Gunsmoke is one of those long-running classic Old-Time Radio shows that everyone knows and remembers. It's also one that is still respected for its high values, in all aspects. Gunsmoke first aired on the CBS network on April 26, 1952, billed as the first adult western. It was set in Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870's.
The main character, Matt Dillon, was played by William Conrad. On August 6, 1951, William Conrad played the lead in a show entitled "Pagosa" in the series Romance, where he played the part of a reluctant sheriff in a tough Western town. Although not a true audition, Conrad's character role is very close the that of Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. It was one of the "stepping stones" toward the production of Gunsmoke.
Other regular characters were Chester Proudfoot, played by Parley Baer; Kitty, played by Georgia Ellis; and Doc Adams, played by Howard McNear.
The series featured top-notch acting and well-developed scripts that set it apart from many other shows, not only Westerns; however, it was the sound effects that stood out the most. Listen carefully and one can hear many levels of sound that really helps transport the listener back to the old west.
Besides the US version, there was an Australian production of Gunsmoke. It began sometime in 1955, transcribed under the Artransa label, and aired Mondays at 7:00 PM on the Macquarie network. It is not known how many shows aired or how long the series ran.
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1 Billy the Kid - 29:04
2 Ben Thompson - 07:43
3 Jaliscoe - 29:20
4 Ben Slade's Saloon - 28:45
5 Carmen - 30:17
6 Buffalo Killers - 29:46
7 Never Pester Chester (Paul Dubov) - 29:51
8 The Boughten Bride - 29:33
9 Doc Holiday - 30:28
10 Gentleman's Disagreement - 30:41
11 Renegade White - 30:32
12 The Kentucky Tolmans - 29:59
13 The Lynching - 29:00
14 Shakespeare - 30:15
15 The Juniper Tree - 29:34
16 The Brothers - 29:20
17 Home Surgery - 29:41
18 Drop Dead - 29:43
19 The Railroad (pre-cut, not final version) - 26:25
20 Cain - 29:47
21 Hinka-Do - 29:20
22 Lochinvar - 29:38
23 The Mortgage - 29:51
24 Overland Express - 29:59
25 Tara - 29:59
26 The Square Triangle - 29:53
27 Fingered - 30:09
28 Kitty - 29:52
29 I Don't Know - 30:08
30 Post Martin - 30:00
31 Xmas Story - 29:57
32 The Cabin - 30:00
33 Westbound - 29:30
34 Word of Honor - 30:00
35 Paid Killer - 29:57
36 The Old Lady - 29:54
37 Cavalcade - 29:53
38 Cain (reused script) - 30:23
39 The Round-Up - 29:29
40 Meshougah - 30:03
41 Trojan War - 29:39
42 Absalom - 30:02
43 Cyclone - 29:35
44 Pussy Cats - 29:06
45 Quarter Horse - 29:28
46 Jayhawkers - 29:38
47 Gonif - 29:46
48 Bum's Rush - 29:08
49 The Soldier - 29:02
50 Tacetta - 30:29
51 The Buffalo Hunter - 29:52
52 The Big Con - 29:54
53 Print Asper - 29:44
54 Fall Semester - 29:57
55 Sundown - 30:01
56 Spring Term - 29:51
57 Wind - 29:22
58 Flashback - 29:58
59 Dirt - 29:59
60 Grass - 29:58
61 Wild West - 28:34
62 Hickock - 28:51
63 Hickok - 29:18
64 Boy - 29:52
65 Sky - 27:37
66 Moon - 27:25
67 Gone Straight - 29:30
68 Jesse - 30:02
69 The Sutler - 29:57
70 Prairie Happy - 30:08
71 There Was Never a Horse - 30:04
72 Fawn - 30:13
73 How to Kill a Friend - 30:12
74 How to Die for Nothing - 29:04
75 Yorky - 29:55
76 The Buffalo Hunter (reused script) - 24:55
77 How to Kill a Woman - 25:20
78 Stolen Horses - 25:10
79 Professor Lute Bone - 25:25
80 Custer - 25:01
81 Kick Me - 25:13
82 The Lamb - 25:56
83 The Cast - 25:14
84 Big Girl Lost - 24:57
85 The Guitar - 24:48
86 Stage Holdup - 24:50
87 Joke's on Us - 24:58
88 The Bear - 22:37
89 Nina - 24:56
90 Gunsmuggler - 24:59
91 Big Broad - 24:53
92 The Killer - 25:01
93 Last Fling - 24:52
94 Bad Boy - 25:02
95 The Gentleman - 24:47
96 Confederate Money - 24:42
97 Old Friend - 25:00
98 Blood Money (Sam Edwards) - 24:59
99 Mr. and Mrs. Amber (Helen Kleeb) - 24:46
100 Greater Love (John Dehner) - 24:55
101 What the Whisky Drummer Heard - 24:27
102 Murder Warrant - 24:50
103 Cara - 24:23
104 The Constable - 24:52
105 The Indian Horse - 24:00
106 Monopoly - 24:40
107 Feud - 24:50
108 The Blacksmith - 25:17
109 The Cover Up - 24:49
110 Going Bad - 24:55
111 Claustrophobia - 25:10
112 Word of Honor - 24:33
113 Hack Prine - 30:27
114 Texas Cowboys - 29:22
115 The Queue - 29:28
116 Matt for Murder - 29:37
117 No Indians - 29:42
118 Joe Phy - 29:44
119 Mavis McCloud (Eleanor Tannin) - 29:45
120 Young Man with a Gun - 29:53
121 Obie Tater - 29:54
122 The Promise aka The Handcuffs - 29:59
123 The Promise aka The Handcuffs - 29:37
124 Dooley Surrenders - 29:13
125 The F.U. - 29:41
126 Helping Hand - 29:36
127 Matt Gets It - 29:36
128 Love of a Good Woman - 28:55
129 Kitty Caught (Lawrence Dobkin) - 28:48
130 Ma Tennis - 29:40
131 The Patsy - 29:01
132 Smoking Out the Beedles - 28:59
133 Wrong Man - 28:53
134 How to Kill a Woman - 29:47
135 Cooter (John Dehner) - 28:57
136 Cholera - 28:55
137 Bone Hunters - 29:27
138 Magnus - 25:48
139 Kitty Lost - 29:48
140 The Bottle Man - 29:50
141 Robin Hood - 29:16
142 Chester's Murder - 29:37
143 Sins Of The Fathers - 29:34
144 Young Love - 29:54
145 Cheyennes - 29:56
146 Chester's Hanging - 29:32
147 Poor Pearl - 29:03
148 Crack-Up (John Dehner) - 28:56
149 Kite's Reward - 29:02
150 The Trial - 30:33
151 The Mistake - 30:11
152 Horse Deal - 29:47
153 Bloody Hands (Alafraganza) - 29:41
154 Skid Row - 28:45
155 Gypsum Hills Feud - 29:38
156 Born to Hang (Joseph Kearns) - 29:25
157 Reward for Matt - 29:02
158 Potato Road - 29:42
159 Robber Bridegroom - 29:57
160 The Liar from Blackhawk - 29:56
161 Cow Doctor (Tom Hanley) - 29:53
162 Jealousy - 29:55
163 Trust - 29:51
164 The Reed Survives (Michael Ann Barrett) - 30:18
165 The Army Trial - 30:07
166 General Parsley Smith - 30:00
167 Uncle Oliver - 30:00
168 20/20 - 29:53
169 Ben Tolliver's Stud (Norman Macdonnell) - 29:51
170 Tap Day for Kitty - 29:59
171 Innocent Broad - 29:49
172 Johnny Red (Virginia Gregg) - 29:58
173 Indian Scout - 29:45
174 Doc Quits - 29:48
175 Change of Heart - 29:19
176 Alarm at Pleasant Valley - 29:47
177 Thoroughbreds - 29:49
178 Indian White - 29:49
179 Barton Boy - 29:56
180 Good Girl - Bad Company - 24:53
181 The Coward (Vic Perrin) - 24:48
182 Trouble in Kansas - 24:49
183 Brush at Elkader (James Nusser) - 25:00
184 The Choice (Lawrence Dobkin) - 24:59
185 The Second Choice - 24:49
186 The Preacher - 24:50
187 Dutch George - 24:50
188 Amy's Good Deed - 24:50
189 Sunny Afternoon - 24:56
190 Land Deal - 24:50
191 Scared Kid - 24:52
192 Twelfth Night (Helen Kleeb)(reused script) - 24:53
193 Pucket's New Year (James Nusser) - 24:49
194 Doc's Revenge - 24:49
195 How to Cure a Friend - 24:58
196 Romeo - 24:48
197 Bureaucrat - 24:49
198 Legal Revenge - 24:51
199 Kitty's Outlaw - 24:51
200 The New Hotel - 24:49
201 Who Lives by the Sword - 24:46
202 The Hunter - 24:46
203 Bringing Down Father - 25:56
204 The Man Who Would Be Marshal - 24:52
205 Hanging Man - 24:53
206 How to Sell a Ranch - 24:51
207 Widow's Mite - 24:50
208 The Executioner - 24:52
209 Indian Crazy - 24:52
210 Doc's Reward - 24:24
211 The Photographer - 24:40
212 Cows and Cribs (Jeanette Nolan) - 24:48
213 Buffalo Man - 24:52
214 Man Hunter - 24:50
215 The Pacifist - 24:51
216 Daddy-O (John McIntire) - 24:51
217 Cheap Labor - 24:49
218 Sunday Supplement - 24:50
219 Gun for Chester - 24:50
220 Passive Resistance - 24:50
221 Letter of the Law (Joseph Kearns) - 25:03
222 Lynching Man - 25:01
223 Lost Rifle - 24:58
224 Sweet and Sour (Harry Bartell) - 24:57
225 Snakebite - 24:56
226 Annie Oakley - 25:00
227 No Sale - 24:48
228 Old Pal - 24:52
229 Belle's Back - 24:47
230 Thick 'n' Thin - 24:11
231 Box O' Rocks - 24:11
232 The Brothers (different story than 52-09-06) - 24:53
233 The Gambler - 24:46
234 Gunshot Wound - 24:49
235 'Til Death Do Us - 24:50
236 Dirty Bill's Girl - 24:50
237 Crowbait Bob (Nov 4th broadcast preempted) - 24:50
238 Pretty Mama - 24:49
239 Brother Whelp - 24:51
240 Tail to the Wind - 24:53
241 Speak to Me Fair - 24:50
242 Braggart's Boy - 24:52
243 Cherry Red - 24:41
244 Beeker's Barn (Ralph Moody) - 24:48
245 Hound Dog - 23:37
246 Devil's Hindmost - 23:50
247 Ozymandias - 24:39
248 Categorical Imperative - 24:59
249 Woman Called Mary - 20:31
250 Cold Fire - 21:36
251 Hellbent Harriet - 19:32
252 Doubtful Zone - 19:58
253 Impact - 19:31
254 Colleen So Green - 23:00
255 Grebb Hassle - 20:02
256 Spring Freshet - 17:51
257 Spring Freshet - 19:15
258 Saddle Sore Sal - 24:54
259 Chicken Smith - 21:40
260 Rock Bottom - 21:01
261 Saludos - 24:41
262 Bear Trap - 24:41
263 Medicine Man - 22:07
264 How to Kill a Friend (reused script) - 22:45
265 Sheep Dog - 25:00
266 One Night Stand - 24:25
267 Pal - 23:05
268 Ben Tolliver's Stud (Les Crutchfield)(reused script) - 26:03
269 Dodge Podge - 23:01
270 Summer Night - 23:33
271 Home Surgery (reused script) - 23:05
272 The Buffalo Hunter - 21:23
273 Word of Honor (reused script) - 20:36
274 Bloody Hands (Long Branch)(reused script) - 24:53
275 Kitty Caught (James Nusser)(reused script) - 21:58
276 Kitty Caught - 20:32
277 Cow Doctor - 24:33
278 Big Hands - 24:33
279 Jayhawkers - 24:02
280 The Peace Officer - 19:52
281 Grass - 24:23
282 Jobe's Son - 23:37
283 Looney McCluny - 22:26
284 Child Labor - 22:26
285 Custer - 24:53
286 Another Man's Poison - 23:03
287 The Rooks - 19:21
288 The Margin - 19:44
289 Professor Lute Bone (reused script) - 23:44
290 Man and Boy - 20:03
291 Bull - 24:14
292 Gun Shy - 23:48
293 The Queue (Ben Wright)(reused script) - 23:57
294 Odd Man Out - 24:36
295 Jud's Woman - 25:31
296 Long as I Live - 25:08
297 Ugly - 24:56
298 Twelfth Night (December 22 broadcast pre-empted) (Virginia Gregg)(reused script) - 25:07
299 Where'd They Go? - 19:01
300 Pucket's New Year (reused script) - 19:36
301 Second Son - 24:34
302 Moo Moo Raid - 24:56
303 One for Lee - 25:07
304 Kitty's Killing - 25:03
305 The Joke's on Us (reused script) - 18:17
306 Bruger's Folly - 24:59
307 The Surgery - 24:14
308 The Guitar (reused script) - 18:56
309 Laughing Gas - 23:40
310 Real Sent Sonny - 24:35
311 Indian - 24:45
312 Why Not - 22:02
313 Yorky (reused script) - 21:24
314 Livvie's Loss - 23:25
315 The Partners - 22:52
316 The Squaw - 23:37
317 How to Die for Nothing (May 4th broadcast preempted)(reused script) - 19:06
318 Little Bird - 20:54
319 The Stallion - 24:12
320 Blue Horse - 24:56
321 Quarter Horse (reused script) - 24:08
322 Hot Horse Hyatt - 25:06
323 Old Flame - 23:30
324 Target - 25:28
325 What the Whiskey Drummer Heard (James Nusser)(reused script) - 25:21
326 Chester's Choice - 23:53
327 The Proving Kid - 20:40
328 Marshal Proudfoot - 24:21
329 The Cast (reused script) - 24:16
330 Miguel's Daughter - 19:34
331 A House Ain't a Home - 24:58
332 The Piano - 23:45
333 The Blacksmith (Barney Phillips)(reused script) - 25:02
334 I Thee Wed - 22:19
335 Tried It - Didn't Like It - 21:42
336 False Witness - 20:09
337 Big Girl Lost (reused script) - 20:33
338 Kitty's Rebellion - 19:07
339 Tag, You're It - 19:51
340 Doc's Showdown - 19:37
341 Kick Me (reused script) - 19:57
342 The Tragedian - 25:06
343 Old Man's Gold - 20:10
344 Target - Chester - 19:29
345 Brush at Elkader (James Westerfield)(reused script) - 20:11
346 The Correspondent - 18:26
347 Burning Wagon - 19:31
348 The Grass Asp - 19:22
349 Kitty's Injury - 19:25
350 Where'd They Go? (reused script) - 21:48
351 The Choice (reused script) - 23:13
352 The Coward (Joseph Kearns)(reused script) - 23:17
353 The Wolfer - 29:24
354 Kangaroo - 24:58
355 The Boots - 29:05
356 The Bobsy Twins - 23:58
357 Groat's Grudge - 25:05
358 Body Snatch - 26:37
359 Sarah's Search - 24:34
360 Big Tom - 24:15
361 Maw Hawkins - 23:50
362 Incident at Indian Ford - 24:01
363 The Trial (Joseph Kearns)(reused script) - 23:31
364 Laurie's Suitor - 29:57
365 Trapper's Revenge - 23:29
366 Chester's Mistake - 24:24
367 Third Son - 23:54
368 The Badge - 25:20
369 Unwanted Deputy - 29:47
370 Dowager's Visit - 30:17
371 Scared Boy - 22:42
372 Wagon Show - 25:01
373 The Deserter - 26:26
374 Doc's Indians - 24:52
375 Kitty's Kidnap - 29:30
376 Carmen (reused script) - 23:51
377 Jailbait Janet (reused script) - 28:24
378 Emma's Departure - 28:42
379 Friend's Payoff - 25:46
380 Second Arrest - 25:46
381 Old Beller - 23:35
382 Ball Nine, Take Your Base - 27:56
383 Mavis McCloud (Barbara Eiler)(reused script) - 24:25
384 Pokey Pete - 27:49
385 The Reed Survives (Lynn Allen)(reused script) - 27:46
386 Shooting Stopover - 28:29
387 Matt's Decision - 24:42
388 Johnny Red (Helen Kleeb)(reused script) - 27:32
389 Gentlemen's Disagreement (reused script) - 24:37
390 Personal Justice - 24:31
391 Hinka-Do (reused script) - 23:43
392 Kitty's Quandary - 29:06
393 The Mortgage (reused script) - 25:19
394 Old Gunfighter - 26:15
395 Westbound (reused script) - 27:04
396 Cavalcade (reused script) - 26:39
397 The Square Triangle (reused script) - 24:05
398 Paid Killer (reused script) - 23:44
399 Hard Lesson - 25:50
400 Big Chugg Wilson - 25:53
401 Don Mateo - 25:05
402 Beeker's Barn (Joseph Kearns)(reused script) - 24:46
403 Pucket's New Year (reused script) - 23:19
404 Trojan War (reused script) - 24:17
405 Luke's Law - 25:17
406 Fiery Arrest - 25:10
407 Bless Me Till I Die - 25:19
408 Chester's Dilemma - 25:40
409 Delia's Father - 23:38
410 Distant Drummer - 27:20
411 Mr and Mrs Amber (Virginia Gregg)(reused script) - 22:04
412 Prescribed Killing - 29:43
413 Blood Money (John Dehner)(reused script) - 21:49
414 Unloaded Gun - 25:07
415 The Constable (Barlett Robinson)(reused script) - 23:21
416 Indian Baby - 25:52
417 Greater Love (Vic Perrin)(reused script) - 25:03
418 Dave's Lesson - 24:52
419 Solomon River - 28:49
420 Stage Snatch - 25:29
421 Nettie Sitton - 25:05
422 Wrong Man - 24:56
423 Tall Trapper - 25:24
424 Marryin' Bertha - 24:46
425 Bad Seed - 27:48
426 Fabulous Silver Extender - 29:14
427 Kitty Accused - 29:19
428 Line Trouble - 22:31
429 Little Girl - 24:48
430 Reluctant Violence - 26:48
431 Busted Up Guns - 23:32
432 The Impostor - 24:16
433 Stage Smash - 25:54
434 Old Fool - 25:04
435 The Noose - 25:47
436 Dangerous Bath - 25:51
437 The Tumbleweed - 24:58
438 The Peace Officier - 23:58
439 About Chester - 24:37
440 Two Mothers - 29:54
441 Doc Judge - 25:08
442 The Big Itch - 29:31
443 Born to Hang - 29:49
444 Crack-Up - 25:10
445 Newsma'am - 29:57
446 Never Pester Chester - 28:05
447 Jedro's Woman - 24:53
448 The Big Con - 28:14
449 The Professor - 29:45
450 Dirt - 28:10
451 Kitty's Good Neighboring - 23:50
452 The Cook - 23:43
453 Hero's Departure - 23:06
454 Minnie - 19:21
455 Spring Term - 22:05
456 Old Faces - 24:34
457 The Wake - 24:50
458 Hard Virtue - 24:30
459 Harriet - 24:15
460 Love of Money - 24:36
461 Daddy-O (John Dehner)(reused script) - 25:03
462 Kitty Love - 24:59
463 Joe Sleet - 23:32
464 Melinda Miles - 24:03
465 Sweet and Sour - 20:09
466 Joe Phy - 31:19
467 No Indians - 24:51
468 Chester's Inheritance - 24:13
469 Hangman's Mistake - 24:19
470 Cooter - 22:50
471 Father and Son - 20:14
472 Ex-Urbanites - 24:23
473 Ma's Justice - 23:45
474 The Lady Killer - 23:55
475 Chester's Rendezvous - 23:23
476 The Sod-Buster - 23:54
477 Cows and Cribs (Anne Morrison)(reused script) - 21:07
478 Doc's Visitor - 24:16
479 Letter of the Law (Vic Perrin)(reused script) - 23:47
480 Cyclone - 29:35
481 Fawn - 30:13
482 How to Kill a Friend - 30:13
483 Yorky - 29:56
484 Quarter Horse (reused script) - 24:09
485 Old Man's Gold - 46:35:41
486 Marryin' Bertha - 24:47
