Gunsmoke actor James Arness thought the Western television show kept Burt Reynolds from using his “best skill.” As a result, it isn’t too surprising to understand why the cast wasn’t upset when the actor left the show to pursue a movie career in Hollywood. Reynolds had the opportunity to flex that very specific skill in other projects that Gunsmoke didn’t allow him to explore.
‘Gunsmoke’ first introduced Burt Reynolds in season 8
Reynolds played Quint Asper in Gunsmoke, but he was far from an original cast member. He didn’t join the Western television phenomenon until season 8 episode 3, titled “Quint Asper Comes Home.” The episode introduced him as a half-Comanche man who worked with his mother’s tribe to kill white people to avenge his father’s death. However, U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon (Arness) sees something more in him and integrates him into Dodge City’s community.
Gunsmoke managed to keep Reynolds on the cast until the end of season 10. Quint became a good friend to Matt, but the character vanishes without as much of a goodbye. The show didn’t fill in this plothole until season 12, when Festus Haggen (Ken Curtis) mentioned that Quint left Dodge City.
James Arness said ‘Gunsmoke’ kept Burt Reynolds from using his comedic skill
In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation, Arness talked about the positive impression that Reynolds left on the Gunsmoke cast. He impressed his colleagues with his talent, but they saw a definite future that the actor wasn’t entirely sure of. Arness said that Reynolds’ comedic skill was his greatest skill, which the Western television show didn’t allow him to use.
“Of course, as we’ve learned in later years, one of his great skills is his comedic skill,” Arness said. “Of course, he was not able to bring that to the character at all. He had to be a very serious guy, actually, and he was playing a form of racial discrimination … He had to play that, so he couldn’t really use his actually strongest point, which was his marvelous sense of humor.”
Arness continued: “But, he was a wonderful guy to work with. We all became friends. He just fit right into the family group, and we had a wonderful time. He was there, I think, only a couple of seasons. And, then he moved on and, of course, went on to gigantic screen stardom, you know.”
He went on to have a successful movie career
Arness was certainly correct in seeing Reynolds move beyond Gunsmoke and onto the silver screen. Actor Milburn Stone, who played Doc Adams, had a hand in convincing his co-star to quit for the chance at making it big. He encouraged Reynolds to quit and make his move into feature films.
Reynolds became a major sex symbol through the 1970s, landing big box office hits. His breakthrough role was in Deliverance, but he left a big impression with The Longest Yard, Smokey and the Bandit, and Hooper. He even earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1997’s Boogie Nights. It’s clear that he made the right move.