Milburn Stone
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| Milburn Stone | |||||||||||
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| Born | July 5, 1904 Burrton, Kansas, USA |
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| Died | June 12, 1980 (age 75) La Jolla, California, USA |
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| Spouse(s) | Ellen Morrison (1925-1937) Jane Garrison (1939-1940) (1941-1980) |
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Milburn Stone (July 5, 1904 - June 12, 1980) was an Emmy Award winning American television actor, who was the nephew of Broadway comedian, Fred Stone and the son of a shopkeeper, and who was best known for his role as "Doc" (Dr. Galen Adams) on the Western television series Gunsmoke.
Stone was born in Burrton, Kansas. He began his screen career in the late 1930s, and was featured in Monogram Pictures' series of "Tailspin Tommy" adventures. Stone was signed by Universal Pictures in 1943 and became a familiar face in its features and serials. One of his movie roles was a radio columnist in the Gloria Jean-Kirby Grant musical I'll Remember April. He made such an impression in this film that Universal gave him a starring role (and a similar characterization) in the 1945 serial The Master Key.
One of CBS Radio's hit series, the western Gunsmoke, was adapted for television in 1955 and recast with experienced screen actors. Howard McNear, radio's "Doc Adams," was replaced by Milburn Stone, who gave the role a harder edge consistent with his screen portrayals. He stayed with Gunsmoke through its entire run and was often shown sparring in a friendly manner with costar Ken Curtis, who played Deputy Festus Haggen.
A painting of the Doc Adams character was commissioned from Gary Hawk, a painter from Milburn Stone's home state of Kansas. When then-President Ronald Reagan, a friend of Milburn Stone, heard about the painting, Gary Hawk was invited to the Oval Office where the artwork was presented to the President.
For his contribution to the television industry, Milburn Stone has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. He died of a heart attack in La Jolla, California. In 1981, he was inducted posthumously into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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