I don't know if it's just me or there are others out there that enjoy watching the black and white episodes of (Gunsmoke), the shows in color just don't seem to be authentic for some reason.
I also enjoy watching the Highway Patrol show with Broderick Crawford, The Rifleman, and The Andy Griffith show.

Black and White Forever! The old B&W Gunsmoke episodes remind me of time spent with my dad. Ditto for Have Gun, Will Travel.

Let's don't forget some really good B&W films, either. The Last Picture Show, Raging Bull, The Elephant Man, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid...just to mention a few. Oh, and Young Frankenstein! And Clint Eastwood filmed Letters From Iwo Jima in black and white...a beautifully shot film.

those first 30 minute b&w gunsmokes were great.
by the time color came, the show was tired.
the one hour shows aren't worth watching

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susie

M Squad. Watch M Squad!

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Halfway and one more step

b/w without a doubt

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I grew up watching a B&W television. My parents didn't get a color TV until I left home (which I tried not to take personally.) Those old shows that I watched growing up just don't look right in color.

Black & White definitely, somehow just seems more authentic. There are iirc some B&W hour shows with Quint. Color brought Newley whom I can't stand plus miss Kitty is starting to show some age.

I grew up with B&W, so I do like it. But, I really don't care if it's in color. I like the show and whether the broadcast is B&W or color goes unnoticed.
Colorization of classics I do not like.

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"from my cold dead hands" C.H.

The early half hour b&w Gunsmokes were meant for a more mature audience. Matt didn't always let the other guy draw first. Sometimes he and Chester killed people who needed killin'. (A lot of the villains were out-and-out cutthroats.) And don't forget how the saloon girls at the Long Branch could sometimes be seen going up the stairs with a cowboy.

There are several episodes where an innocent man is hung despite Matt's best efforts to overturn the conviction, find the guilty party, etc.

As the show went on, the writers began to modify some of this, no doubt to placate the TV censors. So it's hard to compare the early ones to the later ones, they just aren't as gritty.

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You're shy a few manners.

I like the black and white the best of almost anythings. Seems grittier somehow? and nostalgic. Currently on season 1 of: Daniel Boone and its in glorious black and white.

PS, hint: Boone thread coming to a theater (website) near you soon.

Never liked Newly, Festus was a joke. Chester was much better. Once it went to color Matt was in the show less and less. The last few seasons there are episodes where Matt only makes a cameo type appearance at the beginning and end of the show.

Bonanza was the same, early seasons were much better shows.

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Support your Police, & NRA

I agree, just saw the episode where Chester was seriously injured by two rough guys who dragged him from their horse...Matt faced down the bigger guy (Buddy Baer, Max Baer's brother and a prior boxer and actor) in the alley and beat him up, then said to a bystander..."Tell him if I see him again, I'll kill him..."

Both and ALL. Favorite episode, "Mannon". Steve Forrest as Will Mannon comes to town, has his way with Kitty and then outdraws Matt and shoots him down. Camera pulls back, Mannon turns away, and a loud voice calls MANNON! He turns quickly, draws, and Matt, laying in the street, shoots him dead. WOW!!! Good Guy always won!

B&W, with Chester, before Matt wore permanent press shirts!

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Mannon was on just a few days ago, great episode!

I can watch and re-watch the old half-hour Gunsmokes all day long. I've probably got 40 of the later color versions on the DVR I just can't manage to watch at all. BTW, anyone else think time (and color TV) was not kind to Miss Kitty?

The ones with Steve Forrest were great. Besides Mannon, check out The Widowmaker. It probably has more face to face fast draw gunfights than all others. My favorite it "One killer on ice" with John Drew Barrymore.

I truly enjoy the black and white episodes. One question, why aren't the episodes with Dennis Weaver, as Chester, aired for television? The only ones televised are with Festus as the deputy marshal.

Nick

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NRA Instructor\GCA Gunsmith

Starz Encore Western runs them every day at 3:00 and 3:30 PM Pacific time. Right now they are on season #3.

The stories were more 'gritty' and probably more realistic than later shows after Dodge became a metropolis.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I also go with the Black and White. Not as politically correct.

Black and white for sure. Brings back many fond memories

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John

That's true, I believe. In the black and white days, dad would sometimes use scenes from the Longbranch Saloon as moral lessons.

Some cowboys would be sitting around the poker table in the saloon playing cards, and a brief conversation would go something like this:

Dad: Boy, you see them cards?
Me: Yessir.
Dad: Them's fifty-two tickets to Hell.

To this day, I've never gambled on a card game, not even when I was in the service. I've never even played poker.

Another episode might have a closeup of Sam the bartender drawing a beer for a thirsty cowboy. A brief exchange between dad and me was:

Dad: Boy, you see them bubbles in that beer?
Me: Yessir! (looking nearsightedly at the TV screen)
Dad: (leaning forward in his chair and pointing for emphasis) Every one of them bubbles is a devil!

I'll admit the Bubbles-Are-Devils lesson never took ahold...but every now and then, drinking the occasional cold one, I'll look at those bubbles and sort of smile to myself, thinking of dad and hoping if he's looking down at me, he won't think too badly of me.

I think "Matt" was just using up all his vacation and workman's comp time-before series had to be cancelled. I think I prefer Chester over Festus a might, both were irritating in their own ways. Think ill collect all Gunsmoke seasons to season 12-after that? not so much.

He also beat up Chuck Connors-who BTW, played a boxer in an early episode.

I wonder what season that ep was in? Ive -1-4-but no Steve Forrest sightings so far.

I grew up on Gunsmoke eps after school for years-and never saw a B&W ep till I purchased the first 4 seasons. I havent seen any Burt Reynolds (Quint) eps either and looking forwards to doing so some day.

..."See them women in that saloon?" Every one of them is a sister of the devil..........but any one's be worth it

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Look up Burt on IMDB and it names all the episodes. First one was 'Quint Alger Comes Home'. He was in 50 episodes.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I recently purchased the Starz app for my Roku device. It is about 10 a month and offers new and classic movies, and quite a few classic TV shows, including the old B&W half-hour episodes of Gunsmoke. While I have always seen the hour-long color ones TV Land, being able to watch the old episodes is a treat. I could care less if it is B&W or color, but the half-hour format has much less filler and the writing is superior, as well as more mature. I even saw Sam Peckinpah credited a time or two.

While I think Arness did a great job every time out, I have to say those later season episodes where Dillion only showed for a small part towards the end are quite annoying. I can understand one or two shows like that, but it seems like there were quite a few.

Thanks and will do in a couple hours, or duh on me-look up Steve Forrest's fimology.

Just saw a classic episode that I have not seen for years!! (Magnus) Chester's brother who lived in the wild away from civilization, who I thought had more logic than the average human being that lived in a city. Man, what a good episode!!

Matt Dillon kills several bad guys in the saloon during the B&W episode days where he shoots the guy, holsters his gun and just stands at the bar having a drink like nothing happened. The network was on to their anti-violence kick by the time color came around.

Another really excellent Western is Laramie with Robert Fuller and John Smith. Very high production values for a late 1950's to mid 1960's TV show.

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Virtue,Liberty & Independence

Black and White for me,i grew up seeing both color & black and white.

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Life is short,live it fully.

Are you kidding me? B/W vs Color of any of those classic shows back then?

I would ask as an example, how would watching the "Honeymooners" in color done anything to improve it?

No brainer question for me.

Steve Forrest played in multiple Gunsmoke episodes.

Gunsmoke (TV Series) 1969-1973
Scott Coltrane / Cord Wrecken / Cole Morgan / ...
- The Widowmaker (1973) ... Scott Coltrane
- The Brothers (1972) ... Cord Wrecken
- Morgan (1970) ... Cole Morgan
- Mannon (1969) ... Will Mannon

And another
Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge (TV Movie) 1987
Will Mannon

From
Steve Forrest - IMDb

Episode details
"Gunsmoke" Mannon (TV Episode 1969) - IMDb
Season 14 | Episode 17

B&W for me, too.

I was doing some looking around last week and noticed Miss Kitty died young!!! Sixty.........Blake died on August 16, 1989, from complications of AIDS - courtesy of her 4th husband!!

Neither, I prefer the radio version of Gunsmoke with William Conrad as Matt Dillion. Conrad really adds an edge to the marshall that Arness didn't. The original cast included Parley Baer as Chester, he also was a neighbor to Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Georgia Ellis as Miss Kitty and Howard McNear as doc.....he was Floyd the barber on the Andy Griffith show.


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Danke, Ive only seen seasons 1-4, but will be looking forwards to seeing him when I can get those. Ive always liked Steve Forrest-and his half-brother: Dana Andrews.

I remember hearing that on the radio. Also, I think she was living in Austin at the time. Somewhere along the 1-Ls route-is a sign saying such.

I just got done watching one of my favorite episodes here, and wanted to share it with all of you. If you remember the episode , when Chester's uncle comes to town looking for Marshal Good! A real fun episode to watch, for all you Gunsmoke fans like me. Had a few good laughs, it was awesome!!

His uncle was played by Dabs Greer who also played storekeeper Jonas.