Author Topic: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster  (Read 3679 times)

Offline newdaddy55

  • Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 6
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« on: March 04, 2021, 09:57:17 PM »
I was watching B&W gunsmoke  were Marshal Dillon was wearing what looked like a on the belt holster , not the Buscadero holster like on the opening sequence. Does anybody know what that holster was. Thanks!

Offline Marshal Will Wingam

  • Garden Variety
  • Deputy Marshal
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 9228
  • Smile. It makes people wonder what you're up to.
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 307
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2021, 11:39:51 PM »
Was that an early episode you saw? Maybe they hadn't decided on the final rig but needed to start filming. Or maybe the early episodes used this rig.

I found this image online. He is with Chester (Dennis Weaver), his first sidekick.


SCORRS     SASS     BHR     STORM #446

Offline newdaddy55

  • Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 6
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2021, 09:55:47 AM »
Thanks ! I'm glad I wasn't the only one  who noticed. my thinking is, Its an off the shelf rig from the prop department, whose makers name has been lost in time.

Advertising

  • Guest
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #3 on: Today at 10:50:23 AM »

Offline St. George

  • Deputy Marshal
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 4827
  • NCOWS , GAF, B.O.L.D., Order of St. George, SOCOM,
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2021, 11:06:10 AM »
Much of the leather was actually 'real', period gear  - purchased by prop men everywhere.

You'll see a lot more of it being worn by the background actors - along with original saddles and clothing - especially if the film's been colorized.

The 'hero' was the guy who got the 'Fast Draw' rig and the better-fitted clothing - everyone else got what might fit.

By the '40's, Buscadero rigs were widely seen being worn by the principals who might actually have to pull the piece - the original, period rigs - worn high, with deep hulls - were somewhat difficult to draw from as quickly as the film demanded.

Scouts Out!
"It Wasn't Cowboys and Ponies - It Was Horses and Men.
It Wasn't Schoolboys and Ladies - It Was Cowtowns and Sin..."

Offline Skeeter Lewis

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 1253
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 9
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2021, 12:11:50 PM »
Those TV movie rigs of that time were made by Arvo Ojala.

Offline Trailrider

  • CAS-L Ghost Rider
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 2366
    • Gunfighter Zone
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2021, 12:42:11 PM »
Was that an early episode you saw? Maybe they hadn't decided on the final rig but needed to start filming. Or maybe the early episodes used this rig.

I found this image online. He is with Chester (Dennis Weaver), his first sidekick.


Later, when they filmed the opening showing Matt Dillon galloping down the trail.  His buscadero holster is about beating him to death, so he puts his right hand down to stabilize it.
Ride to the sound of the guns, but watch out for bushwhackers! Godspeed to all in harm's way in the defense of Freedom! God Bless America!

Your obedient servant,
Trailrider,
Bvt. Lt. Col. Commanding,
Southern District
Dept. of the Platte, GAF

Online Abilene

  • CAS-L Ghost Rider
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 4672
    • Abilene's CAS Pages
  • SASS #: 27489
  • NCOWS #: 3958
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1180
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2021, 12:47:30 PM »
I like the looks of that rig, and there seem to be a number of pics of Matt wearing it on a Google image search, but they are all pics from the front.  I wonder what the side view is like? 

Maybe the producers thought the slanted belt made him look too much like a gunslinger?   :)

Offline bear tooth billy

  • NCOWS Member
  • Top Active Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 1035
  • NCOWS Senator
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 51
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2021, 02:47:03 PM »
This picture looks like wooden grips, the later on the show look like stag?
Where is his gun at?

                         BTB
Born 110 years too late

Offline St. George

  • Deputy Marshal
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 4827
  • NCOWS , GAF, B.O.L.D., Order of St. George, SOCOM,
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2021, 03:23:41 PM »
His grips started out as wood - then, when they strapped an Arvo Ojala rig on him, they were Franzite 'stags'.

Scouts Out!
"It Wasn't Cowboys and Ponies - It Was Horses and Men.
It Wasn't Schoolboys and Ladies - It Was Cowtowns and Sin..."

Offline Skeeter Lewis

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 1253
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 9
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2021, 03:38:11 PM »
The rig looks like an Ojala rig without the drop loop.

Online Russ T Chambers

  • Littlest ol' fart Cowboy in Nevada Territory
  • CAS-L Ghost Rider
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 2186
  • Well preserved for my age!
  • SASS #: 262
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 20
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2021, 06:34:54 PM »
If I remember right, it was Arvo Ojala who was the man gunned down by Matt Dillon in the opening of the early Gun Smoke episodes.  I always thought it was interesting because he taught Arness gun handling and fast draw.  Dillion wouldn't have stood a chance against the unnamed man. :) :)
Russ T. Chambers
Roop County Cowboy Shooters Association
SASS Lifer/Regulator #262
WartHog
SBSS #1441
IPSAC
CRPA Lifer 
NSRPA Lifer
NRA Benefactor Member
Brother of the Arrow

Offline Rube Burrows

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 1515
  • SASS #: 84934
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 691
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2021, 07:41:14 PM »
I always find myself pausing and rewinding old westerns to look at their gear. You can really see some neat things if you look closely.
"If legal action will not work use lever action and administer the law with Winchesters" ~ Louis L'Amour

SASS# 84934
RATS#288

Offline Marshal Will Wingam

  • Garden Variety
  • Deputy Marshal
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 9228
  • Smile. It makes people wonder what you're up to.
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 307
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2021, 04:15:34 PM »
I always find myself pausing and rewinding old westerns to look at their gear. You can really see some neat things if you look closely.
So do I. You'd be amazed at the things you see that way.

SCORRS     SASS     BHR     STORM #446

Offline Ten Wolves Fiveshooter

  • Deputy Marshal
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 5858
  • Live To Fight Another Day
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2021, 11:47:21 AM »
The later rig Mat wore was made by Arvo Ojalva, which had a great influence on Hollywood gun leather, as Well as Alfonso Penella, which did most of Arvo's work for him, this was a time when the Hollywood drop down holster came into effect....I have gun leather by both makers, made for me in the sixties...

tEN wOLVES... ;D
NRA, SASS# 69595, NCOWS#3123 Leather Shop, RATTS# 369, SCORRS, BROW, ROWSS #40   Shoot Straight, Have Fun, That's What It's All About

Offline Buffalo Creek Law Dog

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 515
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 4
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #14 on: March 08, 2021, 01:46:19 PM »
He switches to the Buscadaro rig during the sixth disc of season one. That is where I am now in the series.  My wife and I watched all the color episodes but, she won't watch black and white, so I am watching them by my self.  I got the complete 20 yr series as an early Christmas present back in October.

Disc 6, season one is also when Kitty starts using the mole on the cheek.  I find that the early episodes have a better story line than the ones at about year 18-20.  I think everyone was getting tired by then including the writers.
SASS 66621
BOLD 678
AFS 43
NFA
ABPA

Offline The Pathfinder

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 642
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 7
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #15 on: March 14, 2021, 12:11:29 PM »
If you check out YouTube for something about secrets about Gunsmoke, there is one that has in it a redo of the opening filmed in color where after the shots are fired Matt falls over. Apparently Arness didn't think he won that one. ;D

Here's the link.



Check out around 5:50

Offline Capt Quirk

  • Deputy Marshal
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 859
    • Smoke Wagon Leather Works
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #16 on: March 14, 2021, 02:46:28 PM »
The complete 20 years on DVD? Binging that much is unimaginable.

Offline Cottonwood

  • Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 9
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 10
Re: Gunsmoke , Matt Dillan's holster
« Reply #17 on: April 17, 2021, 03:06:53 PM »
Been sick for the last 3 days from the 2nd vaccine shot.... watching westerns on INSP  ;D

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk

© 1995 - 2023 CAScity.com