As in the television version of Gunsmoke (1956) Gunsmoke is an American radio and television drama series created by director and writer. The stories take place in and around, during the settlement of the. The central character is lawman, played by on radio and on television. When aired in the UK, the television series was initially titled Gun Law, later reverting to Gunsmoke. The radio series ran from 1952 to 1961. Wrote that among radio drama enthusiasts, ' Gunsmoke is routinely placed among the best shows of any kind and any time.'

• University Of Oxford
• Stephen Hawking
• Alex Mackenzie Smith

The television series ran for 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975, and lasted for 635 episodes. At the end of its run in 1975, columnist Cecil Smith wrote: ' Gunsmoke was the dramatization of the American epic legend of the west.

The Paperback of the George and the Big Bang (George's Secret Key Series #3) by Stephen Hawking, Lucy Hawking, Garry Parsons at Barnes & Noble.

Our own Iliad and Odyssey, created from standard elements of the dime novel and the pulp Western as romanticized by Ned, Bret, and Mark. It was ever the stuff of legend.' Publicity photo from Gunsmoke 's radio version (photo from 1954) Genre Running time 30 minutes Country of origin United States Language(s) English TV adaptations Starring Created by Produced by Norman Macdonnell Original release April 26, 1952 – June 18, 1961 No.

Of series 9 No. Of episodes 432 Audio format Monaural In the late 1940s, chairman, a fan of the radio serial, asked his programming chief, Hubell Robinson, to develop a hardboiled Western series, a show about a 'Philip Marlowe of the Old West'. Robinson instructed his West Coast CBS Vice President, who had developed the Philip Marlowe series, to take on the task. Ackerman and his scriptwriters, Mort Fine and David Friedkin, created an audition script called 'Mark Dillon Goes to Gouge Eye' based on one of their radio scripts, 'The Crooked Wheel'.

Two auditions were created in 1949. The first was very much like a hardboiled detective series and starred (credited as Rye Billsbury) as Dillon; the second starred actor in a more Western, lighter version of the same script. CBS liked the Culver version better, and Ackerman was told to proceed. A complication arose, though; Culver's contract as the star of Straight Arrow would not allow him to do another Western series. The project was shelved for three years, when producer and writer John Meston discovered it while creating an adult Western series of their own. Macdonnell and Meston wanted to create a radio Western for adults, in contrast to the prevailing juvenile fare such as and.

Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City, Kansas, during the thriving cattle days of the 1870s. Dunning notes, 'The show drew critical acclaim for unprecedented realism.' Radio cast and character biographies The radio series first aired on CBS on April 26, 1952 with the episode 'Billy the Kid', written by, and ended on June 18, 1961. The show stars as Marshal Matt Dillon, as Doc Charles Adams, as Kitty Russell, and as Dillon's assistant, Chester Wesley Proudfoot. Matt Dillon. Photograph of the actual interior of the real-life in, taken between 1870 and 1885 Gunsmoke was often a somber program, particularly in its early years. Dunning writes that Dillon 'played his hand and often lost.

He arrived too late to prevent a lynching. He amputated a dying man's leg and lost the patient anyway. He saved a girl from brutal rapists then found himself unable to offer her what she needed to stop her from moving into. Life as a prostitute.' Some listeners, such as Dunning, argue the radio version was more realistic. Episodes were aimed at adults and featured some of the most explicit content of their time, including violent crimes, and addicts. Many episodes ended on a somber note, and villains often got away with their crimes.

Nonetheless, due to the subtle scripts and outstanding ensemble cast, over the years, the program evolved into a warm, often humorous celebration of human nature. Apart from the doleful tone, Gunsmoke was distinct from other radio Westerns, as the dialogue was often slow and halting, and due to the outstanding, listeners had a nearly palpable sense of the prairie where the show was set. The effects were subtle but multilayered, giving the show a spacious feel. Wrote, 'The listener heard extraneous dialogue in the background, just above the muted shouts of kids playing in an alley. He heard noises from the next block, too, where the inevitable dog was barking.' Gunsmoke was also unique from other Westerns in that it was unsponsored for the first few years of production.

The program got its support from CBS for the first two years. Series producers felt that if the show were sponsored, they would have to 'clean the show up'. The producers wanted to find a sponsor that would allow them to keep the show the way it was. Talk of adapting Gunsmoke to television Not long after the radio show began, talk began of adapting it to television. Privately, Macdonnell had a guarded interest in taking the show to television, but publicly, he declared, 'our show is perfect for radio,' and he feared, as Dunning writes, ' Gunsmoke confined by a picture could not possibly be as authentic or attentive to detail.' 'In the end', wrote Dunning, 'CBS simply took it away from Macdonnell and began preparing for the television version.' Conrad and the others were given auditions, but they were little more than token efforts—especially in Conrad's case, due to his obesity.

However, Meston was kept as the main writer. In the early years, a majority of the TV episodes were adapted from the radio scripts, often using identical scenes and dialogue. Dunning wrote, 'That radio fans considered the TV show a sham and its players impostors should surprise no one. That the TV show was not a sham is due in no small part to the continued strength of Meston's scripts.' Macdonnell and Meston continued the radio version of Gunsmoke until 1961, making it one of the most enduring vintage radio dramas. Conrad directed two television episodes, in 1963 and 1971, while McNear appeared on six, playing characters other than Doc, including three times as storekeeper Howard Rudd.

Television series (1955–1975) Gunsmoke. Theme music composer Country of origin United States No. Of seasons 6 (Marshal Dillon, syndication retitling of half-hour episodes) 14 (Gunsmoke), 20 (total seasons) No. Of episodes 233 (Marshal Dillon, syndication retitling of half-hour episodes), 402 (Gunsmoke) 635 (total episodes) Production Running time 26 minutes (1955 – 1961), 50 minutes (1961 – 1975) Production company(s) Arness and Company (1959 – 1961) The Arness Production Company (1961 – 1964) Distributor Release Original network Picture format (1955 – 1966) (1966 – 1975) Original release September 10, 1955 – March 31, 1975 The TV series ran from September 10, 1955, to March 31, 1975, on CBS, with 635 total episodes. It was the second written for adults, premiering on September 10, 1955, four days after. The first 12 seasons aired Saturdays at 10 pm, seasons 13 through 16 aired Mondays at 7:30 pm, and the last four seasons aired Mondays at 8 pm. During its second season in 1956, the program joined the list of the top ten television programs broadcast in the United States.

It quickly moved to number one and stayed there until 1961. It remained among the top 20 programs until 1964. Longevity records. This section does not any. Unsourced material may be challenged and. (August 2017) The television series remains the longest-running, primetime live-action series of the 20th century.

As of 2017, it has the highest number of scripted episodes for any U.S. Primetime, commercial, live-action television series. In 2019, will surpass Gunsmoke for the most scripted episodes.

Some TV fans question its position as having the. Some foreign-made programs, i.e. Produced outside the U.S., have been broadcast in the U.S. And contend for the position as the longest-running series. As of 2016, Gunsmoke is rated fourth globally, after (1963–89, 2005–present), (1983–2010), and (1984–2010). Character longevity and portrayed their Gunsmoke characters for 20 consecutive years, a feat later matched by as the character, but over two half-hour sitcoms ( and ). George Walsh, the announcer for Gunsmoke, began in 1952 on radio's Gunsmoke and continued until television's Gunsmoke was canceled in 1975.

The first seven seasons were jointly sponsored by cigarettes and shaving products. Transition to TV from radio When Gunsmoke was adapted for television in 1955, in spite of a campaign to persuade the network, the network was not interested in bringing either Conrad or his radio costars to the television medium. Conrad's weight was rumored to be a deciding factor. Was also considered for the leading role, as was, who was ultimately also seen as too heavy for the part., television Gunsmoke's first director, said 'His voice was fine, but he was too big. When he stood up, his chair stood with him.' According to Dennis Weaver's comments on the 50th Anniversary DVD, Disc One, Episode 'Hack Prine', John Wayne was never considered for the role; to have done so would have been preposterous since Wayne was a top movie leading man. The belief that Wayne was asked to star is disputed by Warren.

Although he agrees Wayne encouraged Arness to take the role, Warren says, 'I hired Jim Arness on the strength of a picture he's done for me. I never thought for a moment of offering it to Wayne.' According to Thomas 'Duke' Miller, a TV/movie/celebrity expert, this story was told to him by legendary actor: 'Jimmy said he was in the office with Charles Warren when Mr. Wayne came in. Warren asked Wayne if he knew James Arness, and Mr. Wayne said yes.

Warren told Mr. Wayne about the transition of the show from radio to TV, and Mr. Wayne readily agreed that James Arness would be a terrific choice for the part of Matt Dillon.

I have no reason to doubt the story, because Jimmy absolutely knew everybody.' In the end, the primary roles were all recast, with Arness taking the lead role of Marshal Matt Dillon (on the recommendation of Wayne, who also introduced the pilot); playing Chester Goode; being cast as Dr. 'Doc' Adams (later Galen 'Doc' Adams); and taking on the role of Miss Kitty Russell. Macdonnell became the associate producer of the TV show and later the producer. Meston was named head writer. Good evening. My name's Wayne.

Some of you may have seen me before; I hope so. I've been kicking around a long time. I've made a lot of pictures out here, all kinds, and some of them have been Westerns. And that's what I'm here to tell you about tonight: a Western—a new television show called Gunsmoke.

No, I'm not in it. I wish I were, though, because I think it's the best thing of its kind that's come along, and I hope you'll agree with me; it's honest, it's adult, it's realistic. When I first heard about the show Gunsmoke, I knew there was only one man to play in it: James Arness. He's a young fellow, and maybe new to some of you, but I've worked with him and I predict he'll be a big star, so you might as well get used to him, like you've had to get used to me! And now I'm proud to present my friend Jim Arness in Gunsmoke. As and Arness as Dillon, 1968 Chester and Festus Haggen are perhaps Dillon's most recognizable, though others became acting deputies for ​ 2 1⁄ 2- to ​ 7 1⁄ 2-year stints: Quint Asper (1962–65), Thad Greenwood (1966–68), and Newly O'Brian (1967–75), who served as both back-up deputy and doctor-in-training, having some studies in medicine via his uncle, which then continued under Doc Adams. In 1962, was added to the show's lineup, as the 'halfbreed' blacksmith Quint Asper, and performed that role elipsing the years just before the departure of and just after the appearance of Festus Haggen.

Three of the actors, who played Dodge deputies, Ken Curtis, Roger Ewing, and Buck Taylor, had previous guest roles. Curtis, a big band and Western singer ( Orchestra, Band, ), had five previous guest roles, including one in 1963 as a shady ladies' man named Kyle Kelly ('Lover Boy', season 9, show two episode 307). Curtis first appeared in the 1959 episode 'Jayhawkers' (season four, episode 21 episode 138), where he played Phil Jacks, a Texas cowboy, with Jack Elam as his boss during a cattle drive from Texas. The second was another 1959 episode entitled 'Change of Heart' (season four, episode 32 episode 149), where he played Brisco.

The third appearance is the 1960 episode 'The Ex-Urbanites' (season five, episode 30 episode 186), where he plays Jesse. He also had a small role as an Indian named Scout in the episode 'Speak Me Fair' (season five, episode 34 episode 190) in 1960. Curtis was reared in, and for a time was a son-in-law of director. In 1963, Weaver left the series to pursue a broader acting career in TV series and films. In 1964, Curtis was signed as a regular to play the stubbornly illiterate hillbilly Festus Haggen.

The character, heretofore a comic feature, came to town in a 1962 episode titled 'Us Haggens', to avenge the death of his twin brother Fergus, and decided to stay in Dodge when the deed was done. Initially on the fringes of Dodge society, Festus was slowly phased in as a reliable sidekick/part-time deputy to Matt Dillon when Reynolds left in 1965. In the episode 'Alias Festus Haggen', he is mistaken for a robber and killer whom he has to expose to free himself (both parts played by Curtis). In a episode ('Mad Dog'), another case of mistaken identity forces Festus to fight three sons of a man killed by his cousin. As a side note, only one episode has all three actors in it playing their respective roles. It is the 1964 episode entitled 'Prairie Wolfer' (season 9, episode 16 episode 321), with Dennis Weaver as Chester, Burt Reynolds as Quint, and Ken Curtis as Festus. The 1964 episode entitled 'Once a Haggen' (season 9, episode 18 episode 323) is the second of only two occasions in which Chester and Festus appear in the same episode.

When Milburn Stone left the series for health reasons for several episodes in 1971, played his temporary replacement, Dr. John Chapman, whose presence was at first roundly resisted by Festus, a bickersome but close friend of Doc Adams. Character back stories. Clockwise from top: Ken Curtis (Festus), James Arness (Matt), Amanda Blake (Kitty), and Milburn Stone (Doc) in 1968 The back stories of some of the main characters were largely left to the imagination of the viewer.

Matt Dillon spent his early years in foster care, knew the Bible, was a wayward, brawling cowboy, and later mentored by a caring lawman. In a few episodes, he mentioned having spent some time in the army.

Kitty Russell, was born in New Orleans and reared by a flashy foster mother (who once visited Dodge), although her father visited Dodge on one occasion and wished to have her return to New Orleans. Barkeep Sam was said to be married, but no sightings of a wife were made (In the episode 'Tafton', he is seen side-by-side with a woman in a church singing). Quint Asper's white father was killed by white scavengers. Thad Greenwood's father, a storekeeper, was harassed to death by a trio of loathsome ne'er-do-well thieves.

Chester Goode was known to be one of many brothers raised by an aunt and uncle, and he mentions his mother on one occasion; he referred to past service in the cavalry, and years as a in Texas. The cause of Chester's stiff right leg was never given, but it was shown as his own leg and not a prosthesis. No direct reference was ever made to his disability in the script, although some oblique moments painted the free-spirited, comic deputy with a darker tone. Newly O'Brien was named after a physician uncle, who ignited his interest in medicine. While Dillon and Miss Kitty clearly had a close personal relationship, the two never married. In a July 2, 2002, interview with Bob Thomas, Arness explained, 'If they were man and wife, it would make a lot of difference.

The people upstairs decided it was better to leave the show as it was, which I totally agreed with.' In the episode 'Waste', featuring as a boy with a prostitute mother, her madam questions Dillon as to why the law overlooks Miss Kitty's enterprise. It appears that bordellos could exist 'at the law's discretion' (meaning the marshal's). As an historical matter, prior to the, few laws criminalized. Miss Kitty was written out in 1974. The actress sought more free time and reportedly missed her late co-star, who played her Long Branch barkeep, Sam. When Blake decided not to return for the show's 20th (and final) season, the character was said to have returned to New Orleans.

She was replaced by the hoarse-voiced, matronly actress (known to many as the second Doris Ziffel on CBS' ). For over a decade on television, a sign hung over Doc's office that read 'Dr.

Milburn Stone was given free rein to choose the character's first name. The actor chose the name of an ancient Greek physician and medical researcher named. He is first referred to in this manner by as 'Martin Kellums' in the season-10 episode, 'Song for Dying', aired February 13, 1965. Radio and TV character differences.

Differences were noted between the characters on the radio and TV versions of Gunsmoke. In the radio series, Doc was acerbic, somewhat mercenary, and borderline alcoholic—at least in the program's early years. On radio's Gunsmoke, Doc Adams's real name was Dr. Calvin Moore. He came west and changed his name to escape a charge of murder.

The television Doc, though still crusty, was in many ways softer and warmer. Nothing in the radio series suggested that Chester Proudfoot was disabled; this merely visual feature was added to the Chester Goode character on television because of actor Dennis Weaver's athletic build, to emphasize Chester's role as a follower and not an independent agent. Miss Kitty, who after the radio series ended, was said by some to have engaged in prostitution, began in that role in the television series, working in the Long Branch Saloon.

In an earlier 1956 episode, the owner of the Long Branch was named Bill Pence. A later 1956 episode begins with Chester pointing out to Matt (who had been out of town) a new sign under the Long Branch Saloon sign stating 'Russell & Pence, Proprietors'. In that same episode, John Dehner portrayed a dubious New Orleans businessman claiming to be Kitty's father, who tried to talk her into selling her half interest in the Long Branch and returning to New Orleans with him as a partner in his alleged freight business. In another 1956 episode (involving a new saloon girl named 'Rena Decker' who causes four deaths by provoking men into fighting over her), Miss Kitty identifies herself as half-owner of the Long Branch with Mr.

Pence (played by Judson Pratt). Subsequently, Miss Kitty transitioned to sole owner. Although early film episodes showed her descending from her second-floor rooms in the saloon with Matt, or showed her or one of her girls leading a cowboy up to those same rooms, these scenes disappeared later on, and viewers were guided to see Miss Kitty just as a kindhearted businesswoman.

Format From 1955 to 1961, Gunsmoke was a half-hour show (retitled Marshal Dillon in syndication). It then went to an hour-long format. The series was retitled Gun Law in the UK. The Marshal Dillon syndicated rerun lasted from 1961 until 1964 on CBS, originally on Tuesday nights within its time in reruns. Popularity Gunsmoke was TV's number one-ranked show from 1957 to 1961 before slipping into a decline after expanding to an hour. In 1967, the show's 12th season, CBS planned to cancel the series, but widespread viewer reaction (including a mention in Congress and the behind-the-scenes pressure from the wife of CBS's president) prevented its demise.

On the Biography Channel's Behind The Scenes: Gilligan's Island (2002); producer states that the wife of CBS's president pressured her husband not to cancel Gunsmoke in 1967, so the network cut Gilligan's Island instead. The show continued in its new time slot at 8 pm on Mondays. This scheduling move led to a spike in ratings that had it once again rally to the top 10 in the until the 1973–74 television season. In September 1975, despite still ranking among the top 30 programs in the ratings, Gunsmoke was canceled after a 20-year run; it was replaced by spin-offs and (though Rhoda actually debuted while Gunsmoke was still airing first-run).

Thirty TV Westerns came and went during its 20-year tenure, and Gunsmoke was the sole survivor, with and both leaving the airwaves in January 1973. Arness and Stone remained with the show for its entire run, though Stone missed seven episodes in 1971, due to illness. The entire cast was stunned by the cancellation, as they were unaware that CBS was considering it.

According to Arness, 'We didn't do a final, wrap-up show. We finished the 20th year, we all expected to go on for another season, or two or three.

The (network) never told anybody they were thinking of canceling.' The cast and crew read the news in the trade papers.

This seemed to have been a habit of CBS. Three other popular shows, Gilligan's Island, Lost in Space and The Incredible Hulk met the same fate, in the same, abrupt manner. TV movies In 1987, CBS commissioned a reunion movie entitled. James Arness and Amanda Blake returned in their iconic roles of Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty, with Fran Ryan returning in her role as Kitty's friend/saloon-owner Hannah and Buck Taylor returning as Newly O'Brian. Doc Adams and Festus Haggen were not featured in the film. Milburn Stone died in 1980 and the role of Doc was not recast.

Ken Curtis, meanwhile, balked at the salary offer he received and said that he should be paid based on Festus' importance in the character hierarchy. The screenwriters responded to Curtis' absence by making Newly the new Dodge City marshal. The film, shot in, featured a now-retired Marshal Dillon being attacked and a vengeful former rival returning to Dodge City to entrap him. In 1990, the second telefilm, Gunsmoke: The Last Apache, premiered. Since Amanda Blake had died the year before, the writers decided to revisit a 1973 episode for the movie. The episode was based on 'Matt's Love Story', which was noted for the marshal's first overnight visit to a female's lodgings. In the episode, Matt loses his memory and his heart, during a brief with 'Mike' Yardner (played by ).

In the film, Learned returned and Mike reveals to Marshal Dillon that he is the father of their daughter Beth (played by ) and asks him for help in saving her. Dodge City was never again seen. Other films included (1992), (1993), and (1994).

Arness appeared in all five films. Episodes. This section does not any.

Unsourced material may be challenged and. (August 2016). Music The Gunsmoke radio theme song and later TV theme was titled, also known as 'Boothill'. The Gunsmoke theme was composed. The original radio version was conducted by Koury. The TV version was thought to have been first conducted by CBS west coast music director.

The lyrics of the theme, never aired on the radio or television show, were recorded and released by in 1955. Ritter was backed on that Capitol record by Rex Koury and the radio Gunsmoke orchestra. William Lava composed the original theme music for television, as noted in the program credits.

Other notable composers included:. Products The Gunsmoke brand was used to endorse numerous products, from cottage cheese to cigarettes.

Lowell Toy Manufacturing Corporation ('It's a Lowell Game') issued Gunsmoke as their game No. Other products include Gunsmoke puzzles, In 1985, released a video game for the arcade (and its corresponding game for the in 1988) with a Western theme, called. Other than the Western theme, the show and game have no relationship whatsoever. Comics. published numerous issues of their comics series on Gunsmoke (including issues #679, 720, 769, 797, 844 and, in 1958 – 62, #6–27). continued with issues #1 – 6 in 1969–70. A comic strip version of the series ran in British newspapers for several years under the show's UK title, Gun Law.

Hardcover comic BBC Gunsmoke Annuals were marketed in Great Britain under the authority of the which had broadcasting rights there. Gunsmoke comics in Spanish were published under the title Aventura la ley del revolver ( Gun-Law Adventures). Books. In 1957, published a collection of short stories. Each story is based on a half-hour Gunsmoke episode. Although a photo of James Arness and the CBS TV logo are on the book cover, in at least one story Matt introduces Chester as 'Chester Proudfoot', an indication that the stories are actually adapted from radio scripts. Whitman Books published.

Gunsmoke by Robert Turner in 1958, and. Gunsmoke: 'Showdown on Front Street' by Paul S. Newman in 1969. Further information: and Reruns and syndication The program currently airs on three major venues:, which has carried the show since its inception in 1996, and 's network. Individual stations such as in Dallas also carry the series in their markets. It has also been shown on satellite channel CBS Action in the UK, Ireland and Poland.

The series also appears intermittently on MeTV's themed sister network, which CBS holds a partial interest in; it appears on the schedule depending on the theme and year a particular day has. Because the show was a 'primetime' series, the competition does not include such long-lived shows as (1955–84) and many daytime serials. As a 'commercial' series, it cannot be compared to shows such as the PBS program (1966–2001). As a 'live-action' series, programs such as the adult animated series (1989–) are not included, whose voice-over actors age off-screen. Some foreign countries have broadcast series over a longer duration, but these programs have employed an array of actors in their principal lead roles.

References. Nicholaus Mills (June 8, 2011).

Retrieved October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2014.

See Dunning. Cecil Smith (September 1975). Dunning, p., GunsmokeNet.com. ^ Dunning, 304. Internet Archive.

Retrieved April 20, 2015. ^ (Dunning, 304). ^ (Dunning, 305). ( Time, 1953).

'Weeks of Prestige'. Burris, Joe (May 10, 2005). Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 20, 2014.

on. on.

Museum of Broadcast Communications. Retrieved October 23, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.

GunsmokeNet.com. ^ Bill O'Hallaren, TV Guide, August 23, 1975., GunsmokeNet.com. YouTube.com. Morganalee (November 16, 2010). Retrieved April 20, 2015. dougdoepke (April 30, 2013). Retrieved April 20, 2015.

Retrieved April 20, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2017., GunsmokeNet.com. Retrieved April 20, 2015.

Associated Press, July 2, 2002, Bob Thomas. Heldenfels, Rich (July 23, 2017). Retrieved November 1, 2017.

Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (Ninth Edition). Ballantine Books.

at MeTV.com. that celebrated the 40th anniversary of television and the best television programs of all time., GunsmokeNet.com., GunsmokeNet.com., GunsmokeNet.com., www.nationalcowboymuseum.org.

'Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time'. June 28 – July 4, 1997., TV Guide, May 4, 2002., GunsmokeNet.com. Retrieved 4 May 2015. Philosophy Now. Retrieved 31 May 2017., GunsmokeNet.com., GunsmokeNet.com., GunsmokeNet.com., GunsmokeNet.com., GunsmokeNet.com., GunsmokeNet.com. Retrieved 2016-10-19.

Retrieved April 20, 2015. #15, June – July 1959, 'Masked Vigilantes'., February – March 1970, 'The Prophet' 'The Guilty One'., Comic Collection., Gunsmoke comic book in Spanish, December 1960. Don Ward, Ballantine Books, 1957. (Second edition released in 1960.)., Whitman Books, 1969., Award Books, 1974.

Additional reading. John Dunning, On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1998. SuzAnn Barabas & Gabor Barabas, Gunsmoke: A Complete History and Analysis of the Legendary Broadcast Series, McFarland & Company, Inc., 1990.

Associated Press, July 2, 2002, Bob Thomas. Bill Carter, 'NBC Will Bring Back All Three Law & Order Shows', May 14, 2007. Matt's and Miss Kitty's romance referred to in Toby Keith song, 'I Should've Been a Cowboy' (released February 1993). External links Wikiquote has quotations related to: Wikimedia Commons has media related to. on.

Stephen Hawking at NASA Born Stephen William Hawking 8 January 1942 ( 1942-01-08) (age 68), England, Residence England, United Kingdom Nationality Fields Institutions Other academic advisors Doctoral students Raphael Bousso Harvey Reall Tim Prestidge Julian Luttrell Known for Influences Notable awards (1989) (2006) (2009) Signature Stephen William Hawking, (born 8 January 1942 ) is a, whose world-renowned scientific career spans over 40 years. His books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity and he is an, a lifetime member of the, and in 2009 was awarded the, the highest civilian award in the United States.

Hawking was the at the for thirty years, taking up the post in 1979 and retiring on 1 October 2009. He is also a of and a Distinguished Research Chair at the in,. He is known for his contributions to the fields of and, especially in the context of.

He has also achieved success with works of in which he discusses his own theories and cosmology in general; these include the runaway best seller, which stayed on the British bestsellers list for a record-breaking 237 weeks. Hawking's key scientific works to date have included providing, with, regarding in the framework of, and the theoretical prediction that should emit, which is today known as (or sometimes as -Hawking radiation). Hawking has a neuro-muscular that is related to (ALS), a condition that has progressed over the years and has left him almost completely. Contents.

University Of Oxford

Early life and education Stephen Hawking was born to Dr. Frank Hawking, a research biologist, and Isobel Hawking. He had two younger sisters, Philippa and Mary and an adopted brother, Edward. Though Hawking's parents were living in, they moved to while his mother was pregnant with Stephen, desiring a safer location for the birth of their first child (London was at the time by the ).

According to Hawking, a German missile struck only a few streets away. After Hawking was born, the family moved back to London, where his father headed the division of at the.

In 1950, Hawking and his family moved to in where he attended from 1950 to 1953. (At that time, boys could attend the Girls school until the age of 10. ) From the age of 11, he attended, where he was a good, but not exceptional, student. When asked later to name a teacher who had inspired him, Hawking named his mathematics teacher,. He maintains his connection with the school, giving his name to one of the four and to an extracurricular science lecture series. He has visited to deliver one of the lectures and has also granted a lengthy interview to pupils working on the school magazine, The Albanian. Hawking was always interested in science.

Inspired by his mathematics teacher, he originally wanted to study the subject at university. However, Hawking's father wanted him to apply to, where his father had attended. As University College did not have a mathematics fellow at that time, it would not accept applications from students who wished to read that discipline. Hawking therefore applied to read natural sciences, in which he gained a scholarship. Once at University College, Hawking specialised in. His interests during this time were in, and.

His physics tutor, Robert Berman, later said in: It was only necessary for him to know that something could be done, and he could do it without looking to see how other people did it. He didn't have very many books, and he didn't take notes. Of course, his mind was completely different from all of his contemporaries. Hawking was passing, but his unimpressive study habits resulted in a final examination score on the borderline between first and second class honours, making an 'oral examination' necessary. Berman said of the oral examination: And of course the examiners then were intelligent enough to realize they were talking to someone far more clever than most of themselves. After receiving his B.A. Degree at in 1962, he stayed to study astronomy.

He decided to leave when he found that studying, which was all the observatory was equipped for, did not appeal to him and that he was more interested in theory than in observation. He left Oxford for, where he engaged in the study of theoretical astronomy and. Career in theoretical physics Almost as soon as he arrived at, he started developing symptoms of (known colloquially in the as 's disease), a type of which would cost him almost all neuromuscular control.

During his first two years at Cambridge, he did not distinguish himself, but, after the disease had stabilised and with the help of his doctoral tutor, he returned to working on his Hawking was elected as one of the youngest Fellows of the in 1974, was created a Commander of the in 1982, and became a in 1989. Hawking is a member of the Board of Sponsors of. Hawking's achievements were made despite the increasing paralysis caused by the ALS. By 1974, he was unable to feed himself or get out of bed.

His speech became slurred so that he could only be understood by people who knew him well. In 1985, he caught and had to have a, which made him unable to speak at all.

A Cambridge scientist built a device that enables Hawking to write onto a computer with small movements of his body, and then have a speak what he has typed. Professor Stephen Hawking in.

In the late 1960s, he and his Cambridge friend and colleague, applied a new, complex mathematical model they had created from 's. This led, in 1970, to Hawking proving the first of many; such theorems provide a set of sufficient conditions for the existence of a in. This work showed that, far from being mathematical curiosities which appear only in special cases, singularities are a fairly generic feature of. He supplied a, along with, and D. Robinson, of 's ' – namely, that any black hole is fully described by the three properties of, and. Hawking also suggested that, upon analysis of emissions, after the, primordial mini were formed. With Bardeen and Carter, he proposed the four laws of black hole mechanics, drawing an analogy with.

In 1974, he calculated that black holes should thermally create and emit, known today as, until they exhaust their energy and. In collaboration with, Hawking developed a model in which the had no boundary in space-time, replacing the initial singularity of the classical Big Bang models with a region akin to the North Pole: one cannot travel north of the North Pole, as there is no boundary. While originally the no-boundary proposal predicted a, discussions with led to the realisation that the no-boundary proposal is also consistent with a universe which is not closed. Hawking's many other scientific investigations have included the study of, production in Big Bang universes, large N cosmology, the of the universe, and structure of the universe, baby universes, and the, and, the nature of space and time, including the, quantum gravity, the, and theories of, and. At a lecture in honour of 's 50th anniversary, Professor Hawking theorised on the existence of extraterrestrial life, believing that 'primitive life is very common and intelligent life is fairly rare.'

President talks with Stephen Hawking in the of the before a ceremony presenting him and 15 others the on Aug. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honour. Hawking was in the news in July 2004 for presenting a new theory about black holes which goes against his own long-held belief about their behaviour, thus losing a he made with and of. Classically, it can be shown that information crossing the of a black hole is lost to our universe, and that thus all black holes are identical beyond their mass, and (the '). The problem with this theorem is that it implies the black hole will emit the same radiation regardless of what goes into it, and as a consequence that if a pure is thrown into a black hole, an 'ordinary' mixed state will be returned. This runs counter to the rules of quantum mechanics and is known as the.

Mankind's future in space At the 50th Anniversary of in 2008, Hawking gave a keynote speech on the final frontier exhorting and inspiring the space technology community on why we (the human race) explore space. At the celebration of his 65th birthday on 8 January 2007, Hawking announced his plan to take a flight in 2007 to prepare for a in 2009 on 's space service.

Billionaire pledged to pay all expenses for the latter, costing an estimated £100,000. Stephen Hawking's zero-gravity flight in a ' ' of, during which he experienced weightlessness eight times, took place on 26 April 2007. He became the first to float in zero-gravity. This was the first time in 40 years that he moved freely, without his wheelchair.

The fee is normally US$3,750 for 10–15, but Hawking was not required to pay the fee. A bit of a, Hawking was quoted before the flight saying: Many people have asked me why I am taking this flight. I am doing it for many reasons.

First of all, I believe that life on Earth is at an ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster such as sudden nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus, or other dangers. I think the human race has no future if it doesn't go into space. I therefore want to encourage public interest in space. In an interview with, he suggested that space was the Earth's long term hope. He continued this theme at a 2008 Charlie Rose interview.

Hawking on 5 May 2006, during the press conference at the to inaugurate the Laboratory of Astronomy and Particles in Paris and the French release of his work. Stephen Hawking is severely disabled by motor neuron disease also known as (or ALS). Hawking's illness is markedly different from typical ALS in the fact that his form of ALS would make for the most protracted case ever documented. A survival for more than 10 years after diagnosis is uncommon for ALS; the longest documented durations are 32 and 39 years and these cases were termed benign because of the lack of the typical progressive course. When he was young, he enjoyed riding horses and playing with other children.

At Oxford, he a rowing team, which, he stated, helped relieve his immense boredom at the university. Symptoms of the disorder first appeared while he was enrolled at; he lost his balance and fell down a flight of stairs, hitting his head.

Worried that he would lose his genius, he took the test to verify that his intellectual abilities were intact. The diagnosis of motor neuron disease came when Hawking was 21, shortly before his first marriage, and doctors said he would not survive more than two or three years. Hawking gradually lost the use of his arms, legs, and voice, and as of 2009 has been almost completely paralysed. During a visit to the research centre in in 1985, Hawking contracted, which in his condition was life-threatening as it further restricted his already limited respiratory capacity. He had an emergency, and as a result lost what remained of his ability to speak. He has since used an electronic voice synthesizer to communicate.

The DTC01 voice synthesizer he uses, which has an American accent, is no longer being produced. Asked why he has still kept it after so many years, Hawking mentioned that he has not heard a voice he likes better and that he identifies with it. Hawking is said to be looking for a replacement since, aside from being obsolete, the synthesizer is both large and fragile by current standards. As of mid 2009, he was said to be using NeoSpeech's VoiceText speech synthesizer. In Hawking's many media appearances, he appears to speak fluently through his synthesizer, but in reality, it is a tedious drawn-out process. Hawking's setup uses a entry system, which requires only the first few characters in order to auto-complete the word, but as he is only able to use his cheek for data entry, constructing complete sentences takes time.

His speeches are prepared in advance, but having a live conversation with him provides insight as to the complexity and work involved. During a talk, it took him seven minutes to answer a question. He describes himself as lucky despite his disease.

Its slow progression has allowed him time to make influential discoveries and has not hindered him from having, in his own words, 'a very attractive family.' When his wife, Jane, was asked why she decided to marry a man with a three-year life expectancy, she responded, 'Those were the days of atomic gloom and doom, so we all had a rather short life expectancy.' On 20 April 2009, Cambridge University released a statement saying that Hawking was 'very ill' with a chest infection, and was admitted to. The following day, it was reported that his new condition is 'comfortable' and he should make a full recovery from the infection.

In 2009, (IBD) claimed in an editorial, 'People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the UK, where the would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.' This caused widespread criticism, as Hawking has in fact lived and worked in the UK his entire life and has relied extensively on NHS treatments. Hawking replied that, 'I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived.' Eventually, IBD issued a correction, but continued to defend the original editorial, calling the mention of Hawking a 'bad example' and accusing those that mentioned their error of 'changing the subject.' As popular science advocate.

Acclaim On 19 December 2007, a statue of Professor Stephen Hawking by renowned late artist was unveiled at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology,. In May 2008 the statue of Hawking was unveiled at the in. The Stephen W. Hawking Science Museum in, El Salvador is named in honour of Stephen Hawking, citing his scientific distinction and perseverance in dealing with adversity. Stephen Hawking Building in Cambridge, opened on 17 April 2007. The building belongs to and is used as an undergraduate accommodation and conference facility.

Distinctions Hawking's belief that the lay person should have access to his work led him to write a series of popular science books in addition to his academic work. The first of these, was published on 1 April 1988 by Hawking, his family and friends, and some leading physicists. It surprisingly became a best-seller and was followed by (2001). Both books have remained highly popular all over the world. A collection of essays titled (1993) was also popular.

His most recent book, (2005), co-written by, aims to update his earlier works and make them accessible to an even wider audience. He and his daughter, Lucy Hawking, have recently published a children's book focusing on science that has been described to be 'like, but without the magic.' This book is called and includes information on. Hawking is also known for his wit; he is famous for his oft-made statement, 'When I hear of, I reach for my pistol.' This was a deliberately paraphrase of 'Whenever I hear the word culture. I release the safety-catch of my ', from the play Schlageter (Act 1, Scene 1) by German playwright and Poet Laureate. His wit has both entertained the non-specialist public and helped them to understand complex questions.

Asked in October 2005 on the British daytime chat show, to explain his assertion that the question 'What came before the?' Was meaningless, he compared it to asking 'What lies north of the North Pole?' Hawking has generally avoided talking about politics at length, but he has appeared on a political broadcast for the United Kingdom's. He supports the children's charity. Religious views Hawking takes an position on matters of religion, He has repeatedly used the word 'God' (in metaphorical meanings) to illustrate points made in his books and public speeches.

His ex-wife Jane however said he was an atheist during their divorce proceedings, Hawking has stated that he is 'not religious in the normal sense' and he believes that 'the universe is governed by the laws of science. The laws may have been decreed by God, but God does not intervene to break the laws.' Selected publications. Technical. Singularities in Collapsing Stars and Expanding Universes with, 1969 Comments on Astrophysics and Space Physics Vol 1 #1. The Nature of Space and Time with, foreword by, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1996, ISBN 0-691-05084-8. with, 1973 ISBN.

Stephen Hawking

The Large, the Small, and the Human Mind, (with Abner Shimony, Nancy Cartwright, and Roger Penrose), Cambridge University Press, 1997, ISBN 0-521-56330-5 (hardback), ISBN 0-521-65538-2 (paperback), Canto edition: ISBN 0-521-78572-3., Cambridge University Press, 2005., Running Press, 2005 ISBN. 8 January 2010, Retrieved 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2007-03-25. 'Alliance, Many of the greatest minds of science meet regularly in Vatican City to counsel the pope on the hot topics of the day'. Discover Magazine (Discover Magazine) (September 2008): 43.

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