Roger Ewing, ‘Gunsmoke’ Star, Dies at 83

Roger Ewing, widely known for starring as Deputy Marshal Thad Greenwood on “Gunsmoke,” has died. He was 83.

The longtime resident of Morro Bay, California, died on Dec. 18, 2025, according to an obituary from his family in Neptune Society.

Ewing was born in Los Angeles on Jan. 12, 1942. Prior to his two seasons on “Gunsmoke,” he made his first on-screen appearance in Joshua Logan’s 1964 war comedy “Ensign Pulver,” in which he starred as a young sailor named Jackson.

A year later, at just 23 years old, Ewing guest starred on the hit western as the character Ben Lukens in the episode, “Song for Dying.” His performance caught the eyes of the show’s producers, which led to him nabbing his main role as Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood.

In a 2025 interview with the Alameda Times-Star, Ewing shared that he grew up being a super fan of the series. “I watched it every Saturday night … Golly, I never thought that seven years later I’d be on the show. Why, I didn’t even have any ideas about being an actor.”

“I’ve never mentioned this before, but in my senior year at high school, our class staged a variety show, the topper of which was a satire on ‘Gunsmoke,'” he added. “The smallest boy in class was cast as Matt Dillon, and I played Chester. It turned out to be a riot.”

Ewing also starred in several other TV programs, including “Rawhide,” “The Farmer’s Daughter,” “Bewitched” and more. The last project he appeared in before retiring in 1972 was the film “Play It as It Lays.” He later pivoted to a career in professional photography.

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