maybe the key players will arrive sometime?
PKingman 9 months ago
wheres Miss kitty?
dotcomguy79 9 months ago
@dotcomguy79 Amanda Blake left the episode of season 19, I believe that is accurate. She left because of years of friction between her and Executive Producer John Mantley. She was a true lady and did not openly discuss their disputes. She took the blame on herself. She and James Arness were true ladies and gentlemen. Kept their private lives PRIVATE! Wow imagine that???
rolandorme 3 weeks ago
12:47 closeup... its TRON!
Dios67 9 months ago
I wonder if anyone else recognized Victor French (aka Mr. Edwards from Little House on the Prairie) in this episode?
jrlomy2k 10 months ago
This is 1 of the best episodes. I think they did this 1 perfectly.Festus was especially fantastic.hahahah Toby, "how"s your pie settling now". Dibble Pugh Hahahah. Av Marie to Festus "why don't you & me go find some shade" "WHAT"
Susan Benton was wundabar
Kilooscarromeo 10 months ago
Love southern gals!!
bdj010 1 year ago
The final episode of the series.
bdj010 1 year ago
Interesting episode.
Teflon65 1 year ago