Does TVLand have the rights to the
> Weaver "Gunsmoke" episodes?
i think that hallmark owns the rights to all of the 30 minute gunsmoke episodes (all black & white), which ran from 1955 thru 1961 (also, the years 1957-1961 is when gunsmoke was ranked #1 by nielsen. so, these were the peak years in terms of the show's popularity).
the encore/westerns channel has the rights to the 60 minute gunsmoke episodes in black & white, running from 1961 thru 1965. weaver played chester thru the 1962-1963 season.
believe it or not, there is at least one episode where chester and ken curtis's festus character (which in essence replaced chester) were together, i think called "prairie wolfer". i caught it on the westerns channel and was fascinated by that.
hth.
tb