Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke) no uncertain terms that he had no interest whatsoever. (Wayne was arguably the cinema's foremost box office attraction at the time.) Warren stated that the inquiry had not been serious inasmuch as Wayne could not realistically have been expected to abandon a thriving movie career for a less certain and immensely less lucrative television role. Wayne did, however, recommend James Arness for the part and his offer to introduce the first episode was readily accepted by CBS. Others who had auditioned for the part included Raymond Burr, Richard Boone, Denver Pyle, and William Conrad. All would go on to other
Gunsmoke: To the Last Man Morgan Woodward as Sheriff Abel Rose. Gunsmoke: To the Last Man Gunsmoke: To the Last Man is a 1992 American made-for-television western film starring James Arness as retired Marshal Matt Dillon and featuring Pat Hingle. Hapless rustlers make the fatal mistake of stealing Matt Dillon's cattle and Dillon blunders into the gory Pleasant Valley War during the process of hunting them down and killing two of them. The film, set in the 1880s, was directed by Jerry Jameson and based upon the long-running American television series "Gunsmoke" (1955 to 1975). The supporting cast features Matt Mulhern as Will McCall, Joseph