The popular western series, Gunsmoke was actually a radio show before making the transition to television in 1955. The TV series ran from September 10, 1955, to March 31, 1975, on CBS, with 635 total episodes.

By its second season in 1956, the show has made its way onto the top ten list and soon shot up to the number one spot. It stayed at the top until 1961 and even when bumped down, it remained among the top 20 programs until 1964.