Gunsmoke's Doc Adams spent a fortune to fish on Lake Mead

It was expensive, but it was his dream.

Gunsmoke was on the air for twenty years. Nobody could've predicted just how successful that show would be. Sure, it was already a beloved radio program. But that kind of longevity on television was unprecedented.

So, if you were on one of TV's most successful shows, how would you celebrate? Surely, the year-after-year payoffs would be enough to allow you to choose your luxury of choice. How would you spend it?

For Gunsmoke's Milburn Stone, the answer was clear: He wanted to fish, and he wanted to do it on Lake Mead. Luckily for fans of Westerns and fishing, Stone spoke with the San Angelo Standard-Times to break down the facts and figures associated with his dream boat.

He tracked down a boat. He did the math. In total, it would cost him $650 a month to own the boat. That was the total if he only wanted to have it. Using it, of course, would cost extra. Add to the already building costs a whopping $10 an hour, and Stone would be able to put the boat to its intended purpose.

"Naturally," said Stone, "my business manager objected to those figures. After all, his job is to object to that kind of money going.

"I said to him, 'Look, tell me this. If I buy this boat and it costs me all this money—let's say it even costs me $50,000 a year to run, which it won't, but let's say it will—will my wife have to work behind the ribbon counter? And will I be unable to support my mother?'

"He said 'No.' My wife wouldn't have to work behind the ribbon counter. So I said, 'OK, then I'll buy the boat.'"

With that, Milburn Stone made his dream come true. He purchased the boat he wanted and was able to pull out onto the lake to fish.

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10 Comments

Big3Fan 9 months ago
Not only was it expensive, it's a heckuva long buggy ride from Dodge City, Kansas.
Suzies1952 9 months ago
Doc Adams is fishing in heaven with my dad, grandpa, and step dad😀
Bill1970 Suzies1952 9 months ago
And Festus. Can't forget Festus.
GApch Bill1970 8 months ago
I'd like to forget Festus. IMHO, he really let everything go to his head. In the last few seasons, his whiny tone is unbearable.
Andybandit 9 months ago
Good for him. I liked the Character Doc Adams. MS played the role the whole time Gunsmoke was on TV.
Suzies1952 9 months ago
I am glad doc Adams got his dream and got to fish on lake mead!, I’ve been fishing my whole life, been a while but I have some good fish stories to tell myself, well Burt Reynolds’s is on gun smoke now, glad not too long, I’ll still watch it but happy when he’s gone
Mugen Suzies1952 9 months ago
I definitely agree with Suzie!
Everyone needs a great hobby and fishing is one of the greatest hobbies ever! He's still probably fishing in heaven now!
DMZABO Suzies1952 8 months ago
I actually like the Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper) episodes the best. But that’s what makes Gunsmoke so special. There’s so many characters on that show that people enjoy. Thad (fishing episode where the Buffalo pelt hunters tried to steal his boots was a great episode. & Doc and Festus try to find the creek/pond to catch those big Bass fish was funny. ) was good too. Now Chester that’s a whole different animal. lol have a happy new year.
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