Gunsmoke, Mayberry, Dodge City

Oh yum!

Not only is the food slap-up, but there is a compelling flow of locals drawn to the neighborhood eatery in Home City, Kansas.

A cable connected television streams old westerns, but what would you expect in the heart of the Midwest where boots and plaid shirts are de rigueur?

Men carry pliers in a holster on their hip. Some are modified by grinding off the end of a handle into a slotted screw driver blade.

We squirmed into our booth while a western played in the background. It starred Richard Boone, a descendant of Daniel Boone’s brother, Squire Boone.

The title of the show reminded me of my cousin-in-law who’s motto is “Have Gavel, Will Travel.” He’s a judge.

Boone, as “Paladin,” was a oddity as a western hired gun. He passed out business cards bearing the image of a white knight chess piece and the slogan “Have Gun Will Travel.”

Paladin’s choice of western wear was all black. Like all cowboy stars, he had a sidekick who was simply called “Hey Boy.”

The place filled as if they had been waiting for a starting pistol.

An episode of “Gunsmoke” followed, and I was surprised to see two actors who had played “Doc Adams” on set at the same time.

The original Doc was created in the radio version by Howard McNear, who voiced the character from 1952 until 1961.

In 1963 McNear joined “The Andy Griffith Show” as “Floyd, the Barber.” McNear stayed through serious health issues but finally retired.

The second “Doc Adams” in that scene was Milburn Stone. He was the Doc we all knew.

Stone thought his character needed a name other than “Doc” so he honored the Greek doctor “Galen” who was the most influential physician and teacher of his era and the next thousand years.

“Doctor Galen Adams” gave juice to the ensemble.

The actor who introduced us to Marshall Matt Dillon on the radio in 1952 was experienced radio actor William Conrad with the million dollar voice.

Conrad did not make the move to television because, while he sounded the part, producers didn’t think there was a horse that could carry him. Oddly, Cannon starred in the television show “Jake and the Fat Man.”

The rest of the Gunsmoke characters were recast and the television version eclipsed the radio play. Radio characters were familiar by their voices, but we never knew what they looked like.

Actress Georgia Ellis gave us radio’s “Miss Kitty,” and “Chester” was played by Parley Baer, who later became the “Mayor of Mayberry” and “Ernie Keebler” of cookie fame.

joenphillips@yahoo.com