February 7, 2012


Less judgment than wit is more sail than ballast.
William Penn



[to Gus]" You ever bring that tongue of yours north of the Canadian River, I'll cut it off and feed it to my wolf pups."
— Blue Duck (Frederic Forrest), "Lonesome Dove" (1989)



His huff arrived and he departed in it.
Alexander Woollcott



MOVIE TRIVA
Gunsmoke (1955-1975) (part 4)
  • When a replacement for Dennis Weaver was needed when he was leaving the show it was director Andrew V. McLaglen's suggestion that Ken Curtis be brought in for a tryout as Festus Haggen in a few episodes. McLaglen had directed Curtis in a similar role in an episode of Have Gun - Will Travel. Festus was given the job of deputy to make him different from Weaver's character of Chester Good (who was never a deputy).
  • The series was set in the 1870s. Kansas entered the Union in 1861. The Marshals Service provided local law enforcement in territories, not in states. The duties Matt Dillon performed would have been handled by a town Marshal or county sheriff (in this case, Ford County). Each state (or federal court district) had one US Marshal, who was in charge of all the Deputy US Marshals in that particular jurisdiction; Matt Dillon would have been a Deputy US Marshal.
  • The actress originally offered the part of Miss Kitty, Polly Bond (aka Polly Ellis), turned it down due to her recent (at the time) marriage to actor Tommy Bond in 1953.
  • This show, along with The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp helped launch a great era of the TV western. Westerns became so popular on TV that by the end of the 1950s, there would be as many as 40 Westerns in prime time.



    • Seize the moment of excited curiosity on any subject to solve your doubts; for if you let it pass, the desire may never return, and you may remain in ignorance.
    William Wirt



    TRIVIA

    What was Elvis' first #1 hit on the U.S. Billboard pop charts?



    I have joy in bringing two together, but darning my existance!
    My life hangs by a thread, filled with ups, downs and resistance!



    The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.



    “When I came back to Dublin I was courtmartialed in my absence and sentenced to death in my absence, so I said they could shoot me in my absence.”



    Yesterday
    2006 Archives
    2007 Archives
    2008 Archives
    2009 Archives
    2010 Archives
    2011 Archives
    2012 Archives