Gunsmoke season 8
| Gunsmoke | |
|---|---|
| Season 8 | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 38 |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | September 15, 1962 – June 1, 1963 |
| Season chronology | |
Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name.[1] The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.[2][3]
The first episode of season 8 aired in the United States on September 15, 1962, and the final episode aired on June 1, 1963. All episodes were broadcast in the U.S. by CBS.[4]
Season 8 of Gunsmoke was the second season of one hour episodes filmed in black-and-white. Seasons 1-6 were half-hour episodes, and color episodes were not filmed until season 12.
Synopsis
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.[5] In season eight, a fifth regular character was added to the cast: blacksmith Quint Asper (Burt Reynolds), who remained until the end of season 10.[6]
Cast and characters
Main
- James Arness as Matt Dillon
- Dennis Weaver as Chester
- Milburn Stone as Doc
- Amanda Blake as Kitty
- Burt Reynolds as Quint Asper[7]
Production
Season 8 consisted of 38 one-hour black-and-white episodes produced by Norman Macdonnell and Frank Paris as associate producer.
Season 8 included the first of two episodes directed by William Conrad, who played the role of Matt Dillon on the radio version of Gunsmoke from 1952–1961. In this season, he directed episode 31, "Panacea Sykes".
Casting
Episode 13, "Us Haggens", is the first episode to feature Ken Curtis as Festus, who would become a regular character in later seasons.
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 268 | 1 | "The Search" | Harry Harris | Kathleen Hite | September 15, 1962 |
| 269 | 2 | "Call Me Dodie" | Harry Harris | Kathleen Hite | September 22, 1962 |
| 270 | 3 | "Quint Asper Comes Home" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | September 29, 1962 |
| 271 | 4 | "Root Down" | Sobey Martin | Kathleen Hite | October 6, 1962 |
| 272 | 5 | "Jenny" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | October 13, 1962 |
| 273 | 6 | "Collie's Free" | Harry Harris | Kathleen Hite | October 20, 1962 |
| 274 | 7 | "The Ditch" | Harry Harris | Les Crutchfield | October 27, 1962 |
| 275 | 8 | "The Trappers" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Dunkel | November 3, 1962 |
| 276 | 9 | "Phoebe Strunk" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | November 10, 1962 |
| 277 | 10 | "The Hunger" | Harry Harris | Jack Curtis | November 17, 1962 |
| 278 | 11 | "Abe Blocker" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | November 24, 1962 |
| 279 | 12 | "The Way It Is" | Harry Harris | Kathleen Hite | December 1, 1962 |
| 280 | 13 | "Us Haggens" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Les Crutchfield | December 8, 1962 |
| 281 | 14 | "Uncle Sunday" | Joseph Sargent | John Meston | December 15, 1962 |
| 282 | 15 | "False Front" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Hal Moffett Screenplay by : John Meston | December 22, 1962 |
| 283 | 16 | "Old Comrade" | Harry Harris | John Dunkel | December 29, 1962 |
| 284 | 17 | "Louie Pheeters" | Harry Harris | John Meston | January 5, 1963 |
| 285 | 18 | "The Renegades" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | January 12, 1963 |
| 286 | 19 | "Cotter's Girl" | Harry Harris | Kathleen Hite | January 19, 1963 |
| 287 | 20 | "The Bad One" | Charles Martin | Gwen Bagni | January 26, 1963 |
| 288 | 21 | "The Cousin" | Harry Harris | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : Kathleen Hite | February 2, 1963 |
| 289 | 22 | "Shona" | Ted Post | John Meston | February 9, 1963 |
| 290 | 23 | "Ash" | Harry Harris | John Meston | February 16, 1963 |
| 291 | 24 | "Blind Man's Bluff" | Ted Post | John Meston | February 23, 1963 |
| 292 | 25 | "Quint's Indian" | Fred Jackman, Jr. | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | March 2, 1963 |
| 293 | 26 | "Anybody Can Kill a Marshal" | Harry Harris | Kathleen Hite | March 9, 1963 |
| 294 | 27 | "Two of a Kind" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Merwin Gerard | March 16, 1963 |
| 295 | 28 | "I Call Him Wonder" | Harry Harris | Kathleen Hite | March 23, 1963 |
| 296 | 29 | "With a Smile" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Bud Furillo & George Main Screenplay by : John Meston | March 30, 1963 |
| 297 | 30 | "The Far Places" | Harry Harris | John Dunkel | April 6, 1963 |
| 298 | 31 | "Panacea Sykes" | William Conrad | Kathleen Hite | April 13, 1963 |
| 299 | 32 | "Tell Chester" | Joseph Sargent | Frank Paris | April 20, 1963 |
| 300 | 33 | "Quint-Cident" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Kathleen Hite | April 27, 1963 |
| 301 | 34 | "Old York" | Harry Harris | John Meston | May 4, 1963 |
| 302 | 35 | "Daddy Went Away" | Joseph Sargent | Story by : John Rosser Screenplay by : Kathleen Hite | May 11, 1963 |
| 303 | 36 | "The Odyssey of Jubal Tanner" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Paul Savage | May 18, 1963 |
| 304 | 37 | "Jeb" | Harry Harris | Paul Savage | May 25, 1963 |
| 305 | 38 | "The Quest for Asa Janin" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Paul Savage | June 1, 1963 |
Release
Broadcast
Season eight aired Saturdays at 10:00-11:00 pm (EST) on CBS.[4]
Home media
The eighth season was released on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment in a two volumes set on May 7, 2013.
Reception
Gunsmoke season 8 dropped to number 10 in the Nielsen ratings[8]
Footnotes
- ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 74–75.
- ^ Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570–571.
- ^ McNeil 1996, p. 351–352.
- ^ a b Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570.
- ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 87–102.
- ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 114–116.
- ^ Costello 2006, p. 353–370.
- ^ "1962-1963 TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.
References
- Barbaras, SuzAnne & Gabor (1990). Gunsmoke: A Complete History. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-89950-418-3.
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- Costello, Ben (2006). Gunsmoke: An American Institution. Chandler, Arizona: Five Star Publications, Inc. ISBN 978-1-58985-014-9.
- McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.