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 a 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, the 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.
It looks like that doggone train is going to be late again, Mr. Dillon.
Did you ever know what time it was?
No sir, but it'd kindly make Dodge seem more civilized somehow if a train ever got in when it was supposed to.
It'd take more than that to civilize this town, Chester.
You know, I heard a fellow from the East somewhere spouting off over at the Dodge house the other day, and he said civilization follows the railroad.
He must own stock in the company.
Ah, hello Doc.
It follows the plow, the way I heard it.
Oh Doc, you weren't even there.
Oh, there must have been some other fellow I heard.
You're up kind of early this morning, aren't you?
Well, I could say the same thing.
Hey, there she comes.
Yeah?
They sure been holding back on that whistle.
They're probably trying to sneak in, Chester, ashamed of being on time for once.
Naturally, I'm up early, Matt.
As one of the few respectable citizens of Dodge, I felt it was my duty to be on hand to greet the Senator personally.
Oh, that's mighty thoughtful of you, don't it?
All he was to see standing on the platform was you rough-necked wolves with dirty shirts.
He might get the wrong impression.
Oh, now Doc, you're hurting Chester's feelings.
He washed that shirt himself.
He might have done a better job, could he have used some soap?
I did use some soap.
Dog on it, Doc.
Well, at least the politicians in Topeka and Washington have finally found out that we're on the map.
Might be better if they hadn't.
They're probably fixing to raise taxes.
Now, Doc, Senator Hooper is here to study the problems of the farmers and the cattlemen firsthand.
Yeah.
That's what the telegram said.
He's more likely here to investigate the generosity and law enforcement.
Look, that must be him standing there in the door of the coach, huh?
Yeah.
Yes, come on, man.
It isn't every day you get to shake the hand that feeds you.
Well, it's sure not feeding me from very high on my heart, Doc.
Oh, now, if you weren't marshals, you might have to go and work for a living.
Greetings and salutations, good people of Dodge City.
Thank you.
I hope you'll be just as enthusiastic when the next election rolls around.
Welcome to the frontier, Senator.
I'm Matt Dillon.
It is a pleasure.
I've heard a lot about you.
That is Doc Adams.
And I'm Dr.
This is Chester Proudfoot, Senator Barclay Hooper.
Please meet you.
How do you do?
Can I get a hand with that baggage, Mr. Sanders?
Who are you?
Real kind of you, Mr. Proudfoot.
Proudfoot.
And in you're welcome.
Say, what about the homestead act?
I'm sure they will.
Who are you?
Later, later.
I fully intend to meet each and every one of you personally to listen to your problems
and to answer any questions you may have.
Are you hurt, Senator?
It's my arm, Marshal.
Doc, take care of him.
Come on, Senator.
Will you move?
He's comfortable behind that baggage car, Debra.
You don't attend the depot.
Yeah, it's the only place it could have.
With the crowd all watching the train, nobody would notice.
You know, there's kind of nobody around here now.
Let's take a look back at the depot.
Come on.
I can't figure out why nobody would want to shoot the Senator.
He don't seem like a bad fellow at all.
For a politician, I mean.
Anyway, he's...
Look at there, Mr. Jones.
Yeah, I see him.
That's old Willie Angel.
Yeah.
Well, I have to declare, Marshal.
What's the matter, Willie?
What happened?
Oh, some big galoot running heck for leather just knocked me down,
is what happened.
What, you got a look at him?
No, never seen him for my life.
Just knocked me over scat cat for breakfast and went right on.
Jumped on a horse there and ran off like the old Nick was after him.
Well, I guess that's that.
Hey, if you don't mind, Marshal, I'll get on around there and hear the speaking.
I was late already.
Had to feed my sheep before I come in to town.
This shorry's going to give the Senator a mighty bad impression of Dodge, Mr. Jones.
Yeah, maybe so, Chester, but he's still alive.
At least so far.
Now listen just a minute, if you will.
I've got a little story to tell you.
Well, it's not so little, it's sort of a tall tale.
Ever hear of the demon brick setter from Williamson County?
That'll have to do for his name because I haven't ever heard of any other.
Stories about him are popular mostly around Pennsylvania,
but other places too called him their native son.
Seems he came out of the hill country, a powerful eight-foot giant as wild and woolly as they come.
First thing he did when he had civilization was to get a shave and a haircut.
They clipped him with pin shears and shaved him with a blowtorch.
To cool off he drank a nitric acid cocktail and a little sulfuric for a chaser.
Well sir, he surprised everybody when he announced that he was a bricklayer.
But they gave him a job and he proved his brag.
Seems he was used to natural stone.
And when he picked up his first brick, why, he gripped it a little too hard and squeezed it into a fine red dust.
But he soon got used to being gentle and really got to moving.
He could drop bricks into place faster than fourteen men could pile them loose beside him.
And when he slapped on the mortar the sparks flew like the Fourth of July.
Then he really got warmed up.
Taking off his shoes he used his toes like he had two more hands.
By sundown he had the building finished and rented.
But it sure was one day's work.
He had worn out three dozen helpers, set ten million bricks, and made the building twelve stories higher than it was supposed to be.
Well I guess you know the rest of the bricklayers around the country were mighty impressed.
And they began to perk up and take pride in their labors.
Since that day they've tried to equal the record set by the demon bricksetter from Williamson County.
That's the main reason why today America has some of the biggest and finest buildings in the world.
You might say that bricklaying has become a mighty constructive business.
Say, isn't it nice being citizens of a country where you can laugh and talk about things free as a breeze,
and write and read and worship too?
Yes sir.
Maybe you don't think about it much, but you should.
Now, son of a... just hold still a minute.
This is going to hurt some, but I've got to clean this wound.
Tell me, Doctor, dressing a wound like this, wouldn't it be better to do it in the hospital
instead of here in your office?
Hospital? You know, in the prairie country, Senator.
We've got one school, one church, one jail, twelve saloons, five dance halls, and a new hospital.
That's unthinkable.
There, that should do it.
All right, now we'll get this bandage on here.
Oh, any luck, man?
No, Doc.
How do you feel, Senator?
I live. A bullet barely grazed me.
Any idea who might want to kill you?
Well, I might name a dozen or so. Washington, but here, no.
Didn't anyone in the crowd see the shot fired, Marshal?
Apparently not. A man was seen running away right after it, and he was probably the one.
Well, who saw him, then?
Old Willie Angel. The gunman knocked him down, getting away.
I presume the witness is trustworthy.
He always has been. He's a sheep herder, lives alone out west of town. Kind of a stiff neck, old codger.
You checked his gun, I suppose.
Oh, Willie's never been known to carry one.
I thought everybody did, judging by that crowd at the station.
Well, most of them do. Cattlemen, no more than sheepmen.
Just lift your arm a little bit more.
Well, at least this witness should be able to recognize my assailant if he sees him again.
I hope so. It's about the only chance we've got, provided, of course, the assailant doesn't get to him first.
What do you mean?
Willie pulled out while I was checking through the crowd and went back home, I guess.
I'm going out now to bring him in. He'll be safer with me than on his own.
Meantime, I imagine you want to cancel your speeches.
Marshal, I...
All right, Senator, you can roll your sleeves down. Just put on your coat.
Yeah, fine, fine, Marshal.
Marshal, I led too many cavalry charges during the War of the Rebellion to be scared off by one bullet.
One sometimes enough, Senator.
This chap has already proved himself a poor shot.
No, Marshal, I shall speak to the people at four o'clock this afternoon from the front porch of the Dodge house exactly as I intended.
All I ask is a reasonable amount of protection.
Well, I'll do what I can, Senator.
There he is, Mr. John.
Yeah.
Hey, Willie.
Willie!
Yes, sir, my humbly ride with you. It's as soon as I get these honorary prisoners into the pen here.
Ah, but stretch your legs a little, Chester.
I swear I never could figure out how a man could pick up with sheep. Sheep just ain't human some, huh?
You know, Chester, sometimes humans aren't even human.
I guess so, but...
I said it before and I'll say it again. The old rams and yous ain't no trouble.
Them gall danglings ain't got no sense at all.
What'd you run off to this morning, Willie?
Back home, Marshal. Where'd you think? As soon as I heard, there wasn't going to be no speaking.
Anybody been out here since then?
Of course not. Who do you think come clear out here?
That fella who knocked you down this morning, right?
Of course. He ain't no friend of mine.
What are you getting at, Marshal?
You're the only man in Dodge City who can identify him, and he knows it.
You mean he'd be after me?
That's right.
A man sure can get himself into a past of trouble when he ain't meaning to.
Yeah. Why don't you come back into town with us, Willie? You'll be a lot safer.
For how long?
Oh, I don't know. Maybe just this afternoon.
The Senator's going to speak at four o'clock. That gunman might show up again.
You could spot him for me.
I'm real partial to speaking.
Good. It'll work out fine.
Yes, sir. Yeah, but I still got to think about the sheep. How to lead and took care of, I mean.
Well, you'll be back this evening, more than likely, in the morning of the latest. You could throw out feed now, enough to do him.
Chester will help you, Willie. He's very fond of sheep.
What a fact now. Well, then you understand him, don't you, Chester?
No, I don't. Now I wouldn't go to parsley.
Marshal, you know there's one thing I don't figure out.
What's that?
Your job's to protect that there Senator, ain't it?
Yeah, that's right.
Then how come you're bothering about me? I ain't nobody.
Willie, the day I start thinking that way, I'll take off my badge.
Now, come on. Let's feed those sheep.
...
Matt, you're jumpy as a cat.
Yeah, I guess I am, Kitty.
That gunman who tried to kill the Senator is probably fifty miles from here by now.
I wish I could be sure of that.
Well, worrying won't make you sure. Let me bring you a beer.
No, not now. Thanks, Kitty. I gotta get on over to the Dodge house pretty quick.
When's the Senator going to speak?
As soon as the honor guard gets here from the fort.
Oh, is he that important?
Well, he was a cavalry colonel with the Union Army during the war.
Pretty good one, too, I guess. One of the officers present at Lee's surrender, and decorated personally by President Lincoln.
Wow. You never know just by looking, huh?
He's got nerve, all right. Might be better if he didn't.
You mean he'd call a speech off?
Yeah.
Matt, I think you're getting all worked up over nothing.
Nobody's going to try anything today. There'll be three, four hundred people out there in the street.
That's what makes it worse. With a crowd like that, it'd be awful hard to spot anything in time to stop it.
But he couldn't get away. He wouldn't have a chance.
Well, we'd probably catch him all right, but that wouldn't help the Senator much.
Well, he probably knows that, so he won't try.
Kitty, a grudge killer, and that's what this one probably is.
Never cares much whether he's caught as long as he's able to carry out his grudge first.
What grudge? Senator Hooper's never been here before. He doesn't even know anyone here.
Somebody knows him.
Well, well, well, sir, this is what law enforcement has finally come to.
Hello, Doc.
Sitting here in a saloon, in the middle of the afternoon, too, getting all licked up.
You're wrong, Doc. He wouldn't even have a beer.
Well, good. I'll have it for him.
Oh, good. I'll bring it over.
Thank you, Kitty. Oh, my.
Well, you worried, man?
Wouldn't you be?
Well, I don't know. I've never been in this kind of spot.
I just cure him when I can and bury him when I can't.
And in both cases, you collect your fee.
Well, I try to most of the time.
Oh, by the way, where's Willie Angel?
He's in the back room there with Chester.
We walked him around town for a couple of hours trying to spot that gunman, but no luck.
Maybe he left town.
I doubt it, Doc.
You figure he's gonna show, then, huh?
Yeah, he'll show. Somewhere in that crowd.
And when he does, he'll have a gun in his hand.
This land is your land. This land is my land. This land was made for you and me.
Allegan is a nice little place, not unlike the Wajeeak or Niles, but then small towns in Michigan are all pretty much alike.
Saturday is a big night in town, of course. The week's farming is done. Sale crops are at market, and mom, pop, and the kids get slicked up for the square dance at the Grange Hall or the summer party at Tet's Beach Point Lodge.
Winter means potluck dinners at the schoolhouse and breaking out the good food put up earlier in the year and long, cold months before the red breast of the first robin is seen or the first apple blossom bursts out on the trees.
That's about the time of Holland's tulip festival, the time when the city people begin to think of going over to Mackinac Island for a few weeks.
It's the time of tree toads in the woods and sassafras smell along Route 5.
Detroit is at a halfway point, and more than one young man's fancy turns to thoughts of the girl he left in Kalamazoo.
That's springtime in Michigan, a state which all the time fulfills the promise of its motto, if you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.
There comes the cavalry, Mr. Jones. Still no sign of him, Willie? No, Sir Marshall. I've been staring at that crowd from one end to the other. I just don't see hiding here, that tellin'.
That's fine. Stay behind me there, toward the back of the porch, huh? Yes, Sir. Well, Senator, you can still call this off, you know.
I don't imagine they have much use with cowards in Darden City. It's not a matter of cowardice, Senator, it's just plain common sense.
If you were in my place, would you call it off, Russell? It doesn't matter what I do, Senator. You've answered me. Just tell me what you want me to do now.
Well, mainly just don't stand too far toward the front of the porch when you get up to talk. That way you'll be protected from anybody in that crowd on top of the buildings across the street over there.
I understand. I'll be right beside you here, Chester will be on the other side, and if either one of us says drop, you get down real fast.
That you can count on. You'll make sure he does, Chester. Yes, Sir.
I want you to know I appreciate your position, your responsibility. I have complete confidence. Thank you, Sir. Good luck, Senator.
Halt! Halt!
Thank you, Captain. Gentlemen.
Halt! Halt!
Manatees, officers and troopers of the United States Cavalry, and all of you good people of Dodge City, I intend to try once again this afternoon to make a speech which earlier, you may recall, was rather rudely interrupted.
I had announced that I was coming here to discuss problems and take up grievances. So I can only assume that the unknown gentleman this morning must have had a very big grievance.
And though I don't entirely approve of his methods, he did one thing I wish all of you would do. He delivered his grievance in person. Instead of telling a true...
Mr. Gillen!
Willie!
He had a derringer hidden in the front of his shirt.
Did he kill him? I don't know. Doc! Come on up here, will you?
But why, Marshal? I never saw this man before in my life. I don't know, Senator.
Captain! Did you use your men to keep the crowd back off the porch?
First and second platoon, all mistermises.
Willie? Willie, can you hear me?
It hurts, Marshal. It hurts all through that.
Here, Chester, help me carry him inside, huh?
Yes, sir.
Oh, baby.
There. Get him down.
Now, Willie, why did you do it? What is it you got against the Senator?
Not Senator. Colonel. Colonel Barclay Hooper, Richmond, 65.
Throwed over us, cut us to ribbons, him and his blue devils.
Both my brothers murdered, sabred.
That was the war, Willie. But that's over. It was over the day General Lee surrendered.
Yeah, Lee, maybe, but not me. Made him bow down, but not really Angel.
I got away from him. I've been awaiting.
Let me have a look here.
It hurts bad. Marshal, my sheep's out there. You've got to feed my sheep.
That's all right, Willie. I'll see they're taken care of.
They ain't just sheep. They're my friends. Only friends I have had except my brothers.
And they're dead. They're...
He's unconscious.
Well, what do you think, Doc?
Well, it's about 50-50. It'd maybe be better if he did die.
Why, Willie wouldn't last a year in jail.
Yeah.
Well, Senator, looks like the war's still going on, doesn't it?
All this time, just waiting, he said.
Yeah. Kind of funny in the way.
If he'd killed you 10 or 12 years ago, he'd have been a hero.
Not out of half the country, anyway.
He tries the same thing today, and he's shot down as a criminal.
It's something to think about, isn't it, Senator?
Gun smoke.
Produced and directed by Norman MacDonald, stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
Featured in the cast were Marlee Bear as Chester, Howard McNear as Doc, and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
George Waltz 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.
Thank you.