Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

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movieman1957
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by movieman1957 »

Just watched a Gunsmoke episode from 1960 that felt all weird because Ken Curtis was in it. He played a partner to Robert Wilkie, who must have done dozens of these, who ambush Chester and Doc. Watching Weaver and Curtis and knowing how things will change just felt odd - but fun.

One thing I appreciate about Weaver was how well he used that bad leg. Watching him hop down a hill on one leg really shows he had a talent for balance and a gift for making his injury look genuine.
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by mrsl »


.

ed this thread out first because I planned on commenting on the same things movieman. Not so much Ken Curtis because I'm used to seeing him all over the western shows, and in addition this was only one of the many different characters he played before he settled down to being Festus. Chester, however, who I'm not crazy about, does do a super fine job of making you believe his leg is truly permanently injured. I have a hard time accepting his whining, but watching Matt while Chester whines often sends me into gales of laughter. His irritated tolerance and rolling of the eyes work to make a fine comedy skit without saying a word.
.
Anne


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Visiting Gunsmoke with newly discovered facts

Post by mrsl »

.
" On Encore Western Channel
by movieman1957 » Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:31 am
I recently went through the early years of "Gunsmoke" on DVD. Frankly, I don't remember them ever being aired before. It was a real treat to see them. Amanda Blake looks like she can't be much older than her early 20s. (Besides I like her hair better than the piled up stuff she was wearing 10 years later.)
Early on everyone seems to be in character. Chester gets fleshed out as they go but everyone else seems situated. "


I've seen most of the half hour shows twice by now and I'm curious about a few things. I must be a romantic because in these original shows, Matt and Kitty are much more attentive to each other than later, especially when one of them is injured in some way. When he or she is better, or the excitement is over, they openly hug and walk with arms around each others waist away from the camera. I've never seen them kiss . . . I doubt that they ever do, but there is more to loving than that. Also, several times mention has been made that Matt is the 'property' of Kitty, and vice a versa. Until you watch all the Marshall Dillon shows, you don't realize how irritating Chester was. He scewed up everything he did, including cleaning the office. He refused to dust out the rug on the front porch, he broke the smoke stack on the stove countless times, he was ALWAYS hungry, and he mooched drinks like a sad puppy dog. Of course Festus later did most of these things also, and worse . . . he had those awful spurs on all the time. I've seen the final half hour show, and the opening full hour show, but Chester's disappearance is never mentioned. One show, late in the series someone lists off all of Matt's help and deputies, and he give reasons for their no longer being there, but I don't think Chester is in that dicussion. I cannot recall the reason for the questioning. I agree with movieman 1957 that Kitty looks great, if only they had made her makeup more natural as she grew older, she could have looked much better when color came along, but they kept that awful black eye stuff.

Just a few things off the top of my head, some of you may have the same questions, or answers.
.
Anne


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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by mrsl »

.
I'm still on this half hour thing. Something else about Chester was that he's ALWAYS sleepy. If he's not grumbling about hunger, he's yawning. At least Festus was always alert and he helped Matt several times in bad spots, Chester just ran for help. Also about the silent love affair of Matt and Kitty . . . I would think that after 15 or 16 years and the whole town knowing about them, they would have been a little more open. I know there is ONE episode where early in the morning, Matt comes out of Kitty's room, walks down the stairs, says 'good morning' to Sam and walks out the door. I wonder if I'm the only one who made something out of this. After all it was the late 60's and language and nudity had long been relaxed on TV, so I cannot see it being a mistake in direction.

Any comments?
Anne


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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by ChiO »

Perhaps of some interest, this week on TV Land's airing of Bonanza:

Tuesday, Sept. 4 @ 2:00pm CST - The Dark Star (1st season), with, in his penultimate appearance on any sized screen, director-writer-producer-actor Hugo Haas, directed by Lewis Allen (one of his 42 episodes)

Thursday, Sept. 6 @ 4:00pm CST - Denver McKee (2nd season), with Franchot Tone and Bob Barker, directed by Jacques Tourneur (his only Bonanza episode)

Both are available for free on Hulu as well.
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

Chio, I am sorry I missed that Tourneur directed episode of Bonanza.

I just watched the Gunsmoke episode where Miss Kitty saves Angelina Jolie's father. Kenneth Tobey and Ned Glass were some of the great character actors who helped make this episode so much fun to watch. A nail-bitin' 5-card-draw poker match between Miss Kitty and a bounty hunter was one of the highlights. My favorite Miss Kitty line? When the bounty hunter compliments her on her fortitude, she say dismissively, "Spare me!" (It's so obvious she's heard it all before!) :lol:

I really enjoyed it! Amanda Blake looked great, but the bouffant was a little too high in 1969. Jon Voigt was also good as the subject of a bounty hunter and a group of lynch-happy cowpokes wrangled by Tobey.

It was season 14, episode 25, "The Prisoner." A good showcase for Blake, and, of course, Matt shows up with the change of venue writ that stops the lynching the last 12 seconds or so. I liked the scene where Festus and Newly were arguing about how much the horse shoes cost. :lol:

I guess I have to go. Now Marlo Thomas is in an episode of Bonanza called "Pink Cloud Comes From Old Cathay" on MEtv.
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

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Sue Sue Applegate wrote: I guess I have to go. Now Marlo Thomas is in an episode of Bonanza called "Pink Cloud Comes From Old Cathay" on MEtv.
I LOVE that episode. Marlo is such a great pain in the a** about everything to do with equality and labor rights--I kept expecting her to whip out a copy of Mao's Little Red Book and quote from it at length to a puzzled looking Hoss. And it is one of the only times we get to see that the Ponderosa does have a bunk house and actual ranch hands.
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

Yea! And they are striking for a pool table in the bunkhouse!

My favorite Marlo line as Tai Lei:"I am not commodity for international debate!"

The accent could have been tweaked a bit, but she looked so adorable, I am sure not too many folks would have noticed or cared.

And you know she and Dan Blocker had so much fun with that scene where he threatens to spank her! Too cute....
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by movieman1957 »

Me TV just showed up our cable. Good news for me.
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

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Sue Sue Applegate wrote:Yea! And they are striking for a pool table in the bunkhouse!

My favorite Marlo line as Tai Lei:"I am not commodity for international debate!"

The accent could have been tweaked a bit, but she looked so adorable, I am sure not too many folks would have noticed or cared.

And you know she and Dan Blocker had so much fun with that scene where he threatens to spank her! Too cute....
I forgot about the spanking threat. Too bad the two of them couldn't have been a couple, but that would have been pushing the race envelope and might have spelled curtains for Marlo at the end of the hour.
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

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I can't remember that episode of "Gunsmoke", SueSue, but as you know I'm a huge fan of "Miss Kitty" so I can just picture her saying that line. :D :D

Marlo was so cute in that "Bonanza" epi, too.

I'm sure I saw the one Tourneur directed because I remember Franchot Tone, but I look forward to seeing it again now I know who was behind the lens. And do I ever have plenty of options: I think Bonanza and I Love Lucy may have the most "play" of any shows of their era...they're on TVLand, MeTV, Encore (Bonanza) and Hallmark (Lucy) as well as Hulu (Bonanza). Gunsmoke is on at least three networks, too.

Chris, so glad you got your Me-TV! :D I love the little promos that feature some of the stars (Johnny Crawford, Betty White and Carl Reiner).
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by movieman1957 »

April:

I've seen the promos with Johnny Crawford and James Hampton. I accidentally stumbled on it over the weekend when they were showing "The Millionaire."

I think if I'm going to see some of those "Gunsmoke" episodes I'll need to get the recorder going. The Bride even watched a "Gunsmoke" with me last night. That's progress.
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

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movieman1957 wrote:April:

I've seen the promos with Johnny Crawford and James Hampton. I accidentally stumbled on it over the weekend when they were showing "The Millionaire."
kudos to you for being able to remember Hampton's name! I was going to say the guy that was in Gomer Pyle and Love, American Style. :D
I think if I'm going to see some of those "Gunsmoke" episodes I'll need to get the recorder going. The Bride even watched a "Gunsmoke" with me last night. That's progress.
How sweet! Did she like it? "Gunsmoke" is everywhere on YouTube and thankfully they keep releasing each season on DVD (so far), so you will always be able to see it. I look forward to when they are able to restore the color episodes, like they've done with Bonanza. I have to say, since watching Bonanza on Encore it's been like a brand new series. It looks so much better now! I just wish they had the earlier ones, too, with Adam.
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

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movieman1957 wrote:Me TV just showed up our cable. Good news for me.
Welcome to the Me-TV cult, Chris. :P
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Re: Gunsmoke or Bonanza...discuss

Post by JackFavell »

They're showing 'THE MILLIONAIRE"? With John Beresford Tipton?!!!!????

Dang, I want this channel!
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