The series ran nine years on radio and twenty on television—the all-time longest running prime-time program with continuing characters. It introduced to the American people a cast of characters that quickly took on mythic proportions.
There are 74 ­in-depth interviews and reminiscences by principal performers (Arness, Blake, Weaver, et al.), guest stars (Hartley, O’Connor, Leachman, Reynolds, Conrad, et al.), and directors, writers and producers associated with the radio and television programs. A 128-page section contains 246 photographs of guest stars and leads.
A comprehensive episode-by-episode guide provides entries for more than 1,000 radio and television programs, spanning 23 years, and for each includes title, synopsis, air date, cast, director, writer, producer and anecdotal information. Eleven appendices: memorable quotes, the writers, TV schedules, radio and TV awards; principal performers’ credits… Enormous index.

SuzAnne Barabas lives in West Long Branch, New Jersey.
Gabor Barabas lives in West Long Branch, New Jersey.

SuzAnne Barabas and Gabor Barabas
Format: softcover (6 x 9 in 2 vols.)
Pages: 848
Bibliographic Info: 241 glossy photos, appendices, references, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012 [1990]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7221-5
Imprint: McFarland

Volume 1

Acknowledgments      ix

Part I. The History of Gunsmoke

Introduction      3

The Real Dodge City      7

The Western Genre      13

Radio—The Pioneers      23

Television—The New Frontier      73

Reflections by Guest Stars      157

Postscripts      201

Which Way’d They Go?      225

Part II. Photographs      229

Volume 2

Part III. The Programs, Episode-by-Episode

The Radio Programs      357

The Television Programs      443

Part IV. Appendices

Appendix A: Quotes from Gunsmoke      729

Appendix B: The Television Directors      742

Appendix C: The Radio and Television Writers      745

Appendix D: The Television Producers      747

Appendix E: The Radio and Television Awards      748

Appendix F : The Television Time Schedule      752

Appendix G: The Television Actors      753

Appendix H: The Radio Performers      767

Appendix I: The Television Production Staff      769

Appendix J: The Principal Performers’ Credits      774

Appendix K: Gunsmoke 2      781

References      783

Bibliography      787

Index      793

“I cannot imagine a Gunsmoke fan being disappointed by this substantial and important volume. Essential reading…definitive…fabulous…one of the best of all time, it’s that comprehensive”—Classic Images; “the ultimate treatise”—Western Clippings; “valuable…excellent”—Choice; “outdoes anything I’ve ever seen”—Big Reel; “definitive”—Philadelphia Inquirer; “immensely informative”—Mayland Public Radio; “most complete and thorough…truly worthwhile and entertaining…well-written…highly recommended”—Golden Radio Buffs of Maryland; “outstanding”—Radio Spirits, Inc.; “tells the full story”—Communication Booknotes; “invaluable…unique”—American Cinematographer; “great reading”—Cowboy Magazine; “incredible…absolutely fabulous”—The TV Collector; “most impressive…a must”—Movie Collector’s World; “most accurate…highest rating”—Box-Top Buddies; “ultimate reference…highly recommended”—Westerns & Serials; “leaves nothing out…recommended”—Hello Again; “a magnum opus”—SPERDVAC Radiogram.