Undoubtedly there were some contractual issues. Gunsmoke was moved to Monday night in the mid-60's, which revived the series. When it went to the one-hour format (after Chester's departure), it slumped to the mid-30s in the Nielsen ratings, but the move to Monday night breathed new life into it. That was about 1968, I would say. But, by 1973, it was slumping again. Amanda, who had sold her residual rights to the series in the early 60s, probably figured that the series had run its course and, at 45 (!!!!), it was time to branch out from the Long Branch. It is hard to believe that she was only 45, but she started the series in her mid-20's. My guess is that the producers could not pay her enough, in view of the slumping ratings, and that, together with no investment (no residuals) in the series, made it easier for her to leave while the getting was good. Age was still on her side, although she was typecast. Of course, she never did duplicate her fame. She had a modest career afterward, and she was no longer in the public eye. Marrying her last husband seems to be something of a last gasp (both literally and figuratively). But, going back to 1974, I can't blame her for leaving. The series was tired. It was time for everyone to go. The producers knew it, and made little attempt to keep her.

Never heard that about Palance. Aside from Ripley's Believe It or Not he didn't seem to have much luck with Bronk or The Greatest Show on Earth. I still can't imagine Royal Dano as Dillon.
2000Weaver said in an interview years ago when he went to New York he would have to lose his accent if he wanted to get anywhere as an actor. Then he went to Hollywood and they cast him in westerns where he had to get his accent back!

Interesting since she came back from New Orleans to nurse Matt back to health in the first Gunsmoke movie. She remarked that she finally thought she was over him until she found out that he was near death.
When Dennis Weaver left, I heard that they considered make Jack Palance his deputy but if it is true, I guess they did not think he would be a good fit.

Kitty also realized that she could never marry Matt because she never knew which bullet might have his name on it.
I was a fan of the radio show and don't remember there being a stronger relationship between William Conrad and Georgia Ellis. But I do remember when Conrad was interviewed about Cannon, he was asked if he could see himself as a sex symbol. "No. I gave that thought up when I was eighteen years ago."
I also remember reading somewhere that character actor Royal Dano had been considered to play Matt Dillon. Very interesting idea if you could get past his mournful face.

i remember one program where there was a serial killer in Dodge. Matt mentioned to Thad or Newley, I don't remember which one, that two people who had served on the jury that was being killed off mysteriously had left town werer Quint Asper (Burt Reynolds) had gone to California and Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver) who he had told of him working for Matt for quite awhile had gone back to Texas. That is the closest that I heard of acknowledgement of departures. Maybe there was hope for Amanda Blake to come back and she was in the first Gunsmoke movies since an SOB named Mannon (Steve Forrest) who was obsessed on her had come back to Dodge after getting out of prison to take revenge on Matt and Kitty.

I know this is old but thought I would answer it anyway. In season 20 (the post-Kitty season) there was no mention made of Kitty's departure. As when Dennis Weaver left, no explanation was given.
Amanda left Gunsmoke because she was fired after multiple disputes with Executive Producer John Mantley who later stated that was the "biggest mistake" of his career. In fact, some scripts were written for season 21 and Kitty was written into those scripts but the show was cancelled.

I HAVE NEVER,IN 70 YEARS,SEEN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEING IN PERSON.THAN MS.BLAKE.

It looks like nothing was said about her. I have been watching the post-Kitty episodes and if they said anything about it I missed it. I wonder what the story is why she left in real life. Sometimes when someone leaves a show it is the one person who makes the show go. The others did what they could but she was could not be replaced. It did not show much class for the network after all the money Gunsmoke made for CBS the the performers found out about the cancellation in the paper. I may be wrong but that is what I have read about the cancellation.

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