Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke) (whose "supposed" origins figured in the very first episode of the radio series), and he often referred to Wild Bill Hickok as being a close personal friend. In the television version (which ran from 1955 until 1975), and subsequent TV-movies (1987 to 1994), Matt was portrayed by James Arness. Since most of the early television episodes were based on stories and scripts from the radio version, Arness's initial interpretation and portrayal was similar to William Conrad's. However, as the television version continued, Arness's Marshal Matt Dillon evolved in a number of ways. In the television version, Dillon became more resigned
Paul Richards (actor) "Gunsmoke", "Bonanza", "Trackdown", "Rawhide", "The Virginian", "The Loner", and "The Guns of Will Sonnett." Richards also performed four times as a guest star on "Gunsmoke". In 1955, in that long-running CBS series' very first episode, “Matt Gets It,” he portrays a gunfighter who outdraws and nearly kills Marshal Matt Dillon. The next year, in the episode “Mr. and Mrs. Amber”, he delivered another memorable performance playing a poor, desperate homesteader beleaguered by his rich, self-righteous brother-in-law. His other two appearances on "Gunsmoke" are in 1958 and 1968 episodes. Richards guest-starred three times in 1956 on the NBC western anthology series