Gunsmoke brought to you by Chesterfield. Chesterfield packs more pleasure because it's more perfectly
packed thanks to Accuray. They satisfy the most.
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 a US Marshal and the smell of Gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke starring William Conrad, the transcribed 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 chancy job and it makes a man
watchful and a little lonely.
Chester and I were about 30 miles from Dodge when we ran into the Buffalo
Hunters Camp. We've been holed up for two days in a deserted sod hut, taking cover
from one of the worst blizzards in years. But it was over now and a warm dry
Chinook blew out of the west, down off the Rockies and across the prairie into
Kansas. It was Chester who saw the camp first, a pile of buffalo hides half
covered by snow and the skeleton of a wagon, its canvas torn and shredded by
the blizzard. The camp was silent as we rode up. We got on.
They ain't near your soul here, Mr. Dillon. Maybe the men got caught out on the prairie
when the blizzard hit and couldn't get back. It sure does look that way. I don't
know how that team is still alive with nothing but that wagon for protection.
They don't look none too lively. You sure can't blame them. Get your hands up.
Close, have you? You better do what the old man says, Chester. He was hiding in the wagon.
Come over here, closer.
This your camp, mister? Of course it's my camp. Now you two drop them guns. Now we got
our hands up. Isn't that enough? You do what I say. I ain't taking no chances. I
ain't gonna get left here again. Left? You're gonna hitch up that team and you're
gonna take me into Dodge. You ain't running off like Jed Larner. Who's Jed
Larner? He's my skinner. Why did he leave you? He seen that blizzard coming and
didn't want to take any chances so he rode off. He's probably been in Dodge all
the time, warm and cozy. Why didn't you go with him? I twisted my leg and my foot
so I can't ride a horse, that's why. Larner figured driving a wagon be too slow.
You mean he left you here to freeze? Yeah, I'll kill him when I find him and I'll
kill you if you don't drive me to Dodge. Now here, he's a US Marshal, mister. He ain't
gonna leave you out here. And Marshal? Yeah, that's right. Now why don't you put
down that rifle and tell us who you are. Well, all right. My name is Ira Puckett,
Marshal. I'm usually up north following the Republican herd but I come south
this year. I'm getting old and I thought it'd be warmer down here. You sure made a
mistake about that, didn't you? You'll get me into Dodge, won't you? Sure, of course we will.
Foot, I treasured, I don't feel nothing in it. Must be froze. Huh? Well, it could be.
I'll kill Jed Larner for this. You forget about that, Puckett. I'm not taking you
back to Dodge just so you can hang. I'll forget it till I find him.
People everywhere are finding that Chesterfield packs more pleasure. Yes,
Chesterfield packs more pleasure because it's more perfectly packed. For the more
perfectly packed your cigarette, the more taste and mildness are released for you.
And Chesterfield, made with Accuray, is more perfectly packed than any cigarette
could ever be before. Firm and pleasing to the lips, mild yet deeply satisfying
to the taste, and Accuray Chesterfield has an open easy draw that unlocks all
the pleasure of fine tobacco. So remember, Chesterfield packs more pleasure.
Bye Chesterfield, mild, yet they satisfy the most.
Now how is he, Doc? Oh, he'll be all right, Matt, in time. And then his foot wasn't so
bad after all. He didn't have much foot left when I got through him. Oh. He'll be
able to walk with a cane, but his buffalo hunting days are over. How does he know
that? I told him. Ira Puckett's a proud man, Matt. A little too proud. Oh, what do you
mean? Well, what he hated most about this Jed Larner leaving him on the prairie
wasn't the fact that he might have died, but that he was helpless. A man like
Puckett can't stand being helpless. Yeah, I see. So now all crippled up, he's a
better man, Matt. Ah, they'll get over it, Doc. A man can get used to most anything in time.
Oh, I've got my doubts about Puckett, though. Well, you know that ornery old
goat? He won't even admit how old he is. Oh, how old would you guess that? Oh, he's past
70 anyway. He's in the back there if you want to see him. All right. I'll come with you.
Well, hello, Puckett. Marsha. How you feeling? Doc tell you what he'd done to me? Yeah. You
ruined my foot. Oh, I saved your life, Puckett. I ain't sure I'm grateful, Doc.
You're gonna be all right, Puckett. You're gonna be able to get around. Yeah, like old
woman. What am I gonna do for a living? I ain't one of you city people. I live off
the country. I always have. I'm a man, not a dude. You'll get used to town life and
you'll find men here, too. What kind of men? Walking around all slickered up,
parting their hair in the middle, bowing to the ladies. Ain't one of them could do
half the things I've done. Well, I was living with Camaches when most of them
was sniveling in their mother's apron. Yeah, I know. But you'll find something to do.
I'll help you. You will, eh? Sure. Then help me find Jed Larner. Bring him in here so
that I can kill him with my bare hands. What does Larner look like, Puckett?
He's tall, black hair, got a big scar run across one eye and halfway down his
right cheek. All right, I'll try to find him. And if I do, I'll run him out of town
before you get to him. So, can't even trust you, can I? Not when you want to murder a
man. I told you I didn't bring you in so you could hang.
The next few weeks I kept a sharp eye out for Jed Larner, but he must have headed
for some other part of the country. Anyway, he never showed up in Dodge. While time
passed, an arrow Puckett was able to get around a little. First with the help of
crutches and then finally with a cane. But it was obvious his hunting days were
over, and that alone seemed to shame him. Then one night his pride really got a
blow. I was at the Long Branch having a beer with Kitty.
Oh, this is a great way to start the new year, Matt. What do you mean, Kitty? Well, last year I was
hoping maybe I'd be in San Francisco by now. Oh, you never told me. What would you
have done about it? Oh, nothing, I guess. Why San Francisco? No blizzards, no dust,
no cowboys. Uh-huh. Yeah, but they got fog. And all those sailors and miners aren't
any gentler than these cowboys. Well, I know. But imagine going to dinner in a carriage,
eating off a tablecloth, dancing on a hardwood floor. You're spoiled, Kitty.
How could I got spoiled? Here in Dodge City? I'll save your money. You'll get to
California someday. Yeah, sure. If I walk. Hell, a lot of people are gone that way. Who do you
think I am, Sacagawea? Ah, there was a woman. Yeah. You know, I always... What's the matter, Matt?
That man at the bar, he just turned around. Which man? The one with the scar down his
cheek. I'll be back, Kitty. Good evening, Marshal. Evening. What are you staring at me for?
Your name Jed Larner? And if it is? How long you been in town, Larner? About an hour.
Something wrong, Marshal? You remember the big blizzard we had? Who don't? We all do,
I guess. Especially Ira Puckett. What? He didn't die, Larner. Well, that's fine. I went back
looking for him. I wondered where he got to. Yeah, sure you did. Well, it's true. Puckett's
here in Dodge, Larner. He is? If he finds you, he'll kill you. But he isn't gonna find
you because you're leaving right now. And don't show up around here again. Now wait,
Marshal. I can't arrest you. I can't put you in jail. But I tell you what I can do. Why?
Because I just let everybody here know that you're the man who ran off and left Ira Puckett
to die. No. You know something? They'd tear you apart, Larner. They'd set you on fire.
Don't say nothing, Marshal. Don't tell him. I'll leave. I'll leave right now.
Well, you got rid of him in a hurry. I saved him from being shot and Ira Puckett from hanging
for it, Kitty. Oh, that was Jed Larner. Uh-huh. He's the one that ought to hang. Yeah, he
didn't mean to kill the old man, Kitty. What's the difference? Well, legally there's some.
To give Ira his foot back? You're sure hard to argue with, Kitty. Why? Because I think
straight. Let's talk about San Francisco. I've changed my mind. I think I'll go to New York.
No? Marshal Dillon. Ira Puckett, man. Yeah. He looks awful mad. Good thing he isn't armed.
Now, he can always find a gun, Kitty. You, you, Janet Marshall. It was you, wasn't it?
Yeah, Sergeant Larner. He jumped on his horse and rode out of town before I could stop him.
And I had to stand there and watch. I didn't even have a rock to throw at him. Why'd you
do it, Marshal? To save you from hanging, Ira. I'd rather hang and live this way. I wasn't
born to become my helpless old man. The least you could have done was let me fight my own
battle like I always did out on the plane. You took my manhood away from me, Marshal.
You're living in town now, Ira among people. Why don't you get used to it? All right. I
will. I'll live like you town people. Fine. Then why don't you start by getting yourself
a job? I'm going to. I sure am. And it's going to pay me a lot of money, too. What do you
mean by that? You'll find out, Marshal, when it's too late.
This is Jack Webb. I suppose most of you have made your New Year's resolutions. I guess
with most of us, that implies some kind of a change. Well, beginning with this brand
new year, we've made a few changes in our Dragnet television show. I like to think the
most important is what we call the Dragnet new look. In our brand new series, we'll show
for the very first time the new Los Angeles Police Administration building, the first
of its kind in the world. But the biggest change of all is our new television time,
one half hour earlier. Now, speaking of a change, here's a great suggestion for 1956.
Change to milder, better tasting Chesterfields. My cigarette. Make it yours. I think this
little jingle of ours sums up our case for Chesterfield very nicely.
Put a smile in your smoke and just give them a try. Light up a Chesterfield. They satisfy.
It's a nice morning, ain't it, Mr. Dillon? Yeah. Thanks for that wind we had last night.
Well it kept me awake. All night, Chester? Well, no sir, I wouldn't say that. About 15
minutes. Hey, look over there by the bank, Mr. Dillon. Ain't that our bucket? Yeah. It's
the first time he's had his team and wagon out. Where you reckon he's going? Right now
he's going under the bank. Well, what's he carrying that shotgun for? He can't do no
hunting in the bank. Yes he can, Chester. Come on. Mr. Dillon, you don't mean to say
old Puckett's going to hold that bank up. He said last night he's going to start living
like town people and get a job and make a lot of money. This could be his idea of how
to do it. He sure couldn't have no other reason to carry that shotgun in there. You going
in after him, Mr. Dillon? Yeah. Well, he's got a shotgun. I know. Look, Chester, take
his team and wagon off somewhere. Lead them around back at the bank. I'm out of sight.
Maybe we can handle this without a shooter. All right, sir. Hurry it up, Chester. He's
coming out. Come on out, Puckett. I'm not stopping you. You better not try it. I can
shoot with one hand, Marshal. Yeah, sure. Don't you try to follow me, Nick. Hey, wait a minute.
Wait. Where's my wagon? Where's my team? You're in a bad fix, Puckett. Somebody stole them.
I can't get away without my team. No, you can't, Puckett. So you might as well give
up. You've done it. You're behind this, Marshal. You going to shoot me? Why shouldn't I? Because
you're in enough trouble already and shooting me won't help a bit. You're trapped, Puckett,
and there isn't a thing you can do about it. Now, you use your head. All right. Here. Here's
the money. Now, you bring my outfit back. I ain't going to jail, Marshal. It's like I
said, Puckett, shooting me isn't going to help you. And I'm not going to do a thing
about your outfit. You think you outsmarted me, don't you? Give it up, Puckett. You're
licked. Yeah, well, I... No. Oh, I can't shoot you, Marshal. Here. Here, take the gun.
I'm nothing but a helpless old fool. Can't even rob a bank proper. I'm not sure you really
wanted to, Puckett. What? All you wanted was to prove something about that manhood you
think has been taken away from you. But you sure picked a foolish way to do it. Yeah,
I guess I did. My goodness, I thought he wouldn't never give up, Mr. Dillon. He didn't have
much choice, Jester. I went in the back way and told the people in the bank to keep out
of the way. You want me to take him to jail? Oh, no, no, no. I can't stand jail. Please,
Marshal. Lock him up, Jester. I'll return this money and have a talk with Mr. Botkin.
I'll be over later. I thought I told you to lock him up, Jester.
Well, I started to, Mr. Dillon, but I just couldn't stand the look on him when I got
him in the cell. He'd be... I... I...
Ira, you know, it seems to me everybody treats you pretty well. Yeah, everybody but Jed Larner.
That's true. But Jester and I brought you in. Doc saved your life. I kept you from hanging,
and if I hadn't outsmarted you at the bank, you'd probably be lying dead somewhere now.
You know, it seems to me everybody's gone to a lot of trouble for an old man full of
a lot of foolish pride. What do you think? I... I've been thinking, Marshal. Sitting
here thinking. You know what? You're right. That's too late now. No, it isn't, Ira. What?
I explained everything to Mr. Botkin at the bank, and he's willing to drop any charges
against you. But on one condition. What's that? Now, to be honest with you, it was my
idea, but Mr. Botkin agreed. You get a job here and quit being some doggone ornery. Otherwise,
you're going to go to jail. Oh, what could I do with this crippled foot? Well, seeing
you're so handy with a shotgun, I think Jim Buck might hire you to ride messenger on
the stage. You think so? Well, he told me he would. You... you went and saw him? Now,
that doesn't take any walking, Ira. So, how about it? Well, I never had a job like that.
But a man's got to make a change once in a while, lady. And... and it'll sure be a good
way to start the new year. In a moment, our star, William Conrad. People everywhere are
finding that Chesterfield packs more pleasure. Yes, Chesterfield packs more pleasure because
it's more perfectly packed. For the more perfectly packed your cigarette, the more taste and
mildness are released for you. And Chesterfield, made with Accu-Ray, is more perfectly packed
than any cigarette could ever be before. Firm and pleasing to the lips, mild yet deeply
satisfying to the taste. And Accu-Ray Chesterfield has an open, easy draw that unlocks all the
pleasure of fine tobacco. So remember, Chesterfield packs more pleasure. By Chesterfield. Mild.
In fact, they satisfy. The most. You know, out on the high plains, they used to have
a saying, never argue with a mule, a cook, or a horse and buggy doctor. Well, next week,
an Easterner who never heard that saying comes to dodge. And he makes the mistake of fighting
with the wrong people. He nearly dies as a result of it. But that was the West. Good
night.
Gunsfolk, produced and directed by Norman MacDonald, stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon,
the U.S. Marshal. Our story was specially written for Gunsfolk by John Meston, with
music composed and conducted by Rex Corey. Sound patterns by Tom Hanley and Bill James.
Featured in the cast were Ralph Moody and James Nusser. Harley Bear is Chester, Howard
McNear is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
Make today your big red letter day, your L.N.M. red letter day. Superior taste and filter.
It's the miracle tip. Make today your big red letter day. Change to L.N.M. today. L.N.M.'s
got everything. Superior taste. And superior filter. Get L.N.M. today. This is it. L.N.M.,
Superior Taste and Filter. L.N.M., America's best filter tip cigarette. Be sure and listen
to another transcribed story of the Old West on Gunsfolk next week at this same time.
I'll see you then.