When "Gunsmoke" made the leap from beloved radio program to television show, fans of the former had to get used to change. I imagine it must have been difficult at the time because there was a six year period where Marshal Matt Dillon, the legendary lawman of Dodge City, was played simultaneously by William Conrad and James Arness. The groundbreaking CBS Western drama would ultimately win out though, lasting for a staggering 635 episode run across 20 seasons. But at the time where they were both shows on their respective airwaves, changes were made to differentiate each adaptation of its characters, with one of the most notable being Marshal Dillon's right hand man.

In the radio program, Parley Baer played Chester, an assistant to the Marshal who often sounded older than he really was. It was debatable whether he was an actual Dodge City deputy, but nevertheless, he was the best friend...