1961 was a year of transition for Gunsmoke. The radio version of the popular series, which had been running since 1952, was cancelled; the Prime Time TV version, which had adhered to the 30-minute format since its inception in 1955, expanded to a full hour; and Dennis Weaver, cast as Matt Dillon's drawling deputy sheriff Chester Good, had announced his intention to leave the show as soon as he was able to secure a suitable starring series of his own. The series' seventh season began with a newly-filmed version of the ...
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1961 was a year of transition for Gunsmoke. The radio version of the popular series, which had been running since 1952, was cancelled; the Prime Time TV version, which had adhered to the 30-minute format since its inception in 1955, expanded to a full hour; and Dennis Weaver, cast as Matt Dillon's drawling deputy sheriff Chester Good, had announced his intention to leave the show as soon as he was able to secure a suitable starring series of his own. The series' seventh season began with a newly-filmed version of the familiar Gunsmoke opening sequence, in which Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) outdraws an unidentified opponent on the deserted streets of Dodge City. This would be one of the few "exterior" glimpses of Dodge we'd see this year; to compensate for the extra cost of filming a 60-minute program each week, the series moved indoors for most of its shooting schedule, in a studio-fabricated facsimile of Matt's familiar stomping grounds. Too, the interior of the Long Branch Saloon, owned by Matt's great and good friend Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), now boasted a brighter, cleaner "look", not to mention a new face behind the bar: Loyal bartender Sam, played by veteran movie heavy Glenn Strange (best known for his portrayal of the Frankenstein monster in several Universal horror epics of the 1940s!) One thing hadn't changed, however: The shabby office of Dodge City's venerable "sawbones" Doc Adams (Milburn Stone), who took full advantage of the new one-hour format to launch longer and more vitriolic verbal attacks against his "friendly enemy" Chester. The extended length of each episode also permitted the producers and writers to more fully flesh out the supporting characters and the various good and bad guys (and girls) who rode through Dodge on a weekly basis. Season Seven established the soon-to-be-familiar Gunsmoke pattern of spending several minutes establishing what seemed to be the main plotline, only to veer off in another direction entirely when unexpected events (usually violent in nature) dictated such a radical development. Too, the hour-long episodes contained far less of Matt Dillon than in previous seasons: Frequently he wouldn't show up until well into the story, and sometimes he'd barely appear at all until the end, when he'd rush in to solve the dilemma at hand with gun and fist. Although it wasn't well publicized at the time, star James Arness (who now owned a hefty percentage of the show) had worked out a contract whereby he'd only be required to work three days a week, explaining Dillon's increasingly conspicuous absences. As in previous season, the 34 episodes featured during Season Seven were an embarrassment of riches insofar as familiar character actors were concerned. Among those appearing this season are George Kennedy, Buddy Ebsen, Leonard Nimoy, Harry Dean Stanton, Lois Nettleton and Edgar Buchanan. Hal Erickson, Rovi
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Add this copy of Gunsmoke: Season 7, Vol. 2 to cart. $7.48, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books Company rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lynden, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2013.
Add this copy of Gunsmoke: Season 7, Vol. 2 to cart. $7.93, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill Indust. of San Diego rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from San Diego, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2013.
Add this copy of Gunsmoke: Season 7, Vol. 2 to cart. $7.97, good condition, Sold by Goodwill Southern California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Los Angeles, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2013.
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Disk is in good condition with minor to no wear. All disks are refinished to improve condition as needed. Case and artwork are in good condition with no tears or cracks. Thank you for shopping Goodwill Southern California. Your purchase helps create jobs and transforms lives through the power of work.
Add this copy of Gunsmoke: Season 7, Vol. 2 to cart. $7.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2013 by Paramount.
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Very good. 2013 Run time: 859. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Gunsmoke: Season 7, Vol. 2 to cart. $9.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2013 by Paramount.
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Very good. 2013 Run time: 859. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Gunsmoke: Season 7, Vol. 1 to cart. $10.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Paramount.
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Dennis Weaver, Ken Curtis, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, James Arness. Very good. 1961 Run time: 859. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Gunsmoke: the Seventh Season, Vol. 2 to cart. $25.45, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2013 by Paramount.
Add this copy of Gunsmoke: Season 7, Vol. 1 to cart. $25.45, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Paramount.
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Dennis Weaver, Ken Curtis, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, James Arness. New. 1961 Run time: 859. Buy with confidence-Satisfaction Guaranteed! Delivery Confirmation included for all orders in the US.
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