September 10, 1955…”Gunsmoke” Debuts With John Wayne Intro According to “The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows”, John Wayne was the first choice to play Marshal Matt Dillon, but he declined because he did not want to commit to a weekly TV series. He did, however, recommend his friend James Arness … Continue reading September 10, 1955…”Gunsmoke” Debuts With John Wayne Intro