Once upon a time, “Gunsmoke” star Roger Ewing decided to take a trip over to ABC’s popular show “The Dating Game.” It didn’t turn out so hot.
Ewing, who played Thad Greenwood on the long-running CBS western, was on “Gunsmoke” for about two seasons, according to a MeTV article. But his appearance on “The Dating Game” becomes even more interesting by whom he appears as Bachelor No. 2 for in her turn.
But Ewing found himself sitting between two other bachelors. This was in the late 1960s and after he’d left “Gunsmoke.”
They were providing answers to questions offered by a 20-something Lindsay Wagner.
Does that name sound familiar to classic TV fans? It should. Wagner would go on to become an actress and play Jamie Sommers for three seasons. It was a spinoff of ABC’s popular “The Six Million Dollar Man” with Lee Majors in the lead role.
‘Gunsmoke’ Star Found Himself on Losing End With Lindsay Wagner
Back to “The Dating Game.” Apparently, Ewing’s answer didn’t impress Wagner a bit. She ended up picking a “teacher with the State Department who traveled behind the Iron Curtain.” Wagner went out with Dick, the teacher, and they actually spent their date on the Sunset Strip. They even made a stop at the famed Whiskey A Go-Go.
Ewing left the Hollywood scene in the early 1970s, reportedly not too fond of the bright lights. He found peace as a photographer instead.
He originally joined “Gunsmoke” after Burt Reynolds left his role as Quint Asper. Ewing didn’t have much in the tank left for the entertainment world, so he left.
Today, though, Ewing remains one of the last surviving cast members of that show. “Gunsmoke” ran for 20 seasons on CBS, making it the longest-running Western series in TV history.
James Arness Said He’d Always Get Questions About This One Character
“Gunsmoke” star James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillion for the entirety of the show’s run, said he would get asked about one character all the time.
“He was such an integral part of the show, and people loved his character of Chester,” Arness told The Los Angeles Times in a 2006 interview. “He and I used to go out on appearances in the early years — we traveled all over the country together at fairs and rodeos — and his character was just indelibly etched in the minds of millions of people around the country.
“Everywhere you went, people would ask, ‘How’s Chester?'”
Chester Goode was played by Dennis Weaver. He was Marshal Matt’s right-hand man from 1955-64. Arness spoke with the Times after Weaver died on Feb. 24, 2006, at 81 years old.
Weaver, though, also made a name for himself in the 1970s. He played Marshal Sam McCloud on “McCloud,” which was part of NBC’s rotating “Sunday Mystery Movie” lineup.
