38 min
The Story Behind The Birth Of Gunsmoke Breaking Walls
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- History
This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 90: The Hollywood People Behind Radio’s Baby Boomer Boom (1945 - 1954)
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By 1951 director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston were working on multiple projects at CBS and continuing their refinement of the radio western.
On August 6th the series Romance broadcast a western named “Pagosa,” which starred William Conrad in the title role of Jeff Spain.
Macdonnell approached CBS brass about the possibility of doing a Jeff Spain series. His timing was right. CBS already had the title for a series in mind: Gunsmoke.
Two audition programs were recorded in the middle of 1949 with a title character named Mark Dillon. Neither sold.
CBS gave Macdonnell and Meston one week to put production together.
This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 90: The Hollywood People Behind Radio’s Baby Boomer Boom (1945 - 1954)
___________
By 1951 director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston were working on multiple projects at CBS and continuing their refinement of the radio western.
On August 6th the series Romance broadcast a western named “Pagosa,” which starred William Conrad in the title role of Jeff Spain.
Macdonnell approached CBS brass about the possibility of doing a Jeff Spain series. His timing was right. CBS already had the title for a series in mind: Gunsmoke.
Two audition programs were recorded in the middle of 1949 with a title character named Mark Dillon. Neither sold.
CBS gave Macdonnell and Meston one week to put production together.
38 min