On Sept. 10, 1955, cast members of a new television show gathered to watch the first episode. Much to their surprise, legendary actor John Wayne came on to introduce the program.
"I've made a lot of pictures," Wayne said onscreen, "some of them have been Westerns . . . and that's why I'm here to tell you about tonight . . . a new television show called 'Gunsmoke.' "
Then Wayne introduced the show's star, James Arness. "He's a young fellow, and maybe new to some of you. I predict he'll be a big star."
No one at the time — the cast members included — knew how right that prediction would be, said Ben Costello, author of a new book, "Gunsmoke: An American Institution."
" 'Gunsmoke' became the biggest show of its day — and its day ran a total of 20 years," said Costello.
There were already plenty of Westerns on TV at the time, with such cowboys as Hopalong Cassidy, the Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers sharing adventures. "But most of these were geared to younger audiences," said Costello. " 'Gunsmoke' was the first Western drama to appeal to a more adult audience."
There was plenty of action, but there was also introspection. Arness's character, Marshal Dillon had to think his way out of problems as much as shoot his way out. Storylines revolved around each of the other regular cast members, and a wide variety of guest stars brought fresh angles to the stories.
There's never been another show quite like it, said Robert Houston, executive director of Kanab's Western Legends Round-up, which will be paying a special tribute to "Gunsmoke" in honor of the 50th anniversary of the show's beginning.
"The baby-boomer generation grew up with 'Gunsmoke.' " said Houston. "That's where we learned about the Old West. But it's also where we learned about values. Families watched it together. It was a big part of their lives."
At the Kanab fest, which runs Aug. 23-28, Costello will be introducing his book, which will be hot off the press (Call toll-free 866-471-0777 to find where else it will be available). And Buck Taylor, who played Newly O'Brien for eight seasons, will be in attendance, as will Morgan Woodward and Jan Shepard, who made frequent guest appearances on the show.
Many of the "Gunsmoke" episodes were filmed in Kanab, so it's a natural for Western Legends to observe its 50th anniversary, said Houston. "We're really happy to honor it. It's part of our Western heritage and our film heritage, for Kanab and all of Utah."
People are coming from all over the world for the celebration, he said. The show still has fans — and fan clubs — all over. "The Trekkies have nothing on these guys."
One reason the show was and is so popular is that "in every facet, it had the best the industry had to offer," Costello said by phone from his home in California. "From cast to writers, directors, and technical people, they were the best in the world. There's not another dramatic series that has come close. It was so popular that by 1959 there were 30 Westerns on the air — and we only had three networks."
One reason "Gunsmoke" became an American institution, said Costello, is that it was moral. "It shows us good versus evil, and good triumphs in the end. But not always by itself. Sometimes the whole town had to rally and work together. It sounds kind of silly to say stuff like that, but wouldn't it be nice if we had more of that morality now?"
The "Gunsmoke" stars also made appearances at rodeos and other arenas around the country, and that helped build their fan base. "Ken Curtis told me about a time he and Buck were visiting a military hospital. A couple whose son was in a coma asked them to come and stand by his bed so they could take a picture. Even though the boy wouldn't know they were there, it was his favorite show. So they did, and Ken began to talk to the boy like Festus — and the boy woke up. It just shows the power of something positive, the effect it can have on people."
It was a great thing to be part of, Buck Taylor said by phone from his ranch in Texas. He's looking forward to returning to Kanab. "It's a beautiful part of the United States, with those majestic red rocks and the green trees. And it brings back a lot of good memories. Things were different then; entertainment was different. I'm proud to be part of that era."
At the time, Taylor said, no one really thought about the impact of the show or its longevity. "It's amazing that it is still around and still so well liked."
He, too, credits a lot of the success to both good writing and the moral nature of the show. "The good guy wins, and the bad guy loses. I was lucky to be part of that."
Taylor still does a little acting but spends most of his time raising horses and painting Western watercolors. "I studied art before I became an actor. When I was young, my goal was to paint covers for True West magazine." He quit art when he started acting but has enjoyed getting back to it.
As he travels to art shows around the country, Taylor said he is surprised how many people tell him that "Gunsmoke" touched their lives. "Its touching when someone comes up and said that they grew up watching 'Gunsmoke' because they didn't really have a choice — they had to watch it with their mom and dad and grandpa. It was a real family thing. It's awesome that it just won't go away."
Just as our Western heritage is still important, he said. "I love the Western way of life. I love the values. I love that your word is your bond. It's a great way to live, and I've still living it. I'm living my dream."
And that's one reason he paints Western scenes. "Our Western heritage was handed to us. It's up to us to preserve it or not. I choose to preserve in through painting."
"Gunsmoke's" popularity reached such heights that a lot of other stars were telling their agents, "get me a 'Gunsmoke,' " said Costello. Guest stars included Harrison Ford, Jon Voight, Nick Nolte, Donna Mills, Jean Arthur, Rex Allen, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Angie Dickinson.
Jan Shepard was a frequent guest on "Gunsmoke" — and just about every other Western, not to mention other dramas and soap operas (114 TV shows and eight movies, all told).
"I loved the Westerns," she said by phone from her California home. "There was always a moral; there was always a lesson. And it's our history."
She and Amanda Blake were actually roommates for a couple of years while they were both trying to break into the business. "I went through all her love affairs with her."
In classic Hollywood tradition, Shepard met casting director Ernest Yeager at a coffee shop one time. She told him, "people like you will keep me being a secretary all my life." He was so impressed, "he brought me back to the studio and gave me an audition. I was so nervous, I was crying — luckily the script called for that." And she landed her first role.
Shepard remembers some great times on the "Gunsmoke" set. "Amanda was a true redhead, and she was perfect as Kitty. Dennis Weaver was hard to work with because he was so funny. He kept making us laugh. Jim Arness had a lot of steel in him, but he's a wonderful man. And Milburn Stone was just such a joy. He and I were buddies."
She also liked the fact that many of the shows were done in black and white. "Black and white was incredible. The lighting made you look fantastic. With color, you lose something. At Warner's they used to say, if you weren't very good, they'd put you in color."
That was a time, she said, that will never come again. "There was such great camaraderie in Hollywood back then." But she's looking forward to her visit to Kanab. "It'll be just like a high school reunion. There we'll be all in the same boat — people who love Westerns."
If you go . . .
What: Western Legends Round-up
Where: Kanab
When: Tuesday through Aug. 28
Cost:: Free for most activities; concerts and special events, $20-$25
Info:www.westernlegendsroundup.com
E-mail: carma@desnews.com