TRUE OR FALSE : John Wayne was offered the part of “Matt Dillon” for the pilot episode of “Gunsmoke”
Did the icon that was so famous for playing a sheriff in the movie westerns ever got the chance to play the most famous sheriff on a television western?
hahahahaha….. I think I got you all on this one –smiles*
check again -
I caught you guys napping…
I do not want to give it away– but you are all so close —-
check the question again
“Gunsmoke”was a radio broadcast long before it was on television…. so it was not written for John Wayne..
I caught you guys…
The answer is “False”
John Wayne’s friend was the director of the series — John was like many of the movie stars — they feel that tv is below them and would not stoop down to that level {which remains the same today}
so the director knew better than to even ask John Wayne — but John Wayne told him if he took the series he would know of just the right person for the role
and he even introduced the show on television — just to help him out
John Wayne was not just offered the part of Marshall Dillon, it was written specifically for him, but he rejected the role, feeling that a younger man would be better suited to the role. As it turned out, the show had such a long run, it was a good thing that a younger actor was selected. It does not seem possible now, after seeing James Arness play the role, that anyone else could ever have played Marshall Dillon. Thanks, Duke!
Thanks for the tip–I had completely forgotten the radio show, which of course starred William Conrad as Marshall Dillion.
I really must be getting old–I can’t believe I forgot this!
So—
I guess the answer to your question is “no”–John Wayne never got to play Marshall Dillion on radio, television or in the movies. Too bad, huh?
But I think he did introduce the TV show when it first begun.
John Wayne Gunsmoke