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.
Well, you're up early, Marshal.
Chester.
How are you, Skyler?
Skyler.
Is young Danny Leeds around?
Yeah, room 14, straight down the hall.
Oh, thanks.
He checked in last night.
Mr. Dillon, you suppose Danny and his paws had another scrap of some kind?
Might have.
Okay, it is pretty hard to get along with.
I'm surprised the boy's stood as long as he has.
It sure was a funny sounding note he sent over to the office.
What do you make of it?
Chester, if I could make anything of it, we wouldn't have to come here and ask it, would we?
I didn't think you'd re-
Marshal Dillon.
Morning, Danny. Mind if we come in?
Well, I was just about to go out.
That won't take a minute.
I just wanted to find out what you meant by this note, Danny.
You better go on out to the farm and ask my pa.
Oh, I'm going to, but I just thought maybe you could give me some idea first.
You better talk to him, Marshal.
How is he? Anyway, last time I saw him, he was having some trouble.
He never changes, you know that, except to get meaner.
Oh. You two have trouble, did you?
We had trouble, yeah.
That's why you stayed here in town last night, huh?
I walked out, Marshal, and I ain't going back.
I took all off him, I'm going to.
Now look, I got some things to do now, so I-
Did the trouble have anything to do with this note?
Not exactly. He wanted you to come out to the farm. I told him I'd pass the word to you.
Look, Marshal, he can tell you all this. I haven't got time now.
You got time to answer a couple of questions, Danny. Now what does he want to see me about?
It's trespassers again. They're camping down by the pond to be close to water.
They ain't hurting nothing. We don't even use that lower section.
But that don't make no difference to him.
Your pa's always been like that.
Trouble is he thinks the whole world's his, and everybody in it, including me.
But I ain't a kid no more. That he can cuss at and take a whi-
Are you expecting somebody?
Well, not exactly.
You better find out who it is, haven't we?
No, wait, Marshal.
Ah, good morning, young lady.
Naomi.
I am come to see you, Danny. Like I say I am.
This is Marshal Dillon and Chester Proudfoot. This is Naomi.
How do you do?
Hey, friends of Danny, it's friends of me.
Look, Naomi, they're just going. You wait here. I'll walk out with them.
You coming, Marshal?
Yeah, okay, Danny. Pleasure meeting you, ma'am.
Yes, sir. Goodbye.
Look, Marshal, it ain't like you're thinking.
I wasn't thinking anything, Danny.
Uh, Naomi there, she's a gypsy, isn't she?
Well, what of it?
And those trespassers camping out at your pa's farm?
All right, they're gypsies and she's one of them. What about it?
You're asking for trouble, Danny.
You sound just like my pa.
Gypsies take care of their own. They make their own laws.
And they're pretty strict laws.
Why don't you let me worry about it, huh?
Well, that's what you'll do, Danny, if you're smart. You'll worry about it a lot.
I reckon there's one flag the whole world knows and mostly respects.
It's on a stamp here in my album that the United States Post Office put out in October 1963
to honor the 100th birthday of the International Red Cross.
I'll find it here now.
Now, maybe you didn't know there are two Red Cross organizations.
Both of them started in Geneva, Switzerland, and had headquarters there.
But they each do different jobs.
This stamp shows how one of them helped free anti-Castro Cuban fighters
who got captured at the Bay of Pigs.
That's what the International Committee of the Red Cross does, is a neutral body,
making arrangements for exchange of prisoners, trying to protect sick and wounded soldiers,
and helping civilians and refugees in war areas.
The other is the League of Red Cross Societies.
It operates in almost, almost 90 countries, giving aid in every kind of emergency or disaster
and carrying on health, safety, and relief projects.
I kind of figure this is one of the best stamps in my book.
You've got a nice place here, Mr. Young.
Well, they ought to.
He's put 20 hours a day on it for the last 10 years.
Hey, Kater!
Oh!
Morning, Marshal, Kester.
Just a minute till I jump out the rest of this speed.
There.
Eat your heads off now, you mean, Givarmus.
Put some weight on.
Any fool that tries to raise hogs on the prairie just ain't got good sense, Marshal.
They look all right to me.
Yeah, they won't make a cent.
It costs more to feed them than they're worth.
Kind of took your time coming out, didn't you?
Well, if you call three hours, taking our time, that's when I got your note.
Yeah, that worthless young pup.
I told him to tell you last night, soon as he got in town.
Come over here and sit in the shade.
All right.
Kater, did you and Danny have an argument?
I talked and he listened.
He ain't got the gumption to argue.
He tells me he's not coming back home.
Yeah, he'll come back.
He'd starve to death if he had to feed himself.
Somebody will yell boo at him in the dark and he'll come high tailing back fast.
I'm afraid I don't agree with you, Kater.
Danny always looked to me like a pretty decent kid.
Yeet, rest the powder, and blow him up.
And the last straw was when he was too lily-livered to run them trespassers off.
Why don't you leave those people alone, Kater?
They're figuring to move on by the end of the week anyway.
Sure, and take half the farm with them, likely not.
I'm missing five pullets now.
Stole just since they've been there.
And I might have been a coyote or a weasel, maybe.
Yeah, and it might have been that pack of thieving gypsies, too.
Marshall, I didn't build this farm by putting up the squatters, and I ain't about to start now.
I fought for this land every square foot of it, and I'll keep right on fighting.
Times are different from when they were when you first came to the prairie, Kater.
Yeah, people ain't.
They're all out to take what you got away from you.
Y'all have got to keep outguessing them and outfighting them.
That's what I tried to learn at boy mine, but he ain't got the backbone of an angle worm.
Why, he didn't even take a gun when I sent him over to run them thieving gypsies out.
You know, Kater, there are other answers in this world besides guns.
Yeah, but it's with guns that won this country, and they'll keep on winning it, too.
You pack one yourself, don't you, Marshall?
Yeah, I use it to enforce the law, but not to settle every personal argument that comes along.
Well, then start enforcing the law.
Now, you go over there and talk to them gypsies and tell them to get out.
I have talked to them. Chester and I just came from there.
Did you run them out?
They're repairing their wagons, building wheels, and setting hubs.
They'll try to put out some time tomorrow.
So they outbluffed you, too, did they?
What'd they do, dangle one of their women in front of you?
That's what they done with Danny.
Yeah, I seen what was going on.
He was sweet-eyeing one of them all week, and she was letting him, too.
Now, listen, I'm out of here.
Now, you've done your duty, Marshall. Stop taking up for them foreigners.
Will you listen to me, I said?
Now, those people are touchy enough at best.
If you go insulting them, you're going to have some real trouble on your hands.
Gypsy's are bad luck, and I want them out of here.
They'll be out by tomorrow evening.
And in the meantime, you leave that rifle of yours in the house and stay away from that pond.
You understand?
Matt, if words were dollars, you'd be the biggest miser in the long branch.
Huh? Well, what do you mean, Kitty?
Well, you sure haven't been talking.
Oh, I'm sorry?
What's worse, you haven't been listening to me.
I thought there was more to it.
Okay, what were you saying?
Oh, I don't remember, but it's a principle.
A girl can't stand being ignored.
Ignored?
Well, in that dress you're wearing, you'd be pretty hard to ignore.
Oh, it's not that skimpy.
Well, it's the latest thing, Matt.
Oh, it's fine, Kitty, it's fine.
Oh, I don't know, Kitty, I guess I'm just kind of down this evening.
Oh, trouble?
Not yet, but I just got a feeling there's going to be.
What do you mean?
I don't know, it's just a hunch.
Well, why don't you go get your fortune told?
There's a band of gypsies in town.
Oh, how did you know?
Some of them were in here.
Not drinking or anything, just looking around.
Oh, is that so?
Did you know young Danny Leitz has got himself a gypsy girl?
As pretty as a picture.
I saw him in the restaurant.
Tell me, Kitty, is she still in town?
Oh, she was a couple of hours ago.
Why, Matt, something wrong?
Oh, no, I guess not.
I suppose he ought to have a chance to find at least one thing for himself in this world.
Oh, Cater's never let him call a breath his own.
I like Danny. He's a good boy.
But that Cater...
Oh, sod busting's a rough life, Kitty.
Makes a man either mean or wise or else it kills him.
So far it's just made Cater mean.
Oh, he was born that way, Matt.
All he's got in the world is his son.
You'd think you'd treat him decent.
Mr. Gillen, you'd better come on over to the depot.
What is it, Chester?
Danny Leitz's been hurt real bad. He's unconscious.
All right, I'll meet you there. You go get Doc.
Oh, look at him.
Please step back.
All working.
How is he, Doc?
Oh, he'll be all right, Matt.
Just been beat up a little.
He had a bad whack on the head there.
Oh, well, he's coming around.
Wake up, lad.
Come on.
Oh, he's got a little bit of a bad head.
He's coming around. Wake up, lad.
Come on now, boy. You can't sleep forever.
Anybody know how it happened?
No, the station agent come out and seen him laying there.
That's it. Come on, Danny.
Back to the world of the living.
What is it? Huh? What happened?
That's what I was about to ask you, Donnie. What did happen?
Oh, I don't know.
I'm just waiting here until train time.
Where is she? Huh? Where's Naomi?
Easy now, boy.
They took her.
Who took her, Donnie?
The gypsies.
She said they would.
She said they would if we didn't get away in time.
What do you mean, gypsies?
Later, Doc. Later. Go on, Donnie.
It was Aiman to leave, going to Kansas City.
I got tickets on the train.
Oh, you're not in any shape to travel, son.
Yeah. We got here early.
Stayed right down here at the end of the platform, out of sight.
Naomi was scared. She said it was going to end bad.
She was right.
It was Aiman to get married in Kansas City, Marshall.
I'm sorry, Donnie.
They come out of the shadows there, hit a ten of them.
Next thing I know, they grab Naomi.
They come at me with knives.
Then one of them hit me from behind.
That's all I know.
Oh, here you go.
Let me go, Doc.
You're in no condition to be standing up, Danny.
I never have stood up, Doc.
Boy, let go.
I didn't stand up when they come and took her.
I didn't lift a hand.
You couldn't have done anything, Danny.
Maybe Pa's right.
If you want anything, if you want to keep it,
you got to hit out at anybody that gets close.
Hit him first.
That's the way Pa thinks.
And he's hated for it, Danny.
He hasn't got a friend in the world.
Well, what have I got?
The only thing I ever wanted.
The only person that ever thought I amounted to something.
And I let them come and take her back without even fighting for her.
Why don't you go over to your room and rest a while, Danny?
Go to bed without my supper, is that what you mean?
Now, Danny, huh?
What are you all gay for that?
Ain't you ever never seen a coward before?
Take it easy now, Danny.
I got to get out of here, Marshal.
I got to get out of here before I bust wide open.
The cursing train's pulling out right on time.
Yeah.
It's too bad this happened.
Danny and that girl might have got on fine.
What girl are you talking about, man?
I'd like to know what's going on here once in a while, too.
Hey, what's that there?
Come back here.
Marshal.
Marshal, you see that?
Say what, mister?
That young fella, the one that was hurt,
he grabbed my gun out of my holster
and lit out on that horse like the old Nick was after him.
Let's get our horses, Chester.
Hometowns in America have a lot in common,
and yet they're each one of a kind.
Take, for example, Stillwater, Oklahoma.
And when you're taking Stillwater,
you get with it Oklahoma State University
because the town is the university,
and the university is the town.
And any student from these parts
who's really serious about animal husbandry,
veterinary medicine, or engineering will be there.
He'll likely belong to Sigma Nu or maybe be a Beta,
and she'll become one of the KKGs
or possibly pledge to Theta.
His bright new blazer is from Bates Brothers
down at the end of University Avenue in the campus corner,
and her latest mod is from Bonnie's in the Student Union.
Downtown's a 10-minute walk.
And you can't miss the new First National Bank
because it's right across Maine from the old.
About 10 miles out, you can water ski on Lake Carl Blackwell
or go somewhat farther to O'Keen
for the annual rattlesnake hunt.
But if your hometown is Stillwater,
you already know this.
We only wanted to remind you it's still there.
The KKGs
Now here we are, Chester.
Well, but them gypsies have pulled out, Mr. Dillon.
They broke camp and pulled out.
Yeah.
But I guess that business at the depot got them spooked.
I'd have bet anything that this is where Danny was hidden.
Maybe we passed him somewhere between here and Dodge.
Somebody's over there, Mr. Dillon.
In the shadows under them trees there.
Yeah.
Hey, Danny, is that you?
Yeah, it's me, Marshal.
Come on, Chester.
You can't clear this blackening inside of the cow around here.
A fellow could fall right smack into that pond.
Yeah.
You come out to wed nurse me back to town, Marshal?
You're saying that, Danny. I'm not.
I guess you can see for yourself they pulled out.
Gone.
Yeah, they sure have.
I'm going after him, Marshal.
I'll find him if it takes me ten years.
Now don't be a fool, Danny.
Oh, that's what I've been all right, but I ain't now.
She didn't want to go, Marshal.
They took her against her will and I'm going after her.
Danny, they'd kill her before they'd let her marry an outsider.
That's the way gypsies are.
Maybe I can change their minds.
Pa's way.
Talking over the sights of a gun.
Yeah, but his way's not yours, Danny, and you're better off it's not.
It's got him everything he wanted.
Has it?
There ain't no use arguing about it, Marshal.
And you got no right to stop me.
I wasn't figuring to stop you, Danny.
Not that way.
Well, then I'll be riding out, Marshal.
I'll try to cover the trail.
The longer they go, the harder it's going to be to find.
Get out.
I seen the flash, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah.
He's over there on that brush.
Now, Chester, when I fire, you roll away fast, huh?
Yes, sir.
All right.
You all right, Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, I'm all right.
Some of them gypsies must have stayed behind.
Yeah, maybe.
Ow!
Is Danny over there with you, Mr. Dillon?
Yeah.
Yeah, he's here, Chester.
Get on out of there, you thieves, environments,
or you'll get more of the same.
It's old Cater.
There's a posse of a hundred of us out here in the brush.
Cater, it's Matt Dillon.
Marshal?
Put that rifle down and come on out.
Sure, Marshal, I got no fight with you.
What happened to them gypsies?
They pulled out.
Maybe you ought to have checked on it before you started shooting.
Well, I heard horses and talk,
and I naturally figured it was them.
Now, don't plague me about it, Marshal, huh?
I paid for it good and proper.
What do you mean?
It was a pretty good shot in the dark.
You put a bullet right through my arm.
Now, you're a better shot, Cater.
You put one right through your son's head.
Yeah, you paid for it all right.
When it comes to political terminology,
I guess that old character Elijah Cuddlestone has used it all.
For instance.
And I say that all of them, every man jacked and nominated to run against me,
is cast in the same mold, poured out of the same bottle,
chipped off of the same political stump.
I mean, there is no choice among them, that is.
The fact is, I say it's a fact that you'll see them ring in a dark horse candidate.
Dark horse, that is, because they can't make up their minds otherwise,
is what I mean.
Well, dark horse in the political sense in which Elijah used it
means pretty much as he explained it.
An unexpected nominee brought in to break a deadlocked balloting for a candidate
from among the leading nominees.
Presidents Polk, Pierce, Garfield, and Harding were dark horses.
Originally, dark horse was a racing term for a horse whose abilities were kept
in the dark until displayed in the race.
Gunsmoke, 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.
George Walsh speaking.
Join us again next week for another specially transcribed story on gunsmoke.
This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
The United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service