Did you know ...?

Before appearing on The Andy Griffith Show, both Howard McNear (Floyd the barber) and Parley Baer (the mayor) were regulars on the radio
version of Gunsmoke. McNear played Doc Adams and Baer was Chester.
William Conrad portrayed Marshal Matt Dillon.

Yes, I knew.
And George Lindsey guest-starred on the TV Gunsmoke several times. Burt Mustin [usually called "Judd" on TAGS] also appeared. Elizabeth MacRae, later Gomer's girlfriend on GP-USMC, before that was a semi-regular on GS who had an indefinite relationship with Festus Haggen [Ken Curtis].

Guest or repeating role actors in common to both shows included Hope Summers [Clara Edwards],Woodrow Chambliss, Roy Engel, Ken Lynch....

2 contemporary long-running popular shows are quite likely have actors in common.

Also, Denver Pyle who played Brisco Darling was the first choice for the role of Matt Dillon when Gunsmoke moved to tv.

Yes, and he also appeared in a number of eps, from roles ranging from a learned judge to a wise doctor, to a reclusive mountaineer. Denver Pyle, incidently, is where the name for the character Gomer Pyle came from.

Denver Pyle, incidently, is where the name for the character Gomer Pyle came from.

I always thought this was nothing more than a coincidence. In the nearly 35 years I've been doing this, I have yet to read anything that even remotely connects the 2 other than the fact that they share the same last name.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20275411&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=501580&rfi=6

"Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, writers for "The Andy Griffith Show," created the character of Gomer Pyle. The character was based on an "incompetent" gas-station attendant whom Greenbaum met. Pyle was named after Gomer Cool (a writer) and Denver Pyle (an actor on "The Andy Griffith Show"). "

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20275411&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=501580&rfi=6

I don't believe it! A piece of trivia that somehow eluded me over the years. Most embarrassing to say the least. :faint:

Clint Howard ("Leon") popped up in a 1971 Gunsmoke episode and his dad Rance appeared in a couple of episodes too.

Regarding who was the first choice to play Matt on TV, I had read that John Wayne was the first considered. I believe he introduced James Arness in the intro to the very first episode.

Regarding who was the first choice to play Matt on TV, I had read that John Wayne was the first considered. I believe he introduced James Arness in the intro to the very first episode.

Looks like you're correct.

According to "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows" (8th Edition, pg. 495), Wayne was the first choice to play Marshal Matt Dillon on "Gunsmoke" (1955), but declined because he did not want to commit to a weekly TV series. He did, however, recommend his friend James Arness for the role, and gave the on-camera introduction in the pilot episode.

Dever Pyle Was originally cast to play Matt Dillon on "Gunsmoke" (1955) when James Arness turned down the first request to audition for the role.

In retrospect it is now hard to fathom Denver Pyle in the role of Matt Dillon, but then again William Conrad's take of the character was much different than the TV role. The radio series as a whole is much darker than the TV show. I'm a big fan of both.

Another similarity to TAGS, is the B&W Gunsmokes tend to be superior to the color episodes.

also, some of the early, half-hour episodes of "GUNSMOKE" were adaptid from some of the radio episodes.