I joined Tommy Dorsey at the Paramount Theater in New York as a singer. I replaced Frank Sinatra.

In this business you break a leg and 150 other people are out of work while production is shut down. It's not like you were an accountant and could still work with your leg in a cast.

The scenes in the show were filmed with a crew of really excellent stunt jumpers, but we had the feel of the parachutes, so we could be more realistic in the roles.

Of course, western is my native music.

I really miss Gunsmoke. It was like losing my whole family.

I'm really proud ofGunsmoke. We put on a good show every week-one that families could all watch together without offending anyone.

I've thought about doing other dramatic roles besides westerns, but I grew up in the West and I know the West.