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
Matt Dillon "Fairytale of New York" by the Irish folk-punk band The Pogues playing a cop who escorts lead singer Shane MacGowan into the "drunk tank". In 2007, the band Dinosaur Jr. hired Dillon to direct the video for their single "Been There All The Time" from the album "Beyond". That year, he guest-starred on "The Simpsons" episode "Midnight Towboy". Early in 2015 he played the role of a Secret Service agent in the FOX 10-episode series "Wayward Pines". In November 2016, Lars von Trier announced that Dillon would play the lead role in his upcoming thriller "The House That Jack Built".