A reminder of just how raw edged the old Gunsmoke show could be. James Arness and the role were made for each other. The earlier black and white episodes often conveyed a starkness that helped make the morality play, which was what the show essentially was, come alive.
Producers apparently wanted John Wayne to star as Matt Dillon. He declined, but recommended James Arness. Gunsmoke had already been on for years on radio with William Conrad playing Marshall Dillon. https://t.co/nECGV5Xa5f
— Robert Lang WBAL (@Reporterroblang) September 10, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b_CSEU2N2Y
It did seem to me watching this scene that James Arness was quite tall, comparing him with the rest of the actors in the scene. In fact he was 6‘7“.
And a man that tall was very lucky to escape being killed on the beach at Anzio.