John Meston

John Meston (July 30, 1914 to March 24, 1979) was an American scriptwriter best known for co-creating the long running western series Gunsmoke with producer Norman Macdonnell. He wrote storylines and scripts for 379 episodes, beginning on CBS Radio in 1952 and continuing through the television adaptation that ran from 1955 to 1975. Meston also contributed to other radio dramas including Escape, Suspense, Lux Radio Theater and Fort Laramie, and later wrote for television series such as Little House on the Prairie and Hec Ramsey during the 1970s.