Regarding westerns on the small screen, little is as emblematic as Norman Macdonnell and “Gunsmoke” by John Meston. Based on the radio drama of the same name, the show made its debut on CBS in 1955 and became one of the oldest scripted television series in the history of American television, producing more than 600 episodes. Unfortunately, however, “Gunsmoke” went to sunset after 20 seasons, but like all Good Gunslingers who cannot stay down, he came back by hitting. “Gunsmoke” produced five television films after the end of the series, and thanks to reruns and streaming, the new generations continue to discover the classic Western TV.
“Gunsmoke” takes place in Dodge City, Kansas, and follows Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) and his deputies as they protect the city from outlaws, foreigners, troublemakers and other erroneous errors. The series is also remarkable for presenting Hollywood good faith legends in career roles, notably Kurt Russell, Harrison Ford, Leslie Nielsen and the star of “Star Trek” Leonard Nimoy, whose character was less than enlightened. However, this is a fun show to look at if you want to try to spot famous faces that engage in shootings at noon.
Despite most of the action of history at Dodge City, “Gunsmoke” has not used any real place in Kansas. The series has visited several hotspots across the United States to create its version of the Ancient West, each being historic in its own right.
Gunsmoke used California Melody Ranch Studio to recreate Dodge City
The Santa Clarita valley in California has doubled for the old west for decades, and “Gunsmoke” has been one of the many movies and television programs to create a border city in the famous Melody Ranch studio in the region. While the show has ventured in other places from time to time, Melody Ranch is the place where it was most often associated during its first years, especially for the capture of exterior plans.
According to James Arness in an interview with SCTVThe lot was an integral part of “Gunsmoke”, and he has good work memories there. “During the first two years, we did most of our outdoor work just there at Melody Ranch. It was a great place.” Rightly so, the actor also received his Walk of Western stars there in 2006, which coincides with a cowboy festival.
Melody Ranch is a convincing recreation from the border, and throughout the years, he has remained an essential hotspot to accommodate cowboys’ theme. The batch of 21 acres was used in everything, from “Deadwood” to “Oce Upon a Time in Hollywood”, with this last film, which makes it central to the diegetic series “Bounty Law” that Quentin Tarantino hopes to do in the real life one day. This place is imbued with the history of the Hollywood cowboy, but it is not the only emblematic Ranch that helped give life to “Gunsmoke”.
Some Demoke scenes have been filmed in Paramount Ranch
Located in the Southern California valley, the Paramount Ranch has provided the framework for a diverse range of movies and television programs. However, the Vista of 2,700 acres is synonymous with Westerners, because William Hertz – a rich superfying – bought the ranch in 1953 and reserved a special place for border adventures on the screen.
The Western area of Western de Paramount has paved the way for some of the most emblematic television operas of all time, including “Rawhide”, “Bonanza”, “The Cisco Kid” and, of course, “Gunsmoke” . Indeed, the whole was designed to reproduce the dusty streets and the old buildings that we associate with border life, and the surrounding mountains of Santa Monica provided a backdrop which looked indisputable by modern life – This means that it was perfect for entertainment on the theme of periods.
Unfortunately, the Paramount Ranch burned during Woolsey forest fires in 2018, effectively putting a golden period in Hollywood history. That said, he stayed popular until his last days, with 21st century westerns like “Bone Tomahawk” and “Westworld” by HBO using it with great effect.
Utah also served as a backdrop for Gunsmoke
California was not the only place to operate as a Kansas stand-in during the production of “Gunsmoke”, especially since the stories of the show were ventured outside Dodge City at the occasion. Some external scenes have been shot in the Utah Johnson Canyon, which is located near the city of Kanab. This place was an essential location for treasure hunters in the region, but it has finally become a popular basic food in the field of entertainment.
Similar to The Paramount Ranch, the Johnson Canyon region has a picturesque backdrop including large hills and wild land that capture the brutality of the American border. It was also a noticeable film and television during the day, which houses a variety of wooden buildings modeled after the Cowboy Hotspots of yesteryear.
Today, Johnson Canyon is a tourist destination, but the old set is not open to the public. However, fans of “Gunsmoke” who want to check it can see it from a neighboring path, and it’s better than nothing, right?
