Gunsmoke's James Arness Starred In A Failed '80s Detective Show On NBC

James Arness, renowned for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running Western series Gunsmoke, took on a different law enforcement role in McClain's Law, an NBC detective show that premiered on November 20, 1981. This comeback came six years after Gunsmoke's final episode on CBS, despite NBC reportedly greenlighting the series without a pilot or script, solely due to Arness' involvement.

Arness portrayed Detective Jim McClain, a retired cop who returned to the force after a 15-year absence following a leg injury sustained during World War II. The injury, inflicted by German machine gun fire during the 1944 Anzio invasion, had hospitalized Arness for nearly a year. During this time, he was inspired by the nurses to pursue a career in radio, leading to his eventual success in Hollywood.

However, McClain's Law only lasted for one 15-episode season between 1981 and 1982, struggling to gain traction with viewers as it settled in 61st place in ratings by the third week. The show was ultimately cancelled due to low viewership. This marked the end of James Arness' television career, although he continued to appear in TV movies.

In 1987, Arness returned to the Western genre for Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, reprise his role as the now-retired Marshal Matt Dillon, a character he had played for five Gunsmoke movies after the failed McClain's Law. His final appearance as Dillon came in 1994, nearly four decades after he first portrayed the character on the original Gunsmoke series.

Arness passed away in 2011 at the age of 88, concluding his extensive career in television and film.