Customer Reviews

Gunsmoke - The Third Season, Vol. 1

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Gunsmoke - The Third Season, Volume 1 continues the release schedule for one of television's alltime greatest television series. Beloved and revered, this series will always be considered one of the alltime best. Yes, because of its' longevity, but also because of the great acting, directing, and writing displayed on the series.

But still, I cannot recommend these sets. There is no excuse, no justification the studio can make for splitting a 20-season series up and dividing each season into multiple sets. It's greed, shortsighted, fear of producing full season sets that won't sell - maybe one or more or all of these things. But the Western lover, loyal as we are to our favorite stars, our favorite movies and series, are being made to pay a price that is way too high to pay. To think how long it may be before the entire series is released is too painful. Suffice it to say that it will be WAY TOO LONG at the current rate.

At this point, it is probably too much to expect the studio to come to its senses. But it is worth it to say that they need to come to their senses, and soon.

Whilst I myself would love entire seasons released in 1 volume, it looks as though split volumes are here to stay. At least they are selling and I for 1 am very glad about that. I love Gunsmoke and Rawhide, 2 classic shows and I am just glad to get the opportunity to obtain superb prints of these wonderful shows. I wish there were more extras, I wish the releases were more frequent, but I will just gladly accept what i can get. A superb show with beautiful quality episodes to watch at the flick of a switch. A dream come true and as long as it lasts I am there to wallow in it. Happy trails to all fellow fans.

This is a classic TV show and should be (along with it's stars) in the TV Hall of Fame!!!!! I truly wish though that they would release by ENTIRE seasons and release them quicker!!!

CBS Television and Paramount Pictures presents "GUNSMOKE: THE THIRD SEASON VOL. ONE" (14 September 1957- 18 January 1958) (500 mins/In Glorious Black & White) (digitally remastered in Dolby) -- The television series ran from September 10, 1955 to March 31, 1975 on CBS for 635 episodes --- Until 2005, it was the longest run of any scripted primetime series with continuing characters in American primetime television --- According to a James Arness interview, John Wayne was offered the role, but wouldn't do it; Wayne was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and at that time, working in television was seen as a huge step down in prestige for a star actor.

In the end, the primary roles were all recast, with James Arness taking on the lead role of Marshal Matt Dillon upon the recommendation of John Wayne, who also introduced the first episode of the series; Dennis Weaver playing Chester Goode; Milburn Stone being cast as Dr. Galen "Doc" Adams and Amanda Blake taking on the role of Miss Kitty Russell, owner of the Long Branch Saloon --- Norman MacDonnell became the associate producer of the TV show and later the producer. John Meston was named head writer --- Arness, in his role on Gunsmoke, achieved what no other actor at the time had ever matched: he played the same character on the same scripted series for 20 years - at the time the longest uninterrupted period a primetime actor had played the same role in the same show.-- (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

List of Season, Episode, Title and Original Air Date:

Season 3

Season 3, Episode 1: Crack-Up (guest star John Dehner)
Original Air Date--14 September 1957

Season 3, Episode 2: Gun for Chester (guest star Thomas Coley)
Original Air Date--21 September 1957
--
Season 3, Episode 3: Blood Money (guest star James Dobson)
Original Air Date--28 September 1957

Season 3, Episode 4: Kitty's Outlaw (guest star Howard Culver)
Original Air Date--5 October 1957

Season 3, Episode 5: Potato Road (guest star Morgan Woodward & Jeanette Nolan) Original Air Date--12 October 1957

Season 3, Episode 6: Jesse (guest stars George Brenlin & Ed Binns)
Original Air Date--19 October 1957

Season 3, Episode 7: Mavis McCloud (guest stars Fay Spain)
Original Air Date--26 October 1957

Season 3, Episode 8: Born to Hang (guest stars Anthony Caruso & Wright King) Original Air Date--2 November 1957

Season 3, Episode 9: Romeo (guest stars Barbara Eden & Robert Vaughn)
Original Air Date--9 November 1957

Season 3, Episode 10: Never Pester Chester (guest stars Buddy Baer)
Original Air Date--16 November 1957

Season 3, Episode 11: Fingered (guest stars Karl Swenson & Virginia Christine) Original Air Date--23 November 1957

Season 3, Episode 12: How to Kill a Woman (guest stars Pernell Roberts & Jolene Brand) Original Air Date--30 November 1957

Season 3, Episode 13: Cows and Cribs (guest stars Val Avery & Mabel Albertson) Original Air Date--7 December 1957

Season 3, Episode 14: Doc's Reward (guest stars Jack Lord)
Original Air Date--14 December 1957

Season 3, Episode 15: Kitty Lost (guest stars Gage Clarke & Warren Stevens) Original Air Date--21 December 1957

Season 3, Episode 16: Twelfth Night (guest stars James Griffith & Rose Marie) Original Air Date--28 December 1957

Season 3, Episode 17: Joe Phy (guest stars Morey Amsterdam & Paul Richards) Original Air Date--4 January 1958

Season 3, Episode 18: Buffalo Man (guest stars Jack Klugman & John Anderson) Original Air Date--11 January 1958

Season 3, Episode 19: Kitty Caught (guest stars John Compton & Pat Conway) Original Air Date--18 January 1958

BIOS:
1. James Arness
Date of Birth: 26 May 1923 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date of Death: Still Living

2. Dennis Weaver
Date of Birth: 4 June 1924 - Joplin, Missouri
Date of Death: 24 February 2006 - Ridgway, Colorado

3. Amanda Blake
Date of Birth: 20 February 1929 - Buffalo, New York
Date of Death: 16 August 1989 - Sacramento, California

4. Milburn Stone
Date of Birth: 5 July 1904 - Burrton, Kansas
Date of Death: 12 June 1980 - La Jolla, California

Great job by Paramount Pictures and their staff for releasing this long awaited edition with collectible Seasons with unforgettable episodes --- looking forward to more of the same from the rousing CBS Television vintage era --- order your copy now from Amazon their Western Classics -- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 500 mins on DVD ~ Paramount Pictures ~ (12/09/2008)

CBS insists on trashing these classic shows by replacing the great original music with the horrible Mark Heyes cheap synthesizer sounds. The Fugitive, My Three Sons, Gunsmoke, it is disgusting what they are doing to these great shows, they are unwatchable now. If you have old tapes of these hang onto them or find bootleg DVD's because that is the only way to have these shows as they originally aired. CBS is the enemy of classic TV.

The best western television show ever made. I wish it was released in larger increments: I'm almost 49, and i really would be willing to buy all the seasons at one time.

The first eleven seasons (those in black and white) are so much better than the color episodes we're all so familiar with (if that is possible). They are tight, believable stories; well-written; edgy; and authentic (Milburn Stone's family members were pioneers in Kansas, so he made sure the show was honest). John Meston wrote most of the early ones, and they are amazing to see. I would love it if these episodes were televised, but they are longer than our current shows (the 30 minute shows average 26-27 minutes), so it's not likely unless on a cable channel with few commercials. Do not fear that you will buy inferior TV...these episodes will not disappoint.

Gunsmoke is a great classic tv show, especially the first nine seasons that have the late Dennis Weaver on the show. I do wish that the seasons would be released as whole seasons and more faster, but you have to remember something: Gunsmoke was first aired in 1955, that is almost 54 years ago. These early seasons of Gunsmoke first have to be found, then remastered all before they can be released on DVD. So naturally with a show this old and a show that ran for so long, it's going to take time to get the seasons out onto DVD, as for the seasons being split season DVD's, who knows how long it would take for them to release Gunsmoke onto DVD if they took the time to find all, remaster all the shows of a single season and then release it onto DVD. My advice is don't complain, be glad that a great Legendary Show like Gunsmoke is being released onto DVD even if it's just split seasons. I personally am glad take them as they are released.
For those intrested, Gunsmoke Season 3: Vol 1 will be a 3 disc set that contains 19 remastered episodes that are:
1. Crack up
2. Gun For Chester
3. Blood Money
4. Kitty's Outlaw
5. Potato Road
6. Jesse
7. Mavis McCloud
8. Born to Hang
9. Romeo
10.Never Pester Chester
11.Fingured
12.How To Kill A Woman
13.Cows and Cribs
14.Doc's Reward
15.Kitty Lost
16.Twelfth Night
17.Joe Phy
18.Buffalo Man
19.Kitty Caught

I dislike the two volume format particularly for a half hour show, because there are so few hours of content in each volume (with a volume of Rawhide we get twice as many hours as in a volume of Gunsmoke). That said, the episodes are excellent. CBS, please release seasons 4-6 of Have Gun Will Travel on the same schedule as seasons 4-6 of Gunsmoke.

The last season came out in May. Now we have to wait all the way until December for the first part of season 3. At this rate my DVD player will be obsolete by the time the rest of the series is out and I`ll be pushing up daises on Boot Hill...