On September 10, 1955, television audiences were introduced to a new kind of Western hero when Gunsmoke premiered on CBS. Though it wasn’t the first Western show on TV, the network took pains to ensure that people understood from the beginning that the show was special: before the episode began, viewers got a surprise greeting from John Wayne, who stepped on screen to introduce the show and its new star, James Arness. Wayne told audiences that Arness was a friend and a fine actor, essentially passing the torch to him — but Arness almost skipped out on his star-making role.
