Marian Clark was one of the first female news writers in radio, working
for KNX during World War II. Later, she became friends with Hollywood
writer Kathleen Hite, who thought scriptwriting would be good therapy
for her (Clark was confined to a wheelchair). Hite introduced Clark to
"Gunsmoke" producer Norman Macdonnell, and a new career was born. Clark
subsequently worked steadily in network radio and television, providing
nearly eighty scripts for the "Gunsmoke" radio series between 1957 and
1961. Many of those stories were also adapted for the television
version of that famous Western. She also wrote one script for the radio
version of "Have Gun, Will Travel" and one script for the "Klondike"
television series. Clark died at 50, following a three-year battle with breast cancer.
