Roger Ewing, best known for playing Deputy Marshal Thad Greenwood on Gunsmoke, has died at age 83. He passed away in Morro Bay, California, on Dec. 18, 2025, according to his family. No cause of death was announced.
Friends remembered Ewing as a kind, gentle, and humble man. “Roger was a good and decent man who never let fame go to his head,” wrote close friend Mark Ashworth. Linda Brady added that his warmth and optimism helped make Thad Greenwood a beloved Gunsmoke character who will live on in reruns worldwide.
Born in Los Angeles on Jan. 12, 1942, Ewing grew up watching Gunsmoke and later made his uncredited film debut in Ensign Pulver (1964). After guest roles on shows like Bewitched and Rawhide, he joined Gunsmoke in 1965, eventually becoming Thad Greenwood after Burt Reynolds left the series. Ewing appeared in 50 episodes until 1967.
After leaving the show, he acted in several TV and film projects before retiring from acting in the early 1970s. He later became a photographer, traveling widely, and remained active in local politics in Morro Bay.
“He will be truly missed,” friend Patrick Hall wrote.