Gunsmoke Actor Roger Ewing Dies at 83

Roger Ewing, the actor best known for his role as Deputy Marshal Thad Greenwood on the long-running western series Gunsmoke, died on December 18, 2025, in Morro Bay, California. He was 83.

Ewing's family announced his passing in an obituary, but did not disclose a cause of death. A longtime resident of the coastal California town, Ewing had retired from acting decades earlier and pursued other interests, including professional photography and local politics.

Born Roger Lawrence Ewing on January 12, 1942, in Los Angeles, he developed an early affinity for Gunsmoke as a viewer. In a high school variety show during his senior year, he performed in a satire of the series, playing the role of Chester, originally portrayed by Dennis Weaver. "I watched it every Saturday night," Ewing recalled in a 1966 interview. "Golly, I never thought that seven years later I'd be on the show."

After one year of college and a stint as a lifeguard, Ewing turned to acting full time. His screen debut came in 1964 with an uncredited role in the war comedy Ensign Pulver, directed by Joshua Logan, where he appeared as a young sailor. That year, he also landed guest spots on television shows including...