The Gunsmoke cast discovered that their show was cancelled in the trades

"We didn't do a final, wrap-up show."

CBS Television Distribution

Sometimes you can see a surprise coming along the horizon of life, and other times it shocks the pants out of you. Of course, the shocking sort of surprise is a real treat, if that surprise was say, a gift or a party. Unfortunately, not all surprises are good ones, and the ones that you don't see coming are sometimes the ones that hurt the most.

In an interview with the Associated Press, James Arness opened up a bit when he revealed what the cancellation of Gunsmoke was like from the cast's perspective.

Gunsmoke was one of the more coveted shows on the CBS network, and one of the most popular, even in its later seasons. Moreover, the series had also survived rounds of axing from the network, including one narrow escape where the show was nearly canceled for good before Gilligan's Island got the boot instead.

However, nothing good lasts forever, and in 1975, the show was canceled for good, though it was with very little fanfare. This is especially strange for a show that stayed on the air for over fifteen years. In the interview, Arness, himself the star of the show, seemed hurt by the network's sudden decision, to say the least.

"We didn't do a final, wrap-up show," said Arness. "We finished the twentieth year, we all expected to go on for another season, or two, or three. The [network] never told anybody they were thinking of canceling.

Arness then revealed the ultimate slap in the face; the network didn't even extend the cast and crew the kindness of informing them that Gunsmoke's time was up. The cast was forced to read of their own demise in the trades.

Watch Gunsmoke on MeTV!

Monday - Saturday at 12 PM & 12:30 PM

*available in most MeTV markets
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
Close

10 Comments

gig889 16 days ago
A lot of the time a job will end without informing the workers. What was bad about this CBS allowed the cast and crew to prepare for work. Finding work after the filming season started would be harder for the cast and crew after everyone was done hiring for the season. A final show, killing off Matt would not allow for the moves that came afterward. An ending show where Matt rides off into the sunset with the hint he was going after Miss Kitty would have been nice, and may have led to a new show. Doc. leaving Dodge with Festus to go up in the hills to take care of the hill people may have led to a new show. The bottom line the new CBS bosses wanted younger shows, and didn't care about the old Gunsmoke fans or the old members of the cast and crew.
CoreyC 17 days ago
Shows that didn't get a finale Archie Bunker's Place, The Jeffersons and Married With Children.
Runeshaper 17 days ago
That's awful. Regardless of how long a show runs, it's common courtesy to let the cast and crew know that it's being cancelled. Bad form here.
Wiseguy70005 19 days ago
It wasn't really common in 1975 to do finales (as opposed to final episodes). I'm not saying they WOULDN'T have done one but many in the industry felt that finales would hurt reruns ratings. Some people didn't want The Fugitive to do one.
trogg888 19 days ago
I can't believe that a show as good as gunsmoke didn't get a send off.i watched that show from the third grade through high school and never got tired of it.i still watch it occasionally but I've seen the episodes so many times I just about have the dialog memorized
Blcakandwhitetvfan 19 days ago
CBS owed the fans a final episode with closure. Maybe Amanda Blake returning for the final episode and Miss Kitty riding off into the sunset with Matt. They could have made it a 2 hr show and made Festus the new Marshall, with comedic overtones. So many possibilities. No they just let it end unceremoniously as a big f-you to the cast, audience and sponsors. Same thing was done with Little House on the Prairie but Michael Landon had enough clout to get a 2 hour tv movie as a final episode. He had class. He felt the loyal viewers deserved a final episode with purpose.
Actually, Landon got to destroy the sets! It's a weird ending to THAT show!
CoreyC cperrynaples 17 days ago
It was NBC who wanted LHOTP sets to be destroyed but Michael Landon used it to his advantage.
McGillahooala 20 days ago
Sometimes things work out for the best. I always hated that Gilligan’s Island got sacked but when you read about some of the plans Sherwood Schwartz had moving forward, it sounds like it was time. Gunsmoke was probably best to end when it did as well. That last season is not my favorite. They may have been stinking up the place if they lasted much longer. Twenty years is a pretty good run.
CoreyC McGillahooala 17 days ago
Ironically Gilligan's Island got cancelled cause these wasn't enough room on the schedule cause of Gunsmoke.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?