James Arness famously played Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years on the classic Western series “Gunsmoke,” one of the longest-running shows on TV. After “Gunsmoke” was over he played a different lawman, though this time he was in present-day California rather than on the frontier. “McClain’s Law” premiered on NBC on November 20, 1981, six years after “Gunsmoke” aired its last episode on CBS. NBC reportedly bought the series without seeing a pilot or even a script; having Arness on board was reason enough to give it a greenlight.
Arness stars as Detective Jim McClain, a cop who retired after suffering a leg injury. When his friend is murdered in a robbery, McClain returns to the force after 15 years away to get justice for him. Though he clashes with his boss, Lieutenant Edward DeNisco (George DiCenzo), McClain’s old school ways soon win over the younger generation of cops. What’s interesting is that McClain’s leg injury was written into the script to account for the lead, who was badly hurt in World War II during the 1944 invasion of Anzio, Italy.
German machine gun fire damaged Arness’ knee and the lower part of his leg, leaving him hospitalized for nearly a full year. He always had a memorable voice, and during his stint in the hospital, the nurses convinced him to try radio following his honorable discharge (he was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for bravery under fire). This opened the door to Hollywood, and before long he was a sought-after actor. In his autobiography, Arness revealed that McClain’s leg injury was written into the show in case he limped during shooting.
James Arness returned to the world of Gunsmoke after McClain’s Law was axed by NBC
“McClain’s Law” only ran for one 15-episode season between 1981 and 1982, cancelled due to low viewership. The early signs were not good: By its third week, the show was sitting in 61st place in the ratings. It ended up being the last TV series that James Arness made, though the actor continued to appear on the small screen in TV movies. In 1987, he returned to the Western genre for “Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge,” reprising his role as (the now-retired) Marshal Matt Dillon more than a decade after he last wore the spurs.
Arness played Dillon in a total of five “Gunsmoke” movies after the failure of “McClain’s Law.” Following “Return to Dodge,” he starred in “Gunsmoke II: The Last Apache,” “Gunsmoke III: To the Last Man,” “Gunsmoke IV: The Long Ride,” and “Gunsmoke V: One Man’s Justice.” His last appearance as Dillon was in 1994, almost four decades after he debuted as the character on the original, genre-defining Western show. “One Man’s Justice” would ultimately prove to be his final project: Arness died in 2011 at the age of 88.
