The Iconic Western TV Series 'Gunsmoke' May Have Helped Popularize a Common Phrase

If you’ve ever heard the phrase, "Get out of Dodge" and wondered where that came from, chances are your research will take you back to Gunsmoke. The famed Western giant of a TV show ran for 20 straight seasons between 1955 and 1975, a record at the time and also today. As the longest-running Western program, Gunsmoke featured James Arness in the leading role as the fictional Marshal Matt Dillon, who protected Dodge City from all unseemly characters and villainous fiends. Considering Gunsmoke's popularity, it's no wonder that "get out of Dodge" (sometimes said more like, "get outta Dodge" or "get the hell out of Dodge") became part of our common vernacular — but there's more to the story.