Encore Westerns Smells the Gunsmoke

Encore Westerns will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gunsmoke with “Golden Bullets: 50 Years of Gunsmoke.”

The 50-hour marathon fires its first shot Friday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. (EST) and runs through Sunday, Aug. 28 at 8 p.m.

In addition to episodes and movies, the marathon features special vignettes, interviews and behind-the-scene footage with Gunsmoke cast members, the network said.

Gunsmoke premiered on CBS in September 1955.

Gunsmoke has been a staple of our Encore Westerns channel,” vice president of scheduling and programming Mike Ruggiero said in a prepared statement. “The series has a rock-solid place in American television history and boasts an extremely dedicated and loyal fan base.”