Summary
- Gunsmoke, a gritty depiction of American West life, featured screen legends like Burt Reynolds and John Wayne in guest roles.
- Some Gunsmoke actors still living and working today include Roger Ewing, Buck Taylor, Kim Darby, and William Shatner.
- William Shatner, known for Star Trek, made a memorable appearance on Gunsmoke as Fred Bateman in a single episode.
As a series that ran from 1955-1975, there are sadly only a few of the Gunsmoke cast still alive, but these actors have continued with long and notable careers, or have gracefully exited the acting world to pursue personal interests. Gunsmoke was originally a radio series of the same name that broadcast from 1952 to 1961 and in 1955, Gunsmoke became a television show that lasted for 20 years. The series is centered on Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870s as the settlement of the American West is getting underway.
Often ranked as one of the best Western TV shows of all time, Gunsmoke is a grittier depiction of life in the American West than the serials that came before it or even after. The show stars U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) but features an ensemble cast of characters including dozens of guest stars who appeared in shorter arcs throughout the series. Screen legends like Burt Reynolds, Bette Davis, and John Wayne all appeared in Gunsmoke. Though many of the cast members have since passed away, there are a handful still living and even working in the industry.
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Gunsmoke Actors Who Are Still Living |
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Image |
Actor |
Character |
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Roger Ewing |
Thaddeus Greenwood |
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Buck Taylor |
Newly O'Brien |
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Kim Darby |
Carrie Neely |
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William Shatner |
Fred Bateman |
Why Glenn Strange Left Gunsmoke Explained
Veteran character actor Glenn Strange left a mark on the wildly popular Western series Gunsmoke, and his absence left a hole that was never filled.
Roger Ewing
As Thaddeus Greenwood And Ben Lukens
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Name |
DOB |
Notable Characters |
|---|---|---|
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Roger Ewing |
January 12, 1942 |
Morgan Grogan in Bewitched, Frank Harris in Death Valley Days |
Roger Ewing starred in seasons 10 and 11 of Gunsmoke in multiple roles, but he's best known as Clayton Thaddeus "Thad" Greenwood, a deputy U.S. Marshall from Oklahoma, who came to Dodge City pursuing men who may have had a hand in his father's death. Thad first appears in season 11, episode 3, "Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood", where the young deputy arrives in Kansas only to learn from Matt Dillon that the warrant for the men he's pursuing bears no weight in another state. Thad decides to hang around Dodge City, hoping to catch the gang committing some other illegal activities.
Thad is in a long line of Matt Dillon sidekicks and serves the Kansas Marshall well until he was unceremoniously written off the show at the start of season 13. Gunsmoke was nearly canceled after season 12, and when it returned for season 13, Ewing was no longer on the cast list. Notably, Ewing actually appeared on Gunsmoke a year before he arrived as Thad. In season 10, episode 21, "Song for Dying", Ewing plays Ben Lukens in a one-episode arc as one of the Lukens family clan members.
Thad Greenwood in Gunsmoke was the biggest role of Ewing's career, having only appeared in small roles in the TV shows Bewitched as Marvin Grogan and The Bing Crosby Show as Eddie Fox in his earlier years. Ewing went on to appear in an episode of the 1970 show Death Valley Days as Frank Harris and the 1972 film Play It as It Lays as Nelson, which would be his final role before he retired from acting (via The Gunsmoke Chronicles). Since that time, Ewing shifted his career to focus on his photography.
Why Burt Reynolds Left Gunsmoke After Just 3 Years On The Western TV Show
Burt Reynolds became a star on one of the most popular Western TV shows of all time, but he only lasted 3 years before calling it quits.
Buck Taylor
As Newly O'Brien
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Name |
DOB |
Notable Characters |
|---|---|---|
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Buck Taylor |
May 13, 1938 |
Emmett Walsh in Yellowstone, "Turkey Creek" Jack Johnson in Tombstone |
Newly O'Brien, played by Buck Taylor, first appears in Gunsmoke in season 13, episode 13, "Vengeance (Part 1)", as a recurring character. Taylor was elevated to the main cast in season 14 and remained a significant character up until Gunsmoke ended in season 20. In the 1987 TV movie and revival, Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, Newly plays an even more outsized role, taking over Matt Dillon's job as Marshall of Dodge City. O'Brien is one of Matt Dillon's most accomplished and intelligent sidekicks and gives the Marshall a run for his money in terms of catching bad guys.
O'Brien is a gunsmith and a doctor-in-training. He offers all kinds of help to Matt Dillon and is a critical part of keeping Dodge City safe. Taylor has had a long career in Westerns, appearing in many notable films and television shows in the genre. In movies, Taylor plays "Turkey Creek" Jack Johnson in Tombstone, Wes Claibourne in Cowboys & Aliens, and Robert Edward Gattlin in The Legend of the Lone Ranger. His best-known movie outside Westerns is in The Mist as Ambrose Cornell, who gets killed by spider creatures in the pharmacy.
On television, most fans will recognize Taylor as Emmett Walsh on Yellowstone, but he also has smaller performances in other series. Taylor plays George Neville in the Rough Riders miniseries, John "Brad" Bradford in The Monroes, and "Colorado" Smith in the miniseries The Alamo: 13 Days to Glory.