Around Dodge City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
Music
Gun Smoke, starring William Conrad, the story of the violence that moved west with young America, and the story of a man who moved with it.
I'm that man, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal, the first man they look for and the last they want to meet.
It's a chancey job, and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Music
Pa? Pa?
I ain't hiding. Come around back.
I didn't know if you was to the house.
Yeah, well, I ain't.
Yeah, well, you lost finding Dodge?
Lost? Well, you know I wasn't lost, Pa. I've been there twice since we come here.
What kept you?
Well, I stopped off.
In one of them saloons?
You know I ain't never been in one of them places, Pa.
You go in one, you just keep right on, riding through town, and don't never bother to come back home.
I know, Pa.
What kept you?
There was one of them medicine shows, Pa, a fellow with a magic act and a pretty girl.
You were supposed to ride right home.
I was thinking on you, Pa, with them pains in your back.
This elixir some fellow was talking about, it would have fixed you up real good.
You didn't buy none.
Well, you know I didn't have no money for it, Pa.
That's a good thing.
Oh, they was selling a lot of it, and folks was drinking it down right there.
You could see right away that they was feeling better.
Did you get what you went for?
Oh, sure, Pa. I fetched the paper from the lawyer fellow about buying this place,
and I fetched the mail, too.
Mail? Who would be writing?
It's from Jim. He must have found out we'd moved here.
He must want something pretty bad.
He's coming through this way. He wants to stop and stay a spell.
He ain't welcome.
Jim's your boy, same as me.
Not anymore, he ain't.
You ain't seen him in three years.
That was his doing, not mine, him and his fancy manners and his fancy women.
He didn't belong around his home no more.
What? I'd kind of like to see Jim again, Pa.
Well, you ain't going to do it.
Your brother's gone bad, Ruth, mean, fancy bad.
He didn't come when your ma lay dying, and he ain't coming here whilst I live.
Now, you got that straight?
Yes, Pa.
All right, then.
Come help me with this stock and try to do something right for once.
I'll play you more coffee, Sheriff, if you'd like another cup of it.
Oh, this will do nicely, thank you, Chester.
Wouldn't be no trouble. It's all hot and everything.
No, no, thanks.
Oh, hello, Blair. Sorry to keep you waiting.
Oh, Matt. I've been extending to him the courtesies of your office, Mr. Dillon.
You've been what?
Give me some coffee.
I don't know if that was a courtesy or not.
How's that?
It's all right, Chester. As a matter of fact, I'll have some myself.
Oh, sure.
Something on your mind, Blair, besides that cup of coffee?
Here, Matt, there is.
I'm after a man I'd like you to keep a lookout for.
I think he may pass through here and is away from Texas.
Huh?
His name's Waddell, Jim Waddell.
Here's your coffee, Mr. Dillon.
Oh, thanks, Chester.
What's he done?
Just about everything, but I want him for murder.
You got a circular on him?
No, there isn't one out yet.
How's he look like?
He doesn't look like the kind that gets in trouble.
He's a slick one, never carries a gun, dresses like a dude.
Does he act like one?
Yeah, he's a soft-spoken fella, fancy-mannered, especially with the ladies.
Well, he shouldn't be too hard to spot if he comes through a place like Dodge.
Maybe not, but I'd be careful with him.
No?
He likes to do his killing with a knife.
And he don't care much whether it's a man or a woman.
I'll keep an eye out for him, Blair.
If you spot him, will you lock him up till I can come get him?
Yeah, I'll let you know if I do.
Just look at that.
Look at what?
The plate full of leftovers they serve you for stew.
I don't know, Kitty.
Tastes pretty good to me.
Everything tastes good to you.
Well, food's food, you know.
That's the trouble with this town.
What, the food?
The food and everything in it, including the people.
Yeah.
Has somebody been giving you trouble?
Oh, no.
It isn't anybody in particular.
It's just everybody.
That's taking in a lot of territory, isn't it?
Sometimes I think if I see another drunken cowboy, I'll scream.
Your saloon makes a lot of money off of drunken cowboys, Kitty.
Yeah, but I don't have to like it.
Maybe not.
There are a lot of other people in town.
Yeah, they're either blown dry by the prairie
or trying so hard to scramble for money they never look up.
You're in a mood for fare, aren't you?
I guess I am.
Sometimes I just get sick of it all.
Well, I sort of admit that Dodge isn't the prettiest place I've ever seen.
Well, the people aren't very pretty either.
Oh, come on, Kitty.
Have some more coffee. It'll make you feel better.
No, no, thanks. You have some. I think I'll go on.
You sure?
Yeah, sure.
Uh, you want me to come along with you?
No, thanks. I'll go on alone.
See you later.
All right, Kitty.
Thanks for the dinner.
Oh, hello, Miss Kitty.
Hello.
Oh!
Back you apart.
You could at least look where you're going.
Did I hurt you, ma'am?
Oh, no, no, you didn't hurt me.
I certainly am relieved to hear that.
My purse.
I'll get it.
Here you are, ma'am.
And if there's any damage, I'll be glad to buy you a new one.
Well, no, it doesn't really hurt.
You be sure now. Who was right clumsy at me bumping into a lady like that?
Oh, it could happen to anyone.
You're a new one, Dodger, aren't you?
Why, yes, ma'am. Jack Norman at your service.
Well, I don't know where you came from, Mr. Norman,
but you sure don't act like the men around this town.
They'd bump into you without even noticing.
I find it hard to believe anyone wouldn't notice you, ma'am.
No sir, Mr. Norman, you don't act like anybody, I know.
Two beers, Sam.
Two beers.
It's my turn to buy, Mr. Dylan.
All right, Chester, get your money up.
I got it right.
Yeah.
You know, you're a real sport, Chester.
Oh, no, it ain't nothing.
Here you are.
Thanks, Sam.
Well, I declare, Mr. Dylan, on a hot day,
a glass of beer tastes almost as good as a cup of my coffee.
Yeah.
That was sort of a joke, Mr. Dylan.
What?
That's a nice fellow, ain't he, that Miss Kitty's having a drink with?
Yeah, he seems all right.
Sure does like to have her sitting down at his table.
Kitty sells a lot of drinks that way.
I expect you're right.
Look, she's coming over here.
Yeah.
She'll lose money on us, Chester.
I reckon she will.
I ain't got no more to spend.
Well, hello, Miss Kitty.
Hello, Chester.
Hi, Kitty.
You boys want to sit down?
No, thanks, Kitty.
I've got to be getting back, and Chester's out of money.
Well, sounds like I'm wasting my time.
Is your friend that Mr. Norman going to be in town for long?
Oh, I don't know, Chester.
He's having pretty good luck at that poker game over there.
He may not be in any hurry.
See, they just delt him in again.
Yeah.
Hope he has good luck.
He's in with a tough bunch.
Oh, he can handle himself.
Hey, look, they're fighting.
Yeah.
Come on.
All right, hold on.
That's enough.
All right, hold on.
All right.
Just stand, you see, Morts.
Yeah.
I ain't the one to grab hold of, Marshal.
He's the one that pulled the knife.
Norman?
Yes, sir.
He sure did.
All right, what about that, Norman?
The man has to protect his interests, Marshal.
It was a crooked deal.
There's nothing dirtier than a knife fighter.
I'll take your knife.
That won't be necessary, Marshal.
I won't hurt him.
I said I'll take the knife.
I don't think...
Now.
That's better.
Do you always carry a knife, Norman?
I don't like guns, Marshal Dillon.
I see.
You been in Texas lately?
Yes, I have.
I'm on my way from there now.
Where are you headed?
Well, I haven't made up my mind.
Just sort of going from town to town, taking it as it comes.
With your knife handy, huh?
Well, now, Marshal, a man has to protect himself.
Have you ever killed anybody with that knife?
It was necessary once, Marshal.
Like I said, a man needs protection.
Yeah.
Oh, so does the law.
How's that?
I'm gonna lock you up for a couple of days.
For getting into a fight?
I didn't hurt anybody.
Move.
Matt.
Yeah.
He's being a little hasty.
Maybe, but I'm gonna hold him until I hear from Blair.
I don't think Jack's a killer.
I don't know whether he is or not, yet.
I'm still gonna lock him up.
You've got no right to do this, Marshal.
You can argue about that in jail.
You're making a big mistake.
If I am, I'm sure I'll hear about it.
I'm sure you will, too.
All right, come on, Chester.
Let's get him out of here.
Oh, here you are.
Was there a telegram for him, Mr. Dillon?
Uh-huh.
Does Sheriff Blair think he's the right fella?
Yeah, everything matches up with his name.
Mm-hmm.
Well, it could change that easy, huh?
Yeah.
I know one thing.
I'll be glad to be rid of him one way or the other.
He seems quiet enough when I'm around, Chester.
Is he causing you trouble?
Oh, it ain't what he does.
Mr. Dillon, it ain't even what he says.
It's more of the way he says it.
Yeah, he's a smooth talker, all right.
More like a smart aleck, in my way of thinking.
Ah.
Ah, hello, Kitty.
How's it going, Kitty?
Did you find out anything about Jack Norman?
Uh, yeah, we, uh...
Mr. Dillon just got a telegraph about him.
Sheriff claims he's the right one, all right.
Well, it's about time he came and made certain, isn't it?
Well, they can't start for a day or two.
He's got something to tend to and wish it to.
So Norman sits in jail while Sheriff Blair takes his time.
Well, Kitty, there isn't anything I can do about it.
Maybe not.
But you had to arrest him in the first place.
Yeah.
Come on, Chester.
Poor Kitty takes over my office.
Sometimes I think I could do a better job of it.
Why?
Well, ain't she kind of all fizzed up, ain't she?
I mean, about that fellow Norman being put in jail.
Chester, don't try to figure out women.
Well, there's nothing wrong with your appetite, I can say that.
Ask the Marshal to step back here, will you?
Well, now Mr. Dillon is a busy man, tending to his job.
And I'm part of his job.
Go on, tell him I want to see him.
Well, well...
Mr. Dillon!
Yeah, Chester?
He wants to see you.
I'll take the tray back.
You got something to say to me?
Yes, Marshal, I do.
I think it's about time we were honest with each other.
All right.
I just want you to know I understand how you Marshals have to operate.
Is that so?
You hear about a crime, then you have to arrest somebody, anybody,
to make a show of doing your job.
That's the way you figure it out.
That's the way it is.
Well, I can see how you have to do these things, but...
don't you think it's about time to let me go now?
No, I don't.
You haven't got a shred of evidence against me.
Matt? Oh, Matt?
Back here, Doc.
Matt?
The Reed boy just rode into town for me.
He says there's been a terrible ruckus out at the Waddell place.
Waddell?
Yeah, there are those new folks out west of town.
The old man's been hurt bad, stabbed, I understand.
I thought maybe you'd want to ride out with me.
Yeah, yeah, Doc, I'd do.
Come on.
Oh, good, you got the water.
Pour some into that pan, will you, Matt?
Yeah, sure, Doc.
Here you go.
Thank you.
Now, just hold his head up a little bit.
Easy.
Easy now.
We'll fix it.
Who did this, Waddell?
Can you tell me who did it?
I should have known.
I never thought that me, his own pa...
Will you tell me about it?
Jim, my boy, he wanted to hide here in the house.
And you wouldn't let him?
We didn't let him.
We ain't got much, Marshal, but we abide by the law.
I told him to go.
And then what happened?
Well, he was trying to get in the door, and I wouldn't let him.
He cut me, knifed his own pa.
Where did he go, Mr. Waddell?
He made Roof go with him.
Poor, slow Roof.
Jim, Jim will kill him, Marshal.
Can you tell me where he went?
Just try and tell me that.
I'm not sure.
Loaded horses with supplies.
He could have doubled back toward Texas.
All right, we'll find him.
Don't want no harm to come to Roof.
He ain't bright.
He's a good boy.
And Jim will kill him.
I'll go back and stop that, Mr. Waddell.
I swear I don't understand why this Jim took his brother along with him.
You'd think he'd have finished him off long as his pa.
Well, he figures they use him some way, Chester.
Well, maybe, but you'd think that anyhow...
Never mind, Chester. Just keep your eye on that shack up ahead.
You figure they might be up there?
They might be anywhere.
You going in there?
Yeah.
Leave the horses behind these rocks.
And bring your rifle.
I'll go ahead for the side.
Get down!
I guess he's found him.
Yeah.
Just stay low.
Don't come any closer.
I'm a U.S. Marshal, Waddell.
There are two of us.
Ah, I'm honored, Marshal.
You have a better chance if you give us a little more time.
I'll be right back.
You have a better chance if you give yourself up.
Can't quite see that, Marshal.
We can wait you out, Waddell.
No!
No, I don't think so.
Look, he's opening the door.
There are two of us, too.
Ruth and the door.
Mr. Dung, he's standing there without no gun or nothing.
Now, that's the other one.
Waddell, your brother's an innocent man.
No use letting him get hurt.
I hoped you'd feel that way, Marshal.
Ruth won't get hurt as long as you let me move freely.
You understand?
It won't work, Waddell.
It'll be your fault if it doesn't.
I'm moving out of here now.
Ruth in front of me.
I'm coming for your horses.
You make any move, I'll have to shoot, Ruth.
You'll do it, too, Mr. Dung.
Don't shoot, Chester.
Glad to see you have good judgment, Marshal.
You just walk steady, Ruth.
My daddy, Marshal!
You stupid kid!
Jim shot him!
Cover me, Chester.
Don't come any closer, Marshal.
I'll kill you!
Mr. Dillon?
Well, I didn't mean to kill him.
It's all right, Chester. You did fine.
Get your canteen.
Yes, sir.
Ruth.
Jim.
Your brother's dead, Ruth.
We didn't have much choice.
I know that, Marshal.
Pa. How's Pa?
He has a chance.
Well, you tell him.
Tell him what?
You tell him.
I stopped him.
Sure, Ruth, sure.
I had done much for Pa, but he thought was right.
But you tell him.
You tell him I stopped Jim.
That was right, Marshal, wasn't it?
That was right, Ruth.
You tell Pa.
Yeah, I'll tell him.
All right, Norman, you can go.
About time.
I'm sorry.
It's about time.
I'm sorry.
I was wrong about you.
I know. I know you're sorry, but I've been sitting in this cell for a week.
I wasted a lot of my time.
Well, don't let me waste any more of it, then.
You got to figure a small town lawman doesn't know any better.
All right, go on. Get out of here.
My pleasure.
I'll go on, Marshal.
How gone are you, Mr. Doane?
He didn't have no right to talk to you like that.
I don't know, Chester. I can't blame him too much.
Yeah, but you...
He was right about one thing.
I locked up the wrong man.
Well, maybe you did.
But you got the right man, too, didn't you?
Yeah, with his brother's help, I got him.
People's a bunch of smart alecks.
They don't know even what it takes to be a lawman.
Tracking and trailing and risking life and limb for folks that don't appreciate it
and half the time don't even deserve it.
They make me sick. That's what they do.
Dog on them?
Mr. Doane...
Mr. Doane, I'd be proud to buy you a beer.
Thank you, Chester. I'd like that.
I'd like that a lot.
Gunsmoke.
Produced and directed in Hollywood by Norman McDonald,
stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Marion Clark
with editorial supervision by John Meston.
Featured in the cast were Harry Bartel, Sam Edwards,
Lawrence Dobkin, Vic Caron, and Jack Moyles.
Harley Bair is Chester's brother,
and he's the son of the former U.S. Marshal.
Harley Bair is Chester, Howard McNeer is Doc,
and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week
when CBS Radio presents another story of the Western frontier.
When Matt Dillon, Chester Proudfoot, Doc, and Kitty,
together with all the other hard-living citizens of Dodge,
will be with you once more.
It's America growing west in the 1870s.
It's Gunsmoke.