Early on, Gunsmoke received the acclaim due it from both critics and the audience. One major reason for this was the program’s dedication to authenticity. Not only could the audience hear the wind on the prairie or the clomping of horses’ hooves common on other shows, but they heard sounds that made the show real to them. The keys on the ring clanging as Matt Dillon sorted through them before opening a jail cell door. The aged boardwalk groaning as someone walked across it, spurs dully slapping the wood. From creaking saddles to whiskey sloshing in glasses, Gunsmoke became known as the most real sounding Western on the air. The camaraderie between the actors who played on Gunsmoke, both the core cast and the company of recurring players who filled different roles each week, was legendary in its own right. Known as ‘Dirty Saturdays’, the recording sessions would ripple with laughter and pranks. But, when the light went on signaling time to record, the off color humor and the almost family like atmosphere that William Conrad often recalled went away and every actor became their character. Marshal Matt Dillon coldly walked the hard, bloody streets of Dodge City, looking for outlaws on every corner. Listen to the Sparkling Audio Quality in Radio Archives restoration of Gunsmoke, Volume 10
