Marshall Matt Dillon was different from the traditional Western hero radio archetype because he stood alone and had no real friendships. Dillon had only one person that he trusted in Dodge City, and that was Chester Wesley Proudfoot, an amiable expatriate from Waco. Though never directly implied in the radio series, there are some hints that Chester Wesley Proudfoot was of Native American Indian heritage. When Gunsmoke made the transition to television, Chester’s surname was changed from Proudfoot to Goode, indicating Chester, in his radio incarnation, was indeed a “half-breed”. Prior to Gunsmoke, characters of mixed ethnicities had a long and established history of being portrayed on radio as damaged goods, incapable of being trusted. The only previous exception to this stereotyping rule of radio Westerns was The Lone Ranger, which loudly spoke out against such prejudices. Chester officially working with Marshal Dillon was never actually set in concrete. While Chester was Dillon’s friend, partner, and foil, his exact job title and status remained elusive throughout the series. Chester is first described by Dillon as his deputy in the episode titled “Post Martin” on December 13, 1952. Yet on July 5, 1954, Dillon states that Chester is not his deputy in the episode “Hank Prine.” Whatever his job title was, Chester was Dillon’s constant friend. Listen to the Sparkling Audio Quality in Radio Archives restoration of Gunsmoke, Volume 15.
