No One Expected John Wayne to Do This for Gunsmoke

Gathered at James Arness's house to watch the premiere, they suddenly saw John Wayne appear on-screen, personally introducing the show. None of them had any idea it was going to happen.

Wayne didn't just hype up Gunsmoke—he vouched for Arness as the perfect man to play Marshal Matt Dillon. For a massive movie star at the peak of his fame, that kind of gesture was unheard of. According to Arness, it wasn't staged for PR. Wayne genuinely wanted to support the show and give Arness a boost.

Here's how it happened.

Back when Gunsmoke was transitioning from its popular radio version to TV, CBS was still searching for the right actor to anchor the series. Several actors were considered for the lead role, including Raymond Burr, Denver Pyle, and William Conrad (who voiced Dillon on the radio version). But none of them fit the bill for the network.

That's when producer Charles Warren reportedly asked Wayne—who wasn't being considered for the part—if he thought James Arness could handle it. According to television historian Thomas "Duke" Miller, the story came straight from James Stewart, who said:

"Jimmy said he was in the office with Charles Warren when Mr. Wayne came in. Mr. Warren asked Wayne if he knew James Arness, and Mr. Wayne said 'Yes.' Mr. Warren told Mr. Wayne about the transition of the show from radio to television, and Mr. Wayne readily agreed that James Arness would be a terrific choice for the part of Matt Dillon."

Wayne's surprise introduction before the pilot episode was short and to the point. He said Gunsmoke was a different kind of Western, and that Arness was the only man for the job.

The cast, especially Arness, was floored. It wasn't just a high-profile endorsement — it was a sign of respect from the most famous Western star in Hollywood, and it gave the show instant credibility.

And the gamble paid off.

What followed:

• Gunsmoke ran for 20 seasons on CBS (1955–1975), becoming the longest-running primetime drama of its time.
• The series began as a 30-minute black-and-white show, eventually expanding to a 60-minute color format.
• It was originally pitched as "Philip Marlowe in the Old West", aiming for a grittier tone than other TV Westerns of the era.
• The original radio version starred William Conrad as Matt Dillon, but Arness made the role his own on television.

Over the years, Gunsmoke became a launching pad for Hollywood talent. Some now-iconic names who appeared as guest stars include:

• Leonard Nimoy
• Bette Davis
• Harrison Ford
• Jodie Foster
• Bruce Dern
• Dennis Hopper
• Adam West
• Gary Busey
• Cicely Tyson
• Richard Dreyfuss
• Charles Bronson
• Nick Nolte

Even the core Star Trek cast—Shatner, Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and James Doohan—showed up on Gunsmoke at one point or another.

But it all started with one surprise cameo from John Wayne, who didn't just lend his name — he helped launch one of TV's biggest Western legends with a 30-second intro no one expected.