Norman Macdonnell an anthology series they had done. Their boss at CBS, Harry Ackerman, and other network executives dismissed that title, preferring "Gunsmoke", a program heading that Ackerman himself was credited with conceiving. Once given permission to proceed with "Gunsmoke", Macdonnell began developing a detailed production schedule for the new series' 30-minute episodes and arranging auditions to cast its recurring characters. His and Meston’s "Jeff Spain" soon became United States Marshal Matt Dillon, and veteran voice actor William Conrad was chosen by Macdonnell, Meston, and two other CBS screeners to portray that lead character. Other seasoned actors soon filled the needed regular
Matt Hicks Matt Hicks Matt Hicks (born 1961) is a sports broadcaster who calls Texas Rangers games alongside Eric Nadel on the radio. In the middle of the 2012 season, Hicks joined the Rangers after spending 10 years with the Corpus Christi Hooks. He replaced Steve Busby, who replaced Dave Barnett as the primary television play-by-play announcer for the Rangers due to Barnett's health issues. Before the 2013 season, Hicks' promotion was made permanent. Before his tenure with the Hooks, he was also the voice of the El Paso Diablos and the Frederick Keys. He also called the Houston Astros minor league