Where Was Gunsmoke Filmed? Nathan Juran’s Classic Western Drama!

Classic Western films are among the most popular Western dramas of all time. You probably know that when it comes to Westerns, the movie’s filming location matters a lot as it helps to bring out the correct essence of the film. This article is about the movie Gunsmoke (1953) and not the TV series of the same name. In this article, I’ll discuss the film and tell you where was Gunsmoke filmed.

Gunsmoke recounts the story of a gunslinger who helps a rancher and his daughter save their property from a local mob boss. The Western drama film features veteran actors, including Audie Murphy, Susan Cabot, Paul Kelly, Charles Drake, and Mary Castle. Audie Murphy, who starred in the lead role, was a well-established actor and a World War Two soldier who received numerous military combat awards. He was also the recipient of the Medal Of Honor.

Now let me clear your confusion regarding where was Gunsmoke filmed. The western drama movie was shot in Big Bear Valley, California, United States of America.

Helmed by Nathan Juran and written by D D Beauchamp, Gunsmoke was released in the United States on 4 May 1953, followed by its release in the United Kingdom on 13 October 1953. The classic Western drama movie arrived on streaming platforms on 5 November 2019. The film is a Universal International Pictures production distributed internationally and in the US by Universal Pictures. However, let’s move ahead and find out more about the filming location.

Where Was Gunsmoke Filmed? Gunsmoke Filming Locations!

Nathan Juran’s Gunsmoke, back in the day was a box office hit. It earned over $1.3 million.  After its commercial success, Juran made two more sequels, which, unfortunately, did not turn out to be as successful as the original movie. The Western drama film did not receive any critical acclaim, but it was definitely loved by many film buffs, especially those fond of Western dramas.

Austrian filmmaker Nathan Juran was also an art director who worked with the legendary John Ford. He was an Academy Award-nominated director and was best known for his sci-fi and fantasy movies. Gunsmoke received a rating of 6.6 on IMDb and an audience score of 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, let’s not waste any more time and check out where was Gunsmoke filmed.

Big Bear Valley, California, United States Of America

The classic Western drama movie was filmed in California’s Big Bear Valley. Principal photography of the movie got underway in June 1952. Most of the filming occurred in and around Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Lake, except for a portion filmed at Universal Studios. 

Big Bear Valley is a valley in San Bernardino County, California. A few scenes were also filmed near Big Bear Lake in Southern California and under San Bernardino County. Big Bear Valley was an ideal location for filming the western drama movie Gunsmoke.

The cattle drive scene, considered one of the movie’s most iconic sequences, was filmed at Big Bear Valley. A handful of other scenes, including the movie’s opening sequence, were shot in San Bernardino National Forest, which stretches across 823,816 acres and is home to several waterfalls, magnificent mountain peaks, and lush alpine meadows.

The famous card game scene in the movie was filmed at Universal Studios, which is situated at 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California. Most of the scenes set in the town were shot in the studio. 

Besides filming in Big Bear Valley and Universal Studios, the cast and crew also shot several additional scenes at the Iverson Movie Ranch, Big Sky Movie Ranch, Old Tucson Studios, and Bronson Canyon at Griffith Park. Other movies like Gone with the Wind, The Insider, and Magnolia were filmed in Big Bear Valley, California. 

Plot of Gunsmoke (1953) | Let’s Meet Gunslinger Reb Kittridge!

The story of Gunsmoke revolves around the character of Reb Kittridge, played by Audie Murphy. Reb is a young and wandering gunslinger hired by Matt Telford, played by Donald Randolph. He travels all the way to Montana and finds out that he has to get hold of the deeds of the last remaining ranch in the area. Soon, Reb learns about Telford’s true intentions and realizes he is an evil man who uses fear to get what he wants.

Reb changes sides and turns against Telford. He informs Dan Saxon, played by Paul Kelly, and his daughter Rita, played by Susan Cabot, about Telford’s plan to take away their ranch. Reb tries his best to protect them and their property from Telford, who hires Reb’s former partner, Johnny Lake, played by Charles Drake, to complete the job.

Final Words

Now that you know where was Gunsmoke filmed, I would suggest you start making a plan soon and check out the filming locations I mentioned. If you haven’t got the chance to watch the classic Western drama film yet, well, in that case, make sure you watch it as soon as possible. The movie is available on several digital platforms. However, if you liked going through the article, then do not forget to let me know.