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| Image Alt: | Gunsmoke (title screen) |
| Starring: | |
| Num Episodes: | 39 |
| Network: | CBS |
| Episode List: | List of Gunsmoke (TV series) episodes |
Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.
The first episode of season 2 aired in the United States on September 8, 1956, and the final episode aired on June 29, 1957. All episodes were broadcast in the U.S. by CBS.
Season 2 of Gunsmoke was a half-hour program filmed in black-and-white, as one hour episodes were not introduced until season 7, and color episodes were not filmed until season 12.
Gunsmoke is set in and around Dodge City, Kansas, in the post-Civil War era and centers on United States Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) as he enforces law and order in the city. In its original format, the series also focuses on Dillon's friendship with three other citizens of Dodge City: Doctor Galen "Doc" Adams (Milburn Stone), the town's physician; Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), saloon girl and later owner of the Long Branch Saloon; and Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), Dillon's assistant.
See main article: List of Gunsmoke cast members.
Season 2 was produced by Charles Marquis Warren (episodes 40–49, 51–52, 57) and Norman Macdonnell (episodes 50, 53–56, 58–78).
The first episode of season 2 was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, who directed 96 episodes during the series run, more than any other director.
Storylines would occasionally be taken from real-life events. Episode 4 of the season, "The Round Up" reflects an actual event that happened when Wild Bill Hickok accidentally shot his deputy Mike Williams.
Occasionally, the episode titles reflected verses or passages from the Bible. The title of episode 10, "Greater Love" is a reference to John 15:13 and is delivered by Doc in the final scene, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."[1] The title of episode 34, "Who Lives by the Sword" is a proverb derived from Matthew 26:52, "Then said Jesus unto him, 'Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.'"[2] Some titles were plays on words, such as episode 37, "The Man Who Would Be Marshal", which is a play on words of the short story The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling but is not based on it.[3]
Sometimes, set pieces were reused. For example, the hotel in episode 2, "Brush at Elkader", is the Dodge House. The reception desk is repositioned, but the staircase leading to the upstairs rooms has the same unusual Swiss chalet-style wooden balusters that are found in the Dodge House.[4]
The melody playing at the end of the episode is the Irish air Garryowen, it was the marching tune for General George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry Regiment.
See also: List of Gunsmoke (TV series) episodes.
Season two aired Saturdays at 10:00-10:30 pm (EST) on CBS.
The second season was released on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment in two volumes. The first 20 episodes were released on January 8, 2008, and the remaining 19 episodes were released on May 27, 2008.
After failing to finish in the Nielsen ratings top 30 in its first season, Gunsmoke finished season 2 at number 8, the highest rated Western for the season.