Roger Ewing, who starred in the 1960s western television series Gunsmoke, has died at age 83. Ewing’s family reported that he died on December 18. The actor, a resident of Morro Bay, California, first appeared on the classic CBS series in February 1965 in a one-off role as the character Ben Lukens. Months later, in October, Ewing returned long-term as the character Thad Greenwood, a deputy marshal and handyman, whom he appeared as for 50 episodes. His character on the series was dropped in September 1967, replaced by Buck Taylor’s gunsmith-turned-deputy, Newly O’Brien. Before starring on Gunsmoke, Ewing had appeared on programs such as Bewitched, The Bing Crosby Show, and Rawhide. After his time on the CBS western, Ewing appeared in episodes of shows like Death Valley Days and The Mothers-In-Law, but ultimately quit acting to pursue photography and world travel. He also ran for a city council seat in his hometown of Morro Bay in 2003.
Read it at The Hollywood Reporter
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