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 and the Wild West History Association’s vice president. His latest book is 2018’s Arizona Oddities: A Land of Anomalies and Tamales. Send your question, with your city/state of residence, to marshall.trimble@scottsdalecc.edu or Ask the Marshall, P.O. Box 8008, Cave Creek, AZ 85327.