Gunsmoke (TV series)

*Gunsmoke*
Gunsmoke
Genre	Western
Based on	Gunsmoke; by John Meston; Norman Macdonnell;
Developed by	Charles Marquis Warren
Starring	James Arness; Milburn Stone; Amanda Blake; Dennis Weaver; Burt Reynolds; Ken Curtis; Roger Ewing; Buck Taylor;
Theme music composer	Rex Koury; Glenn Spencer;
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	20
No. of episodes	635 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time	26 minutes (1955–1961); 50 minutes (1961–1975);
Production companies	CBS Productions; Filmaster Productions; Arness and Company; (1959–1961); The Arness Production Company; (1961–1964);
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	September 10, 1955 –; March 31, 1975
Related
	Gunsmoke franchise
	Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series that ran from September 10, 1955, to March 31, 1975, on CBS, with 635 total episodes. The first 12 seasons aired Saturdays at 10 pm (EST), seasons 13 through 16 aired Mondays at 7:30 pm, and the last four seasons aired Mondays at 8 pm.

During its second season in 1956, the program joined the list of the top-10 television programs broadcast in the United States. It quickly moved to number one and stayed there until 1961. It remained among the top-20 programs until 1964. From 1967 through 1973, it regained its top 10 rating status, dropping to 15 in the 1973–1974 season and finally to 26 in its final season. In all, it was number one for four seasons, and in the top 10 for 13 of its 20 seasons.

It is the second adult Western series to premier, four days after The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. Airing for 20 seasons, it was television's longest running series until it was surpassed by The Simpsons.