Does anyone know who shot against Matt Dillon

[JohnMcD348]

In the opening scene of GunSmoke, the guy who's involved in the duel with Marshall Dillon, does anyone have any info on who he was?

I was told many years ago by a friend that it was actually the guy who taught James Arness how to shoot and draw and that he was at one time a quick draw and exhibition shootist. Kind of like Bob Munden.


I've wondered for years about who the guy was, supposedly he lived somewhere in my neck of the woods in his later years.

 

[jcwit]

According to WIKIanswers it was, Arvo Ojala, Fred McDougall, and Bill Strathman, at different times. I believe Arvo was a tv instructor for teaching western quick draw shooting. But I may be wrong for the first time. lol

WIKIpedia lists Arvo as a Holluwood quick draw artist.

 

[TiredOleMan]

My Dad and I always argued who got off the first shot, I still say the other guy did only Matt was more accurate.

 

[cowart]

I've wondered for years about who the guy was, supposedly he lived somewhere in my neck of the woods in his later years.

Unlikely - Arvo Ojala died in Gresham, Oregon

 

[9mmepiphany]

i wonder if his brother was also in that war?

i still find it amusing that they made Arness dye his hair fro the part

 

[JohnMcD348]

Wow, that's kinda neat to know. My last name is actually McDougald (slightly different spelling but we're all from the same Clan) Doubt we were directly related but kinda neat non the less.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Ron James]

And of course you do know tha old Matt didn't even use a real honest - to - goodness Colt on that show. If you know your firearms, you can tell what make it is by those phoney stag grips.

 

[9mmepiphany]

i understood they were using a Great Western

 

[Ron James]

You're right, Matt carried a Great Western Revolver. those plastic Stag grips were more or less standard.

 

[JohnMcD348]

I think, back in the day alot of the TV westerns used mostly repro stuff. By the late 50's and 60's most of the original firearms that were used in the movies and such for all those years before were pretty worn out and they didn't have all the repro companies like we have nowadays. Kinda like all those newer Westerns that came out later using not so quite authentic period rifles and revolvers. I've read threads in the past where people talked about movies set in say 1870 and the cowboy is carrying a 98 Winchester for example. Most people don't pay any attention to details like that it's only people like us that even catch something like that and to be honest I wouldn't 90% of the time either. Unless John Wayne came out in a Western carrying an M16 mowing down the Indians on the back of his stage coach I don't think I would call foul.

 

[Jim K]

What was Marshal Dillon's secret that allowed him to win all his gunfights?

He had the scriptwriter on his side.

Jim

 

[Gottahaveone]

What was Marshal Dillon's secret that allowed him to win all his gunfights?

He had the scriptwriter on his side.

That, and he had a bullet magnet in his shoulder. Can *you* count the number of times he was shot in it?

 

[ThomasT]

I think, back in the day alot of the TV westerns used mostly repro stuff. By the late 50's and 60's most of the original firearms that were used in the movies and such for all those years before were pretty worn out and they didn't have all the repro companies like we have nowadays. Kinda like all those newer Westerns that came out later using not so quite authentic period rifles and revolvers. I've read threads in the past where people talked about movies set in say 1870 and the cowboy is carrying a 98 Winchester for example. Most people don't pay any attention to details like that it's only people like us that even catch something like that and to be honest I wouldn't 90% of the time either. Unless John Wayne came out in a Western carrying an M16 mowing down the Indians on the back of his stage coach I don't think I would call foul.

I don't know who the "People like us" are but I do have one question. What the hell is a "98" Winchester?

 

[JohnMcD348]

It would be the same as a Winchester Model 1898 only for the dyslexic.

Kind like a 73 Winchester

 

[Leanwolf]

JOHNNY DOLLAR - "Quote:
i wonder if his brother was also in that war?

TMK,Peter Graves, the younger brother of James Arness, has no military experience."

According to IMBD.com, Peter Graves, born March, 1926, was in the U.S. Air Force, but not in WWII.

L.W.

 

[GodGuns&Guitars]

Must Confess

I shot against him every week Gunsmoke came on. Never beat him though.

 

[Ron James]

On Retro TV I just watched an early version of Wagon Train, I'll be dog gone if they weren't shooting the bad guys with trap door Springfield's { or a replica }. The Wagon Master ( Ward Bonds) would flip the lever, fish in his shirt pocket for a new cartridge, reload, flip the top down and flash bang with a blank. It was kind of fun to watch.

 

[JohnMcD348]

I just discovered RTN awhile back myself. Love that network. There's always something on worth watching(again) when there's nothing else on the regular channels.