Gunsmoke was the Western TV show that made Burt Reynolds a star, but the ’70s icon left the series after just 3 years. ‘Gunsmoke remains one of the longest-running television series in history and was popular well before Reynolds was made part of the cast by following Marshal Dillon (James Arness) as he attempts to keep lawlessness from sweeping over Kansas. It started in 1955 and the actor joined the cast in 1962 playing Quint Asper, a half-Comanche blacksmith that ended up appearing in 50 episodes between then and 1965 when he decided to leave.
Reynolds managed to stand out despite only appearing in three out of 20 seasons, though there were issues between him and Arness that led to rumors he might quit. In an interview before his death for Cowboys & Indians, Reynolds finally set the record straight about his reasons for leaving one of the most beloved shows at the height of its popularity. As it turns out, a lot of it had to do with some advice he received on the set from Milburn Stone who played Doc Adams on Gunsmoke.
Burt Reynolds Left Gunsmoke Because His Movie Career Was Taking Off
During a summer hiatus from shooting Gunsmoke Reynolds went and shot a movie and started to be noticed as a movie star. Milburn explained to him, “Your movies are taking off — get out of here,” and Reynolds listened. Given that he already had issues with Arness, and the fact that he had a burgeoning movie career, he had to decide to give it a shot in earnest without having to work around a steady schedule like Gunsmoke.
Had he remained on Gunsmoke it’s possible that he would have missed his moment for success elsewhere. Like George Clooney on ER, DAvid Caruso on NYPD Blue, or Dan Stevens on Bridgerton, he had to strike while the iron was hot even if it meant missing the show. Chances are he would have been fine, but he would have definitely missed out on the notoriety that having a large platform gave him.
Burt Reynolds Was Great On Gunsmoke – And It Proved He’d Be A Movie Star
Like William Shatner appearing as a half-Camanche warrior, Navajo Joe proved that Reynolds was like all great actors who were totally miscast in Westerns – he needed to find the right part. The role had him playing another clone of his character on Gunsmoke and he needed something that combined action with his comedic timing and matinée idol looks. Fortunately, Gunsmoke allowed Reynolds to cut his teeth on the genre before moving on to his iconic roles like Smokey and the Bandit.
The series took a chance on Reynolds, who’d burned bridges on his last series Riverboat, but the producers were worried that he might take over the series. If he ever wanted to expand as an actor or performer, he would need to eventually move on from it. He was able to take big risks with the movies he played next and channel his natural charisma and good looks into a lucrative Hollywood career as a leading man and not just a Western star.
