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TV’s Longest-Running Western Was Almost Canceled – But This Iconic Sitcom Bit The Bullet Instead

July 10, 2025

Gunsmoke is one of the greatest Western TV shows of all time, but after being saved from its first early cancellation, the iconic sitcom, Gilligan’s Island, ended up biting the dust instead. Spanning 20 seasons, Gunsmoke is the longest-running Western show of all time, and is a masterpiece of the genre, with nothing coming close until Deadwood in the early 2000s.

Starting out as a radio show before becoming a TV series, Gunsmoke endured for decades, with even the threat of a cancellation a little over halfway through the show’s run. 50 years after the show ended, Gunsmoke has continued to see success in the streaming era, showing just how iconic it has always been.

How Gunsmoke Was Almost Canceled

Gunsmoke Was Briefly Cancelled After Season 12

Despite being one of the most enduring TV shows of all time, there was a time when Gunsmoke was actually cancelled for a brief period of time. This came after season 12 of the series in 1967 when CBS president James T. Aubrey decided to pull the plug on the Western series for reasons such as a decline in viewership and possibly declining quality (via SlashFilm).

This came as a shock to many, as Gunsmoke had successfully made the jump from starting as a radio show in 1952 to becoming the most prominent Western on television. Few series in the genre were able to match what the show had done for 12 seasons. The cast and crew of Gunsmoke received cancellation notices with a teary-eyed wrap party.

During its run, Gunsmoke featured guest appearances from actors who had celebrated Hollywood careers, including William Shatner, Harrison Ford, and Burt Reynolds.

In the book How I Escaped from Gilligan’s Island, author William Froug, writer and producer of Gilligan’s Island, talked about the cancellation of Gunsmoke, detailing the behind-the-scenes power struggle that came with the show’s future. According to Froug, Aubrey had actually cancelled the show without consulting CBS executive William S. Paley.

Paley had been championing Gunsmoke since it began on the radio prior to the television series being made. Froug explained that Paley was not happy with the decision and immediately ordered that the show be renewed. The cancellation backfired a bit as several of Gunsmoke‘s stars renegotiated contracts for higher salaries, but the series was saved.

A CBS Executive’s Wife Reportedly Saved Gunsmoke

Barbara Paley Might Have Been The Driving Force Behind The Decision To Renew The Show

It turns out that Paley’s decision to bring back Gunsmoke so quickly may have been because of his wife, Barbara “Babe” Paley. Many viewed Barbara Paley as the main driving force behind wanting to get Gunsmoke renewed following its cancellation, which could have influenced her husband.

In a 2013 interview with Esquire, Dawn Wells, who played Mary Anne in Gilligan’s Island, opened up about the cancellation of Gunsmoke. She talked about the role that Barbara Paley had in getting it renewed and what that eventually meant for Wells’ own show, which ended up being canceled after only three seasons.:

What happened was Gunsmoke was canceled and we were moved into their time slot. Mrs. Paley—the wife of the board chairman—had been on vacation when Gunsmoke was canceled, and when she got home, she said, ‘You can’t cancel Gunsmoke. It’s my favorite show.’

Wells isn’t the only person who has alluded to Barbara Paley playing a significant role in Gunsmoke getting renewed. In the book Inside ‘Gilligan’s Island’, the series creator, Sherwood Schwartz, talked about the Paleys and how they were embarrassed about Gilligan’s Island, and were the main reason for the show being shuffled through multiple timeslots throughout its run.

According to Schwartz, the Paleys had received the final CBS schedule while they were on vacation in the Bahamas. William Paley was reportedly furious about seeing that Gunsmoke had been cancelled given that it was his and his wife’s favorite show. If Barbara Paley hadn’t loved Gunsmoke as much as she did, it’s likely it would not have been renewed.

Why Gilligan’s Island Was Canceled Instead Of Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke Ended Up Taking Gilligan’s Island’s Timeslot

The cast of Gilligan's island looks on in a promo image

Unfortunately for Gilligan’s Island, the renewal of Gunsmoke had a direct effect on its own cancellation, ending the series after only three seasons, with the characters left on the island. After bouncing around timeslots during its first three seasons, Gilligan’s Island was set for another, but Gunsmoke ended up taking its timeslot when it was quickly renewed.

Whether Barbara Paley’s affinity for Gunsmoke was the true reason why it ended up being quickly renewed or not, the fact that it was renewed is the main reason that Gilligan’s Island ended up on the chopping block. Of course, the series was nearly universally reviled by critics, which could have been another reason it was cancelled once Gunsmoke was back.

The Greatest Western Show Of All Time Didn’t Receive A Proper Finale Until 19 Years After It Was Canceled

After 20 seasons, the greatest TV Western ever didn’t deserve to be canceled so abruptly. But a spinoff TV movie in 1994 made up for it.

While Gilligan’s Island was never given the chance to be a long-running series, it ended up finding much more success when it went into syndication. Reruns in the ’70s and ’80s helped to make it a classic in many viewers’ eyes. Compared to its initial run, it showed the sitcom could always have had an audience.

Both Gunsmoke and Gilligan’s Island are fascinating looks at how series can eventually grow into classics of television. Whether it was a well-received and long-running show or critically panned with a short-lived initial run, both are important staples in TV history. If Gunsmoke had been cancelled and Gilligan’s Island continued, things could have been quite different.