Gunsmoke Actor Roger Ewing Dies at 83

Roger Ewing, best known for his portrayal of deputy marshal Thad Greenwood on Gunsmoke, is dead. He was 83.

His family announced in an obituary that Ewing died on Dec. 18, 2025. No cause of death was given.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ewing first appeared on Gunsmoke in February 1965, at age 23, playing a character named Ben Lukens.

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Later that year, Ewing would first appear as Thad in the third installment of season 11 and would go on to portray the young deputy and handyman for 50 episodes until September 1967.

Ewing got his start in acting as a senior in high school when he appeared in a variety show satire of Gunsmoke, according to The Hollywood Reporter. After attending college for a year and working as a lifeguard, he switched his pursuits to acting, making his onscreen debut in 1964 in an uncredited role in the film Ensign Pulver.

That same year, he would land guest appearances on Bewitched, The Baileys of Balboa, and The Bing Crosby Show. He would continue to receive acting credits in 1965, including None But the Brave and Rawhide.

After his time on Gunsmoke, Ewing made a 1967 appearance in The Mothers-in-Law. While his last TV gig was on Death Valley Days in 1970, his final two film roles were in 1969’s Smith! and 1972’s Play It as It Lays.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ewing left acting to pursue photography, which took him to Mexico, Russia, Europe, and the South Pacific. The outlet reported that he was also active in local politics and ran for a city council seat in his hometown of Morro Bay in 2003.

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Ewing never married or had children, but is survived by other family members, per Extra.