As a series, Gunsmoke has made a name for itself both in terms of quality and quantity. In terms of quantity, the show enjoyed a long and fruitful life on television, establishing itself as one of the longest-running television shows of all time. In terms of quality, the show found itself in the good graces of both critics and viewers, an anomaly today but an easy feat for Gunsmoke.
Perhaps lightning will never strike twice and those who were responsible for Gunsmoke simply got lucky with such a successful show. However, series star James Arness seemed to believe that the show was such a hit not spontaneously, but by design.
In an interview with The Associated Press, an older Arness was able to harness what truly made Gunsmoke special. In a sea of Westerns on television, Gunsmoke was able to rise above the more common series and set itself apart.
Arness argued that what made Gunsmoke impressive wasn’t the action or the plot; it was the people involved. “What made us different from other Westerns was the fact that Gunsmoke wasn’t just action and a lot of shooting; they were character-study shows,” he said.
Arness was able to recognize the character of Marshal Matt Dillon for what he was: A true hero. While Arness could play the character to perfection, he was acutely aware that Marshal Dillon, like Gunsmoke, was in a league of his own.
“As for the issue of the on-screen personality and the real person, there’s no comparison, no way,” Arness said during an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I couldn’t hold down the job of a U.S. Marshal for a week. You might think playing the same character all these years must be a piece of cake, but if you look at it from the standpoint of reality, it is always a mountain to climb.”