Why did Gunsmoke’s Marshal Matt Dillon always wear his badge underneath his vest?

Why did Gunsmoke’s Marshal Matt Dillon always wear his badge underneath his vest?

Linda McGill
Nashville, Georgia

Wearing the badge underneath the vest wasn’t that unusual for a real peace officer in the Old West. It was less ostentatious; all he had to do was flip the vest open to show his authority. Actor James Arness may have known that when he put his costume on.

What do you think?

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Marshall Trimble

Marshall Trimble is Arizona’s official historian, board president of the Arizona Historical Society and vice president of the Wild West History Association. His latest book is Arizona’s Outlaws and Lawmen; History Press, 2015. If you have a question, write: Ask the Marshall, P.O. Box 8008, Cave Creek, AZ 85327 or e-mail him at marshall.trimble@scottsdalecc.edu