For the three-part Gunsmoke episode “Gold Train,” Matt Dillon receives a bullet wound that Doc decides is beyond his skill level to operate.

This sends the Marshal on a harrowing journey by train to see a specialist.

The whole sprawling episode, it’s bad enough the lawman is on the brink of paralysis, but then the action amps up even more when a gang hijacks the train, led by an outlaw who bears a very deep grudge against Matt.

It’s certainly a gripping episode, and it’s one in which you see how much this seasoned cast of characters truly cares for one another.

During the third part, Festus fills in as the hero, as Doc overcomes his fears of inadequacy to ultimately save Matt from losing feeling in his limbs forever.
By 1971, Gunsmoke had been on the air for 16 years, and you’d think that would give the main cast plenty of time to get to know one another, but famously Gunsmoke star James Arness was, as The Tallahassee Democrat wrote , “one of the most private men in Hollywood.”
His closest onscreen costar Amanda Blake, who played Kitty, said Arness kept everyone at a distance.
“Jim is the mystery man,” Blake said. “Like most men, he’s an overgrown 12-year-old. He’s delightful, charming, one of the funniest men I’ve ever known. I really don’t know much about him, because he’s a private person. But he’s fun to work with.”
She said in the whole time she’d shared the screen with Arness, his cool but charming demeanor never changed, and Festus actor Ken Curtis agreed.
“I’ve been on the show 10 years and Jim hasn’t changed one iota,” Curtis said.
To Curtis, this sealed-off part of Arness’ personality was likely the reason why Gunsmoke went on so long. It was a good thing he kept to himself and never started any drama with anyone over all those years.
“I’ve seen many shows go down the drain because the star becomes impossible and disliked by everyone,” Curtis said. “He’s terrific to work with. When the time comes to buckle down to work, he’s ready.”
In 1973, Arness was named broadcasting’s Man of the Year, an honor won almost entirely on the strength of his enduring character work as Matt Dillon, but also propelled by a fascination the general public had with Arness.
Who was he, really? They must’ve thought: Let’s name him Man of the Year and find out!
At this time in his life, Arness rarely made any public appearances. He’d never be found chatting up fans beyond a cordial autograph signing here and there. Instead, he spent his time sailing or skiing at his Hawaii vacation home or flying his private plane to disappear into Baja California.
Nobody really knew what he was up to, and he liked it that way.
His costars didn’t mind him putting up a privacy fence around his personal life. They were happy to work with such a laid-back star.
“He’s the most unhypocritical man I know,” Millburn Stone, who played Doc, said. “He’s consistent. He is what he is, lives the way he does, and that’s it.”
When Arness accepted his Man of the Year award, it was a big deal. A thousand people packed into the audience as the tall TV cowboy made that rare appearance in the real world.
Hosting the event was comedy legend Carol Burnett. She made a crack about how hard it was to get close to Arness, and also admitted to harboring a big crush on the quiet cowboy!
“I’m thrilled to be giving this wonderful award to this wonderful man,” Burnett told the crowd. “I don’t know this man, but I’ve had the hots for him for years.”
Taking the award from Carol, Arness demurred. Instead of giving a speech and showing a glimpse of who he was inside, he kept his stage face on, saying, “Those are mighty kind words, gal. I’d like to invite you over to the Long Branch to walk up those stairs with you.”
Just a year short of 50, Arness then made a crack at his age, always shrouding any personal candidness with references to his famous show.
“Kitty and I have been walking up those stairs for 18 years and if it goes on much longer, they’ll have to move the room downstairs,” he joked.
As Gunsmoke’s long TV run wound down through the next few years, Arness kept quiet about how he enjoyed his own fame and fortune, and who he was at home.
But he did tell that crowd of 1,000 in 1973 that if it were up to him, he wouldn’t describe himself as “Man of the Year.”
One of TV’s biggest stars of all time used a humbler clump of words to sum himself up.
“I’m a lucky guy,” he said, tipping his hat and ducking back out of the public eye.
 
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Clint Eastwood is a legendary name in Hollywood. He remains one of the biggest western movie stars of all time. However, the world also knows him for his particularly conservative values and beliefs. Some audiences applaud him for his social and political stance, while others criticize him for it. Eastwood once explained what the “p**** generation” is and how it impacts him.

Eastwood’s first acting role was an uncredited part in 1955’s Revenge of the Creature. However, he truly hit the big time by playing the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy. The franchise consists of 1964’s A Fistful of Dollars, 1965’s For a Few Dollars More, and 1966’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. His legacy continues to live on through its impact on modern cinema.

Eastwood stepped behind the camera for the first time with 1971’s Play Misty for Me. He didn’t stop acting, but his passion certainly pushed him to continue making movies. At the time of writing, Eastwood earned four Academy Awards for films including Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby.

Esquire interviewed Eastwood and his son, Scott to discuss their experiences in Hollywood and their personal beliefs and ideals. The social and political climate entered the conversation, resulting in his discussion of Donald Trump and people’s level of sensitivity to specific topics.

“But he’s [Trump] onto something, because secretly everybody’s getting tired of political correctness, kissing up,” Eastwood said. “That’s the kiss-ass generation we’re in right now. We’re really in a p**** generation. Everybody’s walking on eggshells. We see people accusing people of being racist and all kinds of stuff.”
Eastwood continued: “When I grew up, those things weren’t called racist. And then when I did Gran Torino, even my associate said, ‘This is a really good script, but it’s politically incorrect.’ And I said, ‘Good. Let me read it tonight.’ The next morning, I came in and I threw it on his desk and I said, ‘We’re starting this immediately.’”
He described the “p**** generation” by saying, “All these people that say, ‘Oh, you can’t do that, and you can’t do this, and you can’t say that.’ I guess it’s just the times.”
Eastwood further described the generation as one where, “Nobody wants to work.”
Eastwood’s conversation comments previously offended some audiences. However, his films also speak for themselves. Gran Torino star Bee Vang spoke out about the film, accusing it of “mainstreaming anti-Asian racism.” The film includes slurs against Asian people and turns them into a joke for mainstream audiences to laugh at. Vang and other critics raise the problems that arise with such casual racism.
Eastwood most recently made Cry Macho. He also starred in the lead role. He currently doesn’t have any films set for the new year, although he doesn’t show any sign of slowing down and retiring. Stay tuned for more information on Eastwood’s next project.
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Cheyenne star Clint Walker was big, handsome, and a key player in the development of TV westerns. This rugged mountain of a man, said to stand 6’6″, with a 48″ chest and a 32″ waist, played the titular character of TV’s first serious western drama, setting a template followed by shows like Gunsmoke and Bonanza. Walker’s film career never quite lived up to the promise of his 1956-62 Cheyenne run, with one exception — he’s unforgettable as the reluctant badass Samson Posey in The Dirty Dozen.Life sometimes takes us in strange directions. For Clint Walker, life took the scenic route to show business. He began life as Norman Walker thousands of miles away from Hollywood. Nevertheless, the blue-eyed hunk ended his life as a cowboy Western staple, Clint “Cheyenne” Walker. In between those two distant points, Walker worked on cargo ships, riverboats, oil fields, and casinos.

He employed his considerable bulk shifting payloads or, as a bouncer, unwanted guests. His life took a radical turn for the better when actor Van Johnson suggested the gigantic looker try acting as opposed to security. Walker heeded Johnson’s advice figuring, “I’m not going to get that far carrying a gun and a badge. It doesn’t pay that well. If you make movies, you make some pretty good money — plus, the bullets aren’t real!”Walker started in Hollywood as any other actor, taking small roles. First, he was Tarzan with a single memorable line. He recalled:

I come out of the jungle and I beat on my chest. I give the Tarzan yell and I say, ‘You no take Jane.’ These guys get together nose-to-nose and shake their heads. And then they say, ‘We no take Jane.’He followed this nuanced portrayal with an appearance as a silent Sardinian guard in The Ten Commandments.

That’s where Walker really began to learn the ins and outs of Tinsel Town. “Here I was, just a beginner. But I’m working with Anne Baxter, Yul Brynner, Charlton Heston, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Woody Strode — all these greats. And when I saw them make some mistakes, I thought, Woo! Maybe there’s hope for me. [Laughs.] I began to see what acting was really all about. I know Sir Cedric Hardwicke had a line in there somewhere and he meant to say “these halls” and he said “these balls”. Everybody had a heck of a laugh.”Some actors toil away for a lifetime, never getting their break. For Walker, that break came early in the form of Cheyenne. Despite little experience, Walker owned a few advantages over the army of other actors eager for their shot.

I had real-world experience. I’d worked in security. I’d worked as a deputy sheriff. I’d carried a gun and a badge. And I felt right at home with it. That probably helped me some. I figured, Hey, I’m not going to get it, so why not just relax? Just relax and not worry about it. So that’s what I did. And then Jack Warner went through those two days of screen tests. And when they showed mine, he just said, ‘That is Cheyenne,’ and that was it. And like I said, he changed my name to Clint.At this point, going from bouncer to western TV star ranked as an all-time achievement. However, Cheyenne took place during the western boom and competed with numerous other westerns to stay on the air. In fact, initially, Cheyenne was slated to share airtime with two other Westerns. They fell to the wayside and “Cheyenne” became a massive hit. Walker partially credited working for a big studio like Warner Bros for their success.
“I was blessed by being with Warner Bros., and them being willing to make it an hour-long program. I had a big advantage over the guys that were doing Gunsmoke [which was then a half-hour show] and some of the others. In a half-hour, you can’t develop your characters adequately.”
Walker also recalled that Warner Bros. “had some really good cutters. We couldn’t afford 1,000 cattle if we were doing a cattle drive. But they could go back to their big feature and a good [editor] could cut scenes of the cattle out of a film and put it in our Cheyenne.”
“Of course, once in a while, the cutters could really screw you up. I’d always try to have it so that there’d be one point where they’d pan over to me, and I’d be putting new bullets in my gun, so it would be more believable. Well, the doggone cutters would cut that scene out, and here I’d be shooting a six-shooter about 16 times without reloading. [Laughs.] Oh, those 16-shooters. Nothing like them.”
emplate followed by shows like Gunsmoke and Bonanza. Walker’s film career never quite lived up to the promise of his 1956-62 Cheyenne run, with one exception — he’s unforgettable as the reluctant badass Samson Posey in The Dirty Dozen.
Clint Walker and his trusty horse named Brandy. (cowboysindians)Life sometimes takes us in strange directions. For Clint Walker, life took the scenic route to show business. He began life as Norman Walker thousands of miles away from Hollywood. Nevertheless, the blue-eyed hunk ended his life as a cowboy Western staple, Clint “Cheyenne” Walker. In between those two distant points, Walker worked on cargo ships, riverboats, oil fields, and casinos.
He employed his considerable bulk shifting payloads or, as a bouncer, unwanted guests. His life took a radical turn for the better when actor Van Johnson suggested the gigantic looker try acting as opposed to security. Walker heeded Johnson’s advice figuring, “I’m not going to get that far carrying a gun and a badge. It doesn’t pay that well. If you make movies, you make some pretty good money — plus, the bullets aren’t real!”
Picking Up The Tools Of the Trade
Seeing great actors screw up gave Walker hope he could make it as an actor. (pinterest)Walker started in Hollywood as any other actor, taking small roles. First, he was Tarzan with a single memorable line. He recalled:
I come out of the jungle and I beat on my chest. I give the Tarzan yell and I say, ‘You no take Jane.’ These guys get together nose-to-nose and shake their heads. And then they say, ‘We no take Jane.’He followed this nuanced portrayal with an appearance as a silent Sardinian guard in The Ten Commandments.
That’s where Walker really began to learn the ins and outs of Tinsel Town. “Here I was, just a beginner. But I’m working with Anne Baxter, Yul Brynner, Charlton Heston, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Woody Strode — all these greats. And when I saw them make some mistakes, I thought, Woo! Maybe there’s hope for me. [Laughs.] I began to see what acting was really all about. I know Sir Cedric Hardwicke had a line in there somewhere and he meant to say “these halls” and he said “these balls”. Everybody had a heck of a laugh.”
Very Early Success
Walker owned plenty of experience drawing women with his shirtless body. (youtube)Some actors toil away for a lifetime, never getting their break. For Walker, that break came early in the form of Cheyenne. Despite little experience, Walker owned a few advantages over the army of other actors eager for their shot.
I had real-world experience. I’d worked in security. I’d worked as a deputy sheriff. I’d carried a gun and a badge. And I felt right at home with it. That probably helped me some. I figured, Hey, I’m not going to get it, so why not just relax? Just relax and not worry about it. So that’s what I did. And then Jack Warner went through those two days of screen tests. And when they showed mine, he just said, ‘That is Cheyenne,’ and that was it. And like I said, he changed my name to Clint.

Standing Out Among The Crowd
Shirtless beefcake and a good story kept “Cheyenne” on air for years. (picclick.co.uk)At this point, going from bouncer to western TV star ranked as an all-time achievement. However, Cheyenne took place during the western boom and competed with numerous other westerns to stay on the air. In fact, initially, Cheyenne was slated to share airtime with two other Westerns. They fell to the wayside and “Cheyenne” became a massive hit. Walker partially credited working for a big studio like Warner Bros for their success.
“I was blessed by being with Warner Bros., and them being willing to make it an hour-long program. I had a big advantage over the guys that were doing Gunsmoke [which was then a half-hour show] and some of the others. In a half-hour, you can’t develop your characters adequately.”
Walker also recalled that Warner Bros. “had some really good cutters. We couldn’t afford 1,000 cattle if we were doing a cattle drive. But they could go back to their big feature and a good [editor] could cut scenes of the cattle out of a film and put it in our Cheyenne.”
“Of course, once in a while, the cutters could really screw you up. I’d always try to have it so that there’d be one point where they’d pan over to me, and I’d be putting new bullets in my gun, so it would be more believable. Well, the doggone cutters would cut that scene out, and here I’d be shooting a six-shooter about 16 times without reloading. [Laughs.] Oh, those 16-shooters. Nothing like them.”
Beefcake Astride a Horse
Walker and the horse ended up getting along great. (neptsdepths.blogspot)A major part of Cheyenne’s and Walker’s success came from his impressive physique. One reporter commented that “he has snow on his shoulders six months of the year.” His character also found convenient or completely inconvenient reasons for him to take his shirt off. For female and probably some male viewers, it worked like catnip.

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