Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Snarky Oracle!" data-source="post: 435117" data-attributes="member: 57984">Roger Ewing, who played Thad Greenwood during Seasons 11 and 12 (and was a victim of the series&#039; 1967 second of three cancellations), died last month, on December 18, 2025, at age 83. It was announced today.He was only 21/22 when he was on the show! He had a fairly brief acting career, appearing in the film ENSIGN PULVER in 1964. Ewing became a photographer after leaving GUNSMOKE.Absurdly, he was brought in to GUNSMOKE in 1965 by CBS as a negotiating wedge when contract talks with James Arness hit a snag, the network using Ewing as an implied threat that Arness could be canned and replaced with Roger Ewing! (Obviously, a ridiculous ploy). But Arness not only knew not to take it seriously, Ewing knew not to take it seriously, and Arness knew Ewing didn&#039;t take it seriously --- so it created no problems between the two men. (But one begs to wonder if the 1967 cancellation by the network board, quickly reversed by CBS CEO Bill Paley, was just part of that ploy -- the series had dropped to 35th place for Season 12, the lowest GUNSMOKE would ever be, but high enough of a rating to keep most shows on the air).Along with Ewing&#039;s exit in 1967, the executive producer (from 1963), Philip Leacock left to do CIMMARON STRIP and Leacock&#039;s deputy (as it were), John Mantley, rose to the helm behind-the-scenes for the remainder of GUNSMOKE&#039;s run.<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7c/11/11/7c1111eb4c51d15806094112979f40ff.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></blockquote>

[QUOTE="Snarky Oracle!, post: 435117, member: 57984"] Roger Ewing, who played Thad Greenwood during Seasons 11 and 12 (and was a victim of the series' 1967 second of three cancellations), died last month, on December 18, 2025, at age 83. It was announced today. He was only 21/22 when he was on the show! He had a fairly brief acting career, appearing in the film ENSIGN PULVER in 1964. Ewing became a photographer after leaving GUNSMOKE. Absurdly, he was brought in to GUNSMOKE in 1965 by CBS as a negotiating wedge when contract talks with James Arness hit a snag, the network using Ewing as an implied threat that Arness could be canned and replaced with Roger Ewing! (Obviously, a ridiculous ploy). But Arness not only knew not to take it seriously, Ewing knew not to take it seriously, and Arness knew [I][B]Ewing [/B][/I]didn't take it seriously --- so it created no problems between the two men. (But one begs to wonder if the 1967 cancellation by the network board, quickly reversed by CBS CEO Bill Paley, was just part of that ploy -- the series had dropped to 35th place for Season 12, the lowest GUNSMOKE would ever be, but high enough of a rating to keep most shows on the air). Along with Ewing's exit in 1967, the executive producer (from 1963), Philip Leacock left to do CIMMARON STRIP and Leacock's deputy (as it were), John Mantley, rose to the helm behind-the-scenes for the remainder of GUNSMOKE's run. [IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7c/11/11/7c1111eb4c51d15806094112979f40ff.jpg[/IMG] [/QUOTE]

Verification

What month follows July?