Gunsmoke star dead at 83

For millions of Americans, Gunsmoke wasn’t just a television program — it was a weekly ritual. And now, fans are mourning the loss of one of the actors whose quiet presence helped make Dodge City feel like home.

Thad was written as the son of an elderly Oklahoma sheriff, portrayed by Paul Fix, who comes to Dodge City seeking the men responsible for his father’s fatal heart attack. Although his warrant could not be enforced in the town, events led to the suspects being killed or captured for cattle theft. With his mission complete, Marshal Matt Dillon — played by James Arness — invited Thad to stay on as a deputy.

Ewing later reflected on how naturally his character fit into the show’s ensemble. With Thad’s family gone, he explained, Matt Dillon, Kitty, Doc, and Festus effectively became his new family. Anything that needed doing — an extra hand here or there — Thad was always there, quietly filling the gaps.

During a brief dip in ratings, Ewing appeared in 50 episodes through September 1967. When Gunsmoke rebounded, his role was gradually reduced and eventually phased out.

Born Roger Lawrence Ewing in Los Angeles on January 12, 1942, he had been a Gunsmoke fan long before joining the cast. As a high school senior, he once played Chester — Dennis Weaver’s character — in a parody sketch of the show. In a 1966 interview, he recalled watching the series every Saturday night, never imagining he’d one day be part of it.

After a year of college and a stint as a lifeguard, Ewing turned to acting. His first screen appearance came in the 1964 film Ensign Pulver in an uncredited role involving a beer bottle and a duck. Television soon followed, with guest appearances on Bewitched, Rawhide, The Bing Crosby Show, and The Baileys of Balboa. He also appeared in Frank Sinatra’s war film None But the Brave.

Ewing often joked that he was typecast, frequently cast as tall, awkward young men. When Burt Reynolds exited Gunsmoke, producers sought a younger presence and cast Ewing as Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood. At the time, tensions between CBS and James Arness led producers to quietly consider possible changes to the show’s lead — a move that ultimately proved unnecessary. Once the dispute was resolved, Thad was written out and replaced by Buck Taylor’s Newly O’Brien, who remained until the series ended in 1975.

Ewing nearly landed a major film breakthrough when director John Schlesinger reportedly considered him for the role of Joe Buck in Midnight Cowboy (1969), though the part ultimately went to Jon Voight. Around that same period, he appeared as a bachelor contestant on The Dating Game, where future Bionic Woman star Lindsay Wagner chose another suitor.

After leaving Gunsmoke, Ewing appeared on Death Valley Days, The Mothers-in-Law, and in films including Smith! (1969) with Glenn Ford and Play It as It Lays (1972). He later stepped away from acting entirely, reinventing himself as a photographer and traveling extensively through Europe, Russia, Mexico, and the South Pacific.

In later years, he became active in local politics and even ran for a city council seat in Morro Bay in 2003.

For Gunsmoke fans, Roger Ewing will always be Thad — the dependable young deputy who didn’t need to be the toughest or the loudest, just someone you could count on. And for those who grew up spending their Saturday nights in Dodge City, his presence remains part of what made the show feel like home.