Gunsmoke wasn’t just a TV show — it was a weekly tradition for millions. Now, fans are mourning the loss of Roger Ewing, who portrayed deputy marshal Thad Greenwood during the 1960s. He died at 83 on December 18 at his longtime home in Morro Bay, California, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Standing 6-foot-4 with a rugged presence, Ewing first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1965 before being introduced as Thad Greenwood in season 11. Just 23 at the time, he quickly became a familiar and steady presence in Dodge City.
Thad, the son of an Oklahoma sheriff, arrives seeking justice for his father’s death and ultimately stays on as Marshal Matt Dillon’s deputy. Ewing once said Thad naturally fit into the show’s close-knit cast. “Matt, Kitty, Doc and Festus sort of adopted him,” he recalled. “He fit in whenever necessary.” He appeared in 50 episodes through 1967, but as ratings rebounded and cast dynamics shifted, his role was gradually phased out.
Born in Los Angeles in 1942, Ewing had been a longtime fan of the show before joining it. After early television appearances on Bewitched, Rawhide, and others, he landed his breakout role on Gunsmoke. He later appeared in films including Smith! and Play It as It Lays, and nearly secured a major role in Midnight Cowboy.
Eventually stepping away from acting, Ewing reinvented himself as a photographer and later became involved in local politics. For fans, he will always be remembered as Thad — the dependable young deputy who helped make Dodge City feel like home.
