Remembering Glenn Strange, Sam Noonan from ‘Gunsmoke’

GUNSMOKE, Glenn Strange, 1955-75 (1972 photo) — Gene Trindl/TV Guide/Everett Collection

On Gunsmoke, everyone knew that Marshal Matt Dillon kept the peace and Miss Kitty ran the Long Branch Saloon — but there was another Dodge City resident who fans came to love: Sam Noonan, the tough-looking but friendly and easygoing bartender portrayed by actor Glenn Strange. Strange took on the role of Sam in 1961 and remained a fixture in Dodge City for over a decade, appearing in more than 200 episodes of the classic series. Though not a leading character, his steady presence behind the bar made Dodge City feel like home for viewers.

Strange was born on August 16, 1899, in the frontier town of Weed, in New Mexico Territory. He grew up on a ranch in West Texas, left school after the eighth grade and as a teenager, taught himself guitar and fiddle and performed at local cowboy dances. In the 1920s, Strange worked an array of jobs reflecting his authentic Western upbringing: He served as a firefighter in El Paso, a deputy sheriff in Oklahoma, and sang on live country music radio broadcasts.

Gene Trindl/TV Guide/Everett Collection

By the 1930s, Strange had established himself as a prolific character actor in Hollywood Westerns, appearing in hundreds of films during the golden age of the genre. Standing well over six feet tall, he became a natural fit to play outlaws, henchmen or tough cowboys; much of his early career was spent playing the “bad guy” in B-Westerns and serials.

One notable early role came on television in 1949, when Strange appeared in in the first episode of The Lone Ranger — he portrayed the ruthless outlaw Butch Cavendish, the man who ambushed the Texas Rangers and inadvertently created the Lone Ranger.

ABBOT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, Glenn Strange, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Jr., 1948

Everett Collection

In an unexpected turn, he also entered the realm of classic horror. Universal Studios noticed his towering build and cast him as Frankenstein’s monster in three films during the 1940s: He donned the famous flat-topped wig and appeared in House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Though Strange had played dozens of roles by the late 1950s, it was Gunsmoke that gave him his most enduring part — though Noonan wasn’t his first role on the show. He first appeared in a handful of different guest roles, but in 1961 he was cast as Sam Noonan, the amiable barkeep of Dodge City’s Long Branch Saloon. The role was originally intended to be small, and Strange assumed it would just be a day of work, but it blossomed into a steady gig that lasted 12 years. He was seen cheerfully pouring drinks for the heroes and outlaws of Dodge, though amusingly, the character did not drink alcohol himself.

GUNSMOKE, Glenn Strange, Amanda Blake, James Arness, Ken Curtis, Milburn Stone, ?, 1955-75

Everett Collection

He became so identified with the role that fans would routinely recognize him on the street and call out “Sam,” and he loved it. Rather than correct them, he’d tip his hat and reply “Howdy” in true cowboy fashion.

In 1972, after over a decade on Gunsmoke, Strange was diagnosed with lung cancer. He ultimately had to retire from the show, and his final appearance as Sam aired in November 1973, during Gunsmoke‘s 19th season. Only a short time before that episode was broadcast, Strange passed away on September 20, 1973, at age 74, in Los Angeles. In a touching farewell, five Gunsmoke episodes featuring Sam Noonan were still in the pipeline and aired after his death. At Strange’s funeral, his close friend, Western singer Eddie Dean, performed a song as a final tribute to him.