Roger Ewing (Gunsmoke’s Thad Greenwood) – A Short Bio

In 2011 I wrote a post called “Gunsmoke’s Last Survivors”. Those three actors are still surviving. The response to that post has been overwhelming, mostly from fans of Roger Ewing who played deputy marshal Thad Greenwood for two seasons from 10/02/1965 to 09/25/1967. So, when Michael Richardson from Kansas commented on my post called “Louie Pheeters – Gunsmoke’s Town Drunk” saying that he knows Roger and is in contact with him, I wrote Michael to find out more. What follows comes from Michael, from Roger through Michael, and from the book “Gunsmoke – A Complete History” by Barabas.  Michael Richardson comments on a fanboard at http://gunsmokegang.proboards.com/ and Roger sees everything that is posted there.

6’4″ Roger Ewing was born Jan. 12, 1942 in L.A. He went to grade school with Kathy Garver (Cissy from “Family Affair”). Since Gunsmoke and Family Affair were filmed on the same lot, Michael asked Kathy if she’d ever tried to get a part on Gunsmoke. She said that she would bring her small dog onto the set and, one day the dog got loose, found his way onto the Gunsmoke set and peed on James Arness’ boot. Kathy said that might be why she was never asked to be on Gunsmoke.

Roger’s first TV appearance was in 1964 as Marvin Grogan on ABC’s sitcom “Bewitched” in an episode entitled “The Girl Reporter”. Oddly, his first Gunsmoke appearance was not as Thad, but as Ben Lukens in an episode entitled “Song For Dying” (02/13/1965). After the departure of Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper), the producers were looking for an actor to fill that “younger actor” slot. They liked what Roger did in that first episode and asked him to appear as a regular. After Roger’s 51 episodes over two seasons (11 and 12), Gunsmoke was briefly cancelled in 1967. When it returned, Thad no longer appeared. Sometime later, the younger actor slot was filled by Buck Taylor as Newly O’Brien.

Upon his cancellation from Gunsmoke, Roger pursued his love of photography. He wanted to put show business behind him but he did appear in two films: as Donald Maxwell in the western “Smith!” (1969), and as Nelson in “Play It As It Lays” (1972). Also in 1969, Ewing was a celebrity contestant on an episode of “The Dating Game” in which the eligible bachelorette was future actress Lindsay Wagner.

Michael explains: “After Roger left acting, he took up photography full time. Later he moved to Morro Bay, CA. He ran for a city council seat there, but lost the election. He has never been married, but almost got married once. He doesn’t have any kids, but he has brothers and sisters scattered around the country that he visits regularly. He travels by train and bus. He’s not afraid of flying but the planes don’t have sufficient leg room, so he gets a sleeper car on the train. He follows California and Indiana sports teams. He had ridden horses prior to being on Gunsmoke, but he does not currently own or ride horses. He was on an episode of Rawhide (“The Calf Women” – 04/30/1965) when Clint Eastwood taught him how to fast-draw while sitting on a horse. It’s quite different than standing.”

Roger is a very private person, hasn’t made public appearances in many years, but plans to attend the 60-year reunion tentatively scheduled for September 2015 – possibly at the Autry Museum in Newhall, or a hotel in the L.A. area. It might be the last chance for fans to see both Roger Ewing and Buck Taylor together.

Michael Richardson and Roger Ewing in Buellton, Ca. on Sept 28, 2012