Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there is just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
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
Let me see here, I've got to figure this thing out now.
Aha! There you are, Matt. Get out of that one.
I will, Doc.
Well then go ahead, go ahead, Matt.
Oh, I've been waiting a long time to teach you how to play checkers.
Uh-huh.
You see? You thought you had me, didn't you?
I have, Doc.
Oh, yeah. Go on then, go on.
How's that?
Where'd you see that one?
Well, let it wait.
You'll be, Doc, and you'll know.
Just a moment, I'll... just a moment. This isn't so bad, you know.
All right, then go ahead and get out of it.
Hello!
Hello.
Mr. Dillon!
There's Chester, Matt. You better go see what he wants.
Oh, no, Doc. I'm not going to leave you alone with this board.
I'm not! You're in there! I need help!
Why, he's calling me.
Oh, no. Look what I did. Oh, I'm sorry.
I'll bet you are.
Why the cutting out of him? I saw him move over.
I know you did, and you made it.
What's all the ruckus about, Chester?
I got me a sick dog crossing a horse here.
A what?
A sick dog.
Yeah, I'm going back in.
Stick around, Doc.
He's an awful sick dog. You gotta help.
Yeah, what's the matter? Did somebody shoot him?
No, he's been up against the moon face.
Well, my goodness, Chester, I'm not a veterinarian.
Doc, this dog's sick and a pig. He's about to die.
Oh, no!
You want him up in your office, Doc?
No, I don't want him up there.
Oh, Doc.
Well, of course, a paying customer might see me working on him here.
Oh, all right, come on.
Grab a hold there, Doc. I got this hand.
Oh, now, now, them snarls and bites don't mean nothing.
He's been doing that at me all the way back from Spiny.
Put him down, Chester. He'll bite you the way you handle him.
What do I...
There, boy.
There we are.
There you go.
That's good, man.
Who's going to pay for this, Chester?
I've only had a $15 week so far.
Well, why don't you see if you can save him first, Doc?
Oh, I'll save him, if it's what you say it is.
There's nine poison in the dog.
Somebody open the door, will ya?
Open the door, Chester.
I'll take him on in there. That's right.
And shut the door, Chester.
There, that's it, man. That's fine, easy.
There, good, easy now, boy.
Oh, now, now.
That's it, boy.
Hey, this is Spiny Murphy's dog, isn't it, Chester?
I'm going to keep him, Mr. Dillon.
I said this is Spiny Murphy's dog, isn't it?
It looks more like a wolf than a dog.
Ah, easy there, Mr. Dillon.
Chester.
Yes, sir?
Does Spiny Murphy know that you got his dog?
No, sir.
Well, I mean, I don't know what...
Will you two get out of here, let a man prostitute his talents in peace?
Take it easy, Doc.
I got me a name for him.
Pal.
Oh, pal.
Oh, that's very original, Chester, yeah.
Go on, wait outside the both of you.
Poor dog.
Here.
You know, Chester, this could spell trouble for you.
How do you mean?
Well, you know, Miss Murphy beats up on Spiny every now and then.
Sure?
Well, Miles told me yesterday that Spiny was in his store.
And she beat up on him again?
Miles said he could hardly walk.
She's a downright mean woman, ain't she?
I don't know how many men stays married to one like that.
That's not the point, Chester.
It ain't.
Spiny got that dog for protection from her.
Well, I've been wanting me a dog for a long time, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah, I know, but don't take that one.
Yeah, but if Spiny poisoned him, then he don't deserve it.
Well, maybe it wasn't Spiny.
Well, maybe it was his wife.
What are you saying? I shouldn't have tried to save him?
No, you'd have to do that, but you expect her to thank you when you bring him back.
Well, she'd not...
Well, then, she wouldn't get after me, would she?
She will if you bring the dog back.
And I will if you don't.
Here, boy. Here.
That's a boy. Right inside.
Hello, Doc.
You got him on his feet already?
Yes. Where's Chester?
I sent him out for the mail.
That's a good thing. He's been hounding me all morning about this wolf he found.
I wouldn't let him see me.
He's been after me, too. That's why I had to get rid of him.
How are you, boy?
Where are you going to keep him, man?
We're not, Doc.
You're not?
Well, Chester's going to be mighty disappointed.
Yeah, I know. Come here, boy. Come on.
Why didn't you wash him up some, Doc?
Wash him up?
It was bad enough just working on him without trying to wash him up.
He's friendly enough, aren't you, boy?
The dog really smells.
Why do you think I brought him down here?
I'm going to put him out in the cell section.
Come on, boy. Come on, this way.
That's a boy. Is this the rope that was on him?
I guess so.
He must have been really afraid he'd get away.
Go on, now. Go on in there.
You're kind of unfair to your prisoners, aren't you, man?
Well, they can complain to Chester.
Mr. Dillon, there wasn't no male down there. There wasn't...
Doc, what are you doing down here? Where's Pal?
Chester, I've got bad news for you.
Oh, now, Doc, now don't tell me that. That dog kindly took to me.
Now, Chester, just take it easy now, boy.
There was nothing that I could do.
Oh, Marlin, I...
He lived.
What? Where he at?
He's out back. But I wouldn't go out there, Chester.
Oh, Pal, Doc, you're a wonder.
Watch it, Chester.
Help!
Come on.
Doc, you've done fine. He looks right lively now.
He does?
Chester, I can't imagine how it could happen the way he goes after you,
but don't get too attached to that dog.
Why not?
Because this afternoon we're going to take him back where he belongs.
Oh, come on, Pal, don't drag back that way.
Mr. Zoni, it just don't seem right somehow.
What doesn't, Chester?
What we're doing here.
Leading this poor old dog right back into the trouble that got him the way I found him.
I'm going to try to put a stop to that.
Oh, Miss Murphy don't seem to be the appeasing kind, if you ask me.
Maybe I can get Spiney to prefer assault charges against her this time.
Now, you know he won't do that. He's a scarer to her.
If it was a case of wife beating, I'd be jailing him without charges.
I guess you would at that.
There it is, Mr. Zoni.
Yeah, there's smoke coming up. Somebody's home.
Let's leave our horses here.
Well, aren't you getting down?
Well, I just thought I'd kindly wait here, Mr. Zoni, on our whole pal's rope.
Are you afraid, Chester?
No, sir, I'm not. It ain't that.
Here, give me the rope. The dog takes a chunk out of you.
Okay.
Oh, so you're the one that got him.
Here she is, Mr. Zoni.
Oh, hello, Maul.
The Marshall, is it?
So the little spineless wonders had to go and get him a man to back him up.
I haven't seen Spiney, Maul.
Ah, you don't need to lie to me, Marshall. Dylan, I've been expecting you.
We've rung your dog back, ma'am, that's all.
And you can take him right away with you. I don't want that mangy critter around here, dead or alive.
Maul, I hear that you beat up on Spiney again.
You hear right, Marshall.
And if he was to show up now, I'd do it all over, threatening to sick that dog on me the way he did.
Where is Spiney, Maul?
I don't know, but you'd better find him and bring him back.
Ah, I thought you were finished with it.
Oh, it's not like that at all, Marshall. I kind of miss the little fella.
We've been fighting it out on these plains for 15 years now.
I think you've gone too far this time.
What do you mean?
Miles McTag told me Spiney could hardly walk when he came out for supplies the other day.
Supplies? I didn't send him for no supplies.
Well, Miles said he bought enough to keep him a month.
Then he's holed up somewhere, the gutless little weasel.
Maybe he's had enough.
Then you'd better be finding him and sending him home before I bring charges against him, Marshall.
Charges? What for?
For desertion, what else?
Desertion?
And when you do find him, tell him to come back and act like a man for a change.
If I find him.
If you find him? Oh, Marshall the man, you are.
I can tell a man when I see one.
Oh, Marshall dear, come in and have a drink.
Huh? Uh, no. No, no thanks, Maul. We, uh, we got a big day ahead of us.
Ah, that Spiney won't even touch the stuff and I miss the companionship of a friend to share it with.
Well, some other time, Maul, huh, when Spiney's back?
But if it's him you're worrying about, you could spit in his eye and drown him.
Look, Maul, there's just one thing I want to tell you.
You treat Spiney right when he comes back or I'll have to do something about it.
Ah, he comes back a man and I'll consider it.
Mr. Dune, what about Pal?
Chester, you'll take the dog and welcome to him.
What? Mr. Dune?
Oh, all right, Chester, you can keep him till we find Spiney. Come on.
You're not reconsidering.
Oh, do reconsider, Marshall. I've got some real good whiskey from the old farm.
Yeah, well, another time, Maul.
Evening, Marshall. Are you in for your glass of rye?
Oh, not right now, Sam, thanks. As a matter of fact, I'm looking for Kitty.
Huh? She was here just a minute ago.
Oh, there she is, Marshall, over there by the piano.
You're talking to Mr. McTeth.
Oh, yeah, yeah, I didn't see her. Thanks, Sam.
Yeah.
Hello, Kitty, Miles.
Matt.
Oh, sit down, Matthew, and we'll get another pitcher of beer.
All right.
Matt, I hear Chester's got Spiney's dog.
Well, either that or the dog's got him. I'm not sure which.
He told me he's put him in a cell over there and he's training him like Spiney did.
Chester training him?
You don't sound convinced.
Kitty, that dog can't stand Chester.
Maybe Chester tries too hard.
Hey, where is Spiney? Has anybody seen him?
No, not since the day I told you about him.
I wouldn't be likely to see him, Matt. You know, Spiney, he never touches a job.
Maybe it'd be better if he did.
Well, if you'd like to converse with the man, I can tell you what to find him.
What? I thought you didn't know.
Oh, I didn't say that. I said I hadn't seen him. That's the truth.
The man swore me to secrecy.
What for?
Well, when a man wants to get away from his wife for a change, why should I stop him?
Had you seen him, you'd understand.
Where is he, Miles? Tell me. I'd like to get this thing settled.
He's over at the Dodge house, room 12.
Yeah. I'll see you later.
What are you going to do, Matt?
I'm going to talk to him, Kitty.
I think Spiney needs to know a few things about the...
Weaker Sex.
Here, Chester, put this with tomorrow's mail, will you?
I've got to get all this paperwork done tonight.
Mr. Gillen?
Yeah, what is it?
What did Spiney say when you talked to him?
Chester, I've got work to do. If you're going to drag her on like that, go to bed.
Well, maybe I will just rest a bit.
That's better.
Mr. Gillen?
Yes, Chester?
The last dog I had, I wasn't but nine years old.
One day a bear reached out of a hickory tree and grabbed him and that was the last of him.
Ah, that's too bad.
Yeah, just... an old pal was dead.
Didn't Spiney say nothing?
Look, Chester, we didn't talk about the dog at all. Spiney's got other problems.
Now, maybe he'll let you keep him. I don't know.
He will?
I said maybe, Chester. But why? That dog won't even let you pet him.
Well, he did once today.
Yeah, and I saw you hiding the wound. Where you got him now?
Outside. I tied him to the hitch rack out back. I better go bring him in.
Don't get hurt.
Oh, you know, he ain't going to hurt me.
Now, let's see.
Matt?
A kitty. What is it?
Matt, you won't believe this, but Spiney's drunk.
Spiney?
He's wild drunk and he's heading out to fix Maul. That's what he said. He was going to fix her good.
Well, I wouldn't worry about a kitty. Maul can take care of herself.
Miss Young, he's gone. Somebody's untied him. Pal's gone.
Matt, he meant it.
Yeah, I guess Spiney's really gone after this time. We better hurry, Chester.
All right, this is close enough.
I could have rid up a lot closer, Mr. Jones.
No, I want a surprise, Spiney, if I can.
Well, now, Pal ain't going to let us do that.
Be quiet now.
Maul, I've had all I'm going to take from you.
Spiney, Murphy, you've been drinking. Lord, love you, you've been drinking.
Don't call me Spiney no more. It's Terrance. Terrance, stop it.
We can show a boy full of top of a tenner, man, don't it, Mr. Jones?
Oh, I bet you ain't changed at all. You're still the spineless little wonder to me.
Don't say that, Maul. I told you.
Spiney, am I funny like that?
Come on, Chester, before he kills her.
Oh, you, you want a good go, do you?
I ain't going to let you get me.
Spiney.
Here, no, Spiney.
Now, stop it.
Mr. Dillon, look out behind you. It's Maul.
There, Terrance Murphy. I guess that takes care of that nosy mutter.
You all right, Mr. Dillon?
Mr. Dillon, you all right?
Come here, my love.
Mr. Dillon, are you all right?
Yes, I'm all right, Chester.
Maul, I ought to put you under arrest. You too, Spiney.
Who are you calling Spiney? This is my husband, Terrance Murphy, you're addressing.
And you'll not be arresting anybody here tonight, Marshal Dillon.
I don't see pal around, no, sir.
Oh, forget it, Chester. Come on, let's get out of here.
Spiney, is Mr. Murphy? Could I have your dog now?
Well, you're welcome to him, Chester, if you can find him.
What?
He heard some wolves and run off for me on the way out here.
I said let's get out of here, Chester.
Oh, better join him, come on, let's have a drink today.
Mr. Jones, old Maul sure did put an awful knot on your head to that table, ladies.
Mr. Jones.
Yes, what is it?
Did I get you into all this?
No, Chester, your dog did.
By Jee, I sure am going to miss pal.
I don't know, Chester, the way that dog went after you.
Well, you don't understand.
I don't, huh?
I wouldn't want a dog treating me the same way he'd done everybody else.
Well, pal sure didn't do that.
Can I buy you a drink, Mr. Jones?
No, I still got to finish that pre-bill work.
Well, I don't want to drink alone.
Well, then you better stay here, I need your help anyway.
I'll drink.
Well, come on, Chester, you can start sorting out this stuff.
All right, I will, but first I think I'd better go clean up the cell section.
Pal kindly tore up a chair and a mattress out there.
Okay, it won't take me long.
Mr. Dillon? Mr. Dillon?
Yes, I heard him, Chester.
Mr. Dillon? Mr. Dillon? Pal came home.
And now our star, William Conrad.
You know, out in cattle country, each location has its own unwritten laws
concerning the dress and the working habits of a cowboy.
For instance, you can tell by his hat and the way it's shaped where a cowboy comes from
or how he makes his living.
Well, next week, a man dies because of a difference of opinion on how to rope a cow.
Gun Smoke, produced and directed by Norman MacDonald,
stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
Featured in the cast were Parley Bear as Chester, Howard McNear as Doc,
and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
The film is a production of the U.S. Army,
and the U.S. Army is the first American film to be produced by the U.S. Army.
Featured in the cast were Parley Bear as Chester, Howard McNear as Doc, and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
George Walsh speaking.
Join us again next week for another specially transcribed story on Gun Smoke.
This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
The U.S. Army is a proud sponsor of the U.S. Army.
The U.S. Army is proud to support the U.S. Army.