This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 90: The Hollywood People Behind Radio’s Baby Boomer Boom (1945 - 1954)

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By 1951 director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston were working on multiple projects at CBS and continuing their refinement of the radio western.

On August 6th the series Romance broadcast a western named “Pagosa,” which starred William Conrad in the title role of Jeff Spain.

Macdonnell approached CBS brass about the possibility of doing a Jeff Spain series. His timing was right. CBS already had the title for a series in mind: Gunsmoke.

Two audition programs were recorded in the middle of 1949 with a title character named Mark Dillon. Neither sold.

CBS gave Macdonnell and Meston one week to put production together.