John Meston

1914–1979

One of John Meston’s earliest forays into the world of radio storytelling was the dramatic adventure, Escape, which began in 1947 and ended in 1954. CBS broadcast the show and it was sponsored mostly by Richland Oil Company. Meston was one of the writers, along with Les Crutchfield, Walter Newman and others.

William Conrad and Paul Frees were the alternate voices for the opening and also played some leading roles. Other top actors of the time who played leading or support roles in Escape were Jack Webb, Ed Begley, Georgia Ellis and Virginia Gregg.

Escape was the first radio show that Meston worked with Producer/Director, Norman Macdonnell, but he would work with him again on creating and writing the blockbuster radio hit, Gunsmoke. Meston was considered one of radio and television’s most significant writers because of his contributions to setting a high standard for westerns that others tried to emulate. (Picture opposite Norman Macdonnell behind, John Meston in front.)

John Meston also worked as a writer on the popular western radio drama, Fort Laramie, broadcast by CBS and starring Raymond Burr as Captain Lee Quince. Other stars in the show included Vic Perrin, Harry Bartell and Jack Moyles. Macdonnell, Meston’s pal from Gunsmoke and Escape produced Fort Laramie and called it a monument to ordinary men who lived in extraordinary times.

Although Meston was best known for his work for Gunsmoke, he also contributed to other popular shows of the time. Romance, a dramatic romance radio show was first broadcast in 1943. Later, in 1950, Macdonnell and Meston worked on the show -- together again with actors William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, John Dehner and others.

In addition to his work on Gunsmoke, he also contributed scripts to radio shows such as Suspense, Lux Radio Theater, The Bakers' Theatre of Stars, Fort Laramie, and Escape. He served as editorial supervisor on the radio series Romance.

Oddly enough, Meston never won an award for his vast and prolific works, but he’ll always be known as a premiere writer who was instrumental in writing some of the most memorable shows in radio’s history. In 1992, CBS broadcast a movie made for television called To The Last Man and dedicated it to Meston’s memory.

Meston was born in Pueblo, Colorado on July 30, 1914 and passed away on March 24, 1979. His grandson, Daja, fought for the Tibetan freedom movement. An article about his journey appeared in a 2005 issue of the Wall Street Journal. 

Happy listening my friends,