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.
Crime, delinquency, threats of war, these are the subjects that dominate our news headlines these days. Not very pleasant subjects, are they?
You may say that somebody ought to do something about cutting down on crime and delinquency and in promoting peace among nations, but that there's nothing you personally can do about it.
That's where you're wrong. You can wage your own fight against crime and delinquency in your own family by taking the family to the church or synagogue of your faith this week.
The spiritual contact will strengthen moral background and faith.
Regular attendance at religious services will help your family to work out its own problems and give them comfort in facing the tensions of our present-day life.
Worshipping together brings your family closer together too, and supporting your own religious institution provides funds to help those individuals and families who, unlike you, are unable to help themselves.
Find the strength for your life. Worship together this week.
Lower it easy, boys. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, ensure uncertain hope of the resurrection unto eternal life. Amen.
I'll see if I can't help with the spading, Mr. Jones.
All right, Chester, I'm going to speak to Miss Henshaw.
Miss Henshaw?
Marshal Dillon?
I just wanted to say, ma'am, if there's anything I can do, I, uh...
You've done your duty, Marshal. You're ready to kill it.
Yes, ma'am, I did. I was thinking more if you might be needing something.
I should be all right.
Well, I'm sure you will, Miss Henshaw, but if it can help you out any time, why...
You can't bring back my son.
No, ma'am, I can't bring back your son.
You can't bring me any help.
Don't worry about me, Marshal Dillon, I come from strong people.
You do him credit, ma'am.
We can bear things... in our way.
Larenda, I... Larenda, I want to talk to you. I bid you good day, Marshal Dillon.
Larenda, please, wait a minute. Larenda, I...
Miss Meisner, I think I'd let her go.
I just... I just wanted to tell her... I'm sorry it was my son Jake that done it.
Well, there'll be a better time.
After you've hung my boy. You mean then?
You better let me see you home, Miss Meisner.
You think I ain't good enough to talk to Larenda Henshaw?
Because you took in my boy.
Shall we go?
I ain't going no place where the locks are you.
Larenda Henshaw ain't got no use for talking to me, and I ain't got no use for talking to you.
You ain't forcing me neither.
No, ma'am, and I'm not about to try.
Don't get on the hook and just sit on a chair straight.
They wouldn't be used to ever twist my leg off like this.
Soon as I get it fit, the doctor'll come in and lean back and rock and...
Oh, hello, Mr. Doane.
Hello, Chessor.
I didn't figure you'd be back so soon.
Now, that doesn't take very long to turn a prisoner over to a sheriff.
Well, no, sir, I guess not.
Anything been going on here since the left?
Well, no, sir, nothing I couldn't handle. There were little rookas last night.
What was that?
That old man Merton got thinking it was the Fourth of July.
He started out giving a few speeches.
A man can still speak his mind, Chester.
Well, yes, really, it wasn't the speeches, Mr. Doane.
They were stirring and patriotic enough,
but he got to snorting at this whiskey bottle between talks,
and next thing you know, he seen the British coming right down Front Street.
Well, how about it, Chester? Was it the British?
No, sir, it was the Calhoun brothers and me.
Hey.
Master Dillon.
Oh, come in, Miss Meisner.
I want to see you alone.
Well, I was just...
I mean, I expect I could go and see if there's any mail again.
Why don't you do that, Chester?
I ain't wanted no more.
Fine, Chester.
Why don't you sit down, Miss Meisner?
I can say what I come to say on my feet.
All right, ma'am.
You took my boy away yesterday.
Yes, ma'am, I did.
You took him away to be hanged.
The law isn't easy, Miss Meisner.
Mr. Meisner and I lived here a long time before he died.
We were law-abiding people.
I know that.
My Jake has always been a good boy.
You know that yourself, Marshal Dillon, a good, God-fearing boy.
He worked hard on that place we got,
grubbin' and diggin' to try to make things grow after his pa died.
You've been out there a time or two.
You've seen the boy workin'.
I've seen him.
Jake was my friend, yes, ma'am.
And then he come to town, and in one crazy night,
it's all different.
They want to hang him.
Miss Meisner, your son killed a man.
It weren't Jake that done it, Marshal.
It was the drink, the evil, tempting drink.
And they was brawlin'.
Everybody says they was brawlin'.
They were brawling, but Jake used his gun, ma'am,
and he shot an unarmed man.
Now you know that, Miss Meisner, and you know the law, too.
The law ain't merciful, Marshal, and you wasn't merciful, neither.
I did what I had to do.
It wasn't easy, but I had to face it.
You'd be better off if you'd face it, too, ma'am.
I'm here to face it.
I think you'd feel better if you went home.
Maybe Doc can give you something to help.
There's only one thing that'll help.
What's that?
The life of my boy.
I can't give you that, Miss Meisner.
Then I'll take yours.
You don't mean that.
Yes, I do, Marshal Dillon.
I ain't given to saying things I don't mean.
Then you'd better do some more thinking, ma'am.
Killing me or trying to is not going to solve anything for you.
I've done my thinking.
I know it won't help Jake, it won't even help me.
But I've got to do something.
And if you let him hang next Thursday, I'll kill you.
That's all I know.
You need help, Miss Meisner, but this isn't...
I ain't looking for help.
I'm looking for an end to this.
Now you be thinking about it, Marshal.
You be thinking good.
I'm thinking more about you, ma'am.
Don't worry none about that.
I ain't been partial to firearms, but I've had to kill in my day.
I can shoot, Marshal.
Yes, ma'am, I'm sure you can shoot.
And you be remembering, if I lose my boy next Thursday,
I'll be back to end it.
I'll be here, Miss Meisner, because I want to end it too.
While the conventions have come and gone, is it all over but the voting?
Hardly.
In the next months till November, we're in for some hard campaigning.
Details, of course, from CBS News.
And your candidate, whoever he may be, is in for tough sledding
before he gets into office, if at all.
Your responsibility to your candidate is, of course, to give him your vote.
Your voice will help too.
And there's something else that helps put across a campaign.
It's money.
The best candidate in the world can't get into office without incurring expenses.
If you believe in your man enough to vote for him,
believe in him enough to get out and work for him,
then put some money on the line too.
There's the real test of your interest.
We haven't covered the subject of whom to vote for, whom to support,
whom to help with a contribution.
That's strictly your own business.
But if the people who like the other man begin for him
and you don't do likewise for your man,
well, that could be the difference right there.
So think it over and make sure you vote.
It just doesn't make sense, Matt.
It's not supposed to.
But Hattie Meisner, of all people,
well, she's one of the steadiest, kindest women who ever lived around here.
Yeah, I know it, Kitty, but this thing has thrown her completely off balance.
It must have.
Hattie's always been the first one to come when anybody needed help,
first one to take in the visiting pastors, the first one to...
Well, I just can't believe it.
I wish you didn't have to.
What are you going to do, Matt?
There's not much you can do.
I don't suppose there's any hope for the boy.
No, that's an open and shut case, Kitty.
His mother doesn't know it and I'm not going to tell her,
but he lost his wild temper and brawls a couple of times before.
There wasn't anything else the judge could do.
Seems awful hard.
Yeah.
It was hard on the Henshaw boy, too.
Of course it was.
Do you really expect Hattie to come after you with a gun?
I expect she's a woman of her word.
And you'll have to handle it.
Yeah.
You got any suggestions?
Well, I...
I could shoot her down like an outlaw when I see her coming.
Or I could let her shoot me.
You got to think of something.
Or I could leave town.
Oh, you got to get serious, Matt.
I am serious, Kitty. I don't know what to do.
She's a good woman, but right now she's dangerous
and I got to protect her.
And I just as soon protect myself at the same time.
Matt.
Yeah?
Have you talked to Doc?
About this? No.
It might help.
He knows Hattie real well.
He might be able to talk to her.
I heard she's not in a talking mood.
It can't hurt to try.
No, I guess not.
It can't hurt to try.
Get, get.
Come on, get it.
Good job there.
Get away. Get away, dog.
Get.
Come on.
Get up.
Hey, Doc, hold up.
Whoa, whoa, there.
What's the matter, Matt?
You arresting me for something?
I probably should at the rate you were driving that buggy through town.
You're a menace to life and property.
We're getting old, Matt.
Maybe.
Are you heading for the stable?
Can you stop me, I was.
I'll ride along with you. I want to talk to you.
Climb in. Climb in.
Yeah.
Get up.
What's on your mind, Matt?
Addie Meisner.
That's a sad thing, all right.
I wouldn't worry too much, Matt.
She'll come through it all right.
She's a strong woman.
I'm afraid she's too strong.
What do you mean?
She says if Jake hangs, he's going to kill me.
Oh, come now, man.
That's the truth, Doc.
She knows he's guilty.
She knows she's wrong.
She has to get it out of her system.
That sounds like hysteria.
Addie isn't a hysterical type of woman.
I've treated her through all kinds of sickness and trouble.
Yeah.
I thought maybe you'd go out and talk to her.
She's got you buffaloed, has she?
Yeah, she's got me buffaloed, Doc.
Now, do you want me to shoot her and knock her down
and get the gun and lock her up?
No, wait a minute. I'm sorry, Matt.
I shouldn't have taken it life, then.
Yeah, well, I'll talk to her.
I'm not sure it'll do any good, but I'll talk to her.
Thanks, Doc.
You want me to come along?
No, no, man.
I think I'd better try this alone.
Well, hello there, Chester.
Kind of early for you, isn't it?
Yes, where is Miss Kitty?
I got to see Miss Kitty.
She was here a minute ago.
There she is, Chester, looking at that pair of chairs
that you broke up last night.
Thank you, kind of.
Miss Kitty? Miss Kitty?
Hello, Chester. What brings you here?
Miss Kitty, you've got to do something.
Oh, come on, Chester.
What do you have in mind?
It's about that woman and Mr. Dillon.
Well, no, I don't know about doing anything about Matt
and the woman, Chester.
Miss Kitty, I ain't funnin'.
You tell Miss Meisner I'm talking about.
Yeah, Chester, go ahead. Tell me about it.
Well, Doc went to see her to see if he couldn't talk
some sense into her and all, and he just didn't get no worse.
She's still determined, is she?
Yes, Miss Kitty, she is.
She says she's going to walk right up and shoot Mr. Dillon
after her boy is hung.
Oh, it's a shame.
It's more than a shame.
Mr. Dillon's just going to sit there and let her walk in
and do it, too.
He ain't so much as cleaned his gun about it.
Well, it isn't that simple, Chester.
She's a good woman.
Well, my goodness, I know it ain't simple,
but there must be something somebody can do.
We can't all sit around and let her kill him
just because she's a good woman.
No, we can't.
You've got to think of something, Miss Kitty.
Now, Chester, you know I want to help.
Helpin' just ain't enough no more.
If somebody don't do something,
we're going to be in an awful fix.
Now, Chester, calm down.
I ain't going to calm down, Miss Kitty,
till somebody does something about this.
No, Doc. All right, Chester, all right.
Think of something.
Though I swear I don't know what it'll be.
I'm going to kill you.
The.
Mrs Henshaw.
You wish to see me.
Yes, Mrs Henshaw, I did.
Do I know you?
I'm Kitty Russell.
Oh, yes.
I'd like to come in for a minute.
Very well then, come in.
Thank you.
In here.
Sit down, Miss Russell, on the sofa.
Thank you.
Now, what did you wish to see me about?
Mrs Henshaw, I'm a great one for mind and my own business.
Commendable attitude.
Well, something terrible may be going to happen, Mrs Henshaw.
I think there's a chance you can stop it.
Me? In what way?
It's about Mrs Meisner.
Mrs Russell, that name is not heard kindly in this house.
I can understand that, Mrs Henshaw.
I'm really not interested in anything you might have to say on the subject.
I know the loss of your boy was a bitter thing, Mrs Henshaw,
but there's no need to add more trouble to it.
It was none of my doing, Miss Russell.
Of course it wasn't, but now you can help.
Mrs Meisner says she's going to shoot Matt Dillon.
I assume the Marshal can take care of himself.
Well, of course Matt can take care of himself,
but he doesn't want to have to hurt Mrs Meisner.
And if you would just talk to her, maybe you could make it.
I have nothing to say to Hattie Meisner, now or ever.
Mrs Henshaw, what's done, done.
She's going to lose her boy, too.
There's no need for more suffering.
Mrs Russell, I can understand your concern for the Marshal.
I understand he's a particular friend of yours.
Matt is a good friend.
But it is no concern of mine.
He has a job to do.
I see no reason to interfere with it.
Mrs Henshaw.
I'll show you to the door.
I can find it.
I will show you to the door.
Yes, of course.
Do it properly, Mrs Henshaw.
Do it all properly.
But don't show a little kindness to another woman in trouble.
For dead men, you're going to have to do it.
I'm not in trouble.
Good day, Mrs Russell.
I'm not so sure, Mrs Henshaw.
Hi, this is Dennis James.
Say, remember way back when this melody was popular?
There's something very special about a longtime favorite, isn't there?
Well, folks feel the same way about one of Kellogg's favorites, Kellogg's All Brand.
Going on 41 years now, it's been America's most popular good food way to fight irregularity from lack of bulk.
Because it's whole brand, Kellogg's All Brand gentles away irregularity safely and reliably.
And because it's deep toasted for extra crispness, it never gets mushy in milk.
There's only one all brand, Kellogg's All Brand.
That's A-L-L-B-R-A-N. Kellogg's All Brand.
Well, all I can say is we're all wasting our money tonight.
What do you mean, Doc?
Well, I should have said everybody but you, Chester.
You're the only one who's eaten with any enjoyment.
Chester can always eat, Doc.
Well, that's what a body's supposed to do.
You should know that, Doc.
He knows it, Chester.
He just can't put the idea across to himself.
Whenever I'm trying to admit, I'll have more appetite tomorrow night.
Everything comes out all right.
Yeah.
Mr. Jones, you're positive nothing can interfere with the, well, with the hanging.
Nothing.
But a miracle.
And you expect that Miss Marginer to come walking in, toting the gun?
That's what she says.
I never heard of two women that were so stubborn about being talked to.
Yeah, they're both a little crazed by the grief of losing their sons,
and they're, they're reacting in different ways.
Well, I should see that, but you'd think somebody could get through to at least one of them.
Well, it's a difficult case.
Yeah, well, tell you what, why don't we leave it alone till tomorrow, huh?
Till tomorrow?
Well, Mr. Jones, tomorrow would be too late.
Yes, Matt, if you're going to think of anything, you better think of it tonight.
Well, what do you want me to do, Doc? Leave town?
That might not be a bad idea.
Oh, for heaven's sake, Kitty, I'd have to come back someday, wouldn't I?
Well, by that time, Hattie might have cooled off.
Isn't that right, Doc?
No, I don't think so.
This thing is likely to stay with her until it, until it gets out of her system some way.
It'll take some kind of a trigger to let loose of her emotions.
I hope it isn't a real trigger.
Well, it's just a terrible, terrible thing. That's what it is.
All right. All right, let's, uh, let's talk about something else.
Yeah, but maybe if we keep on studying and figuring...
Yeah, yeah, let everybody think.
Everybody said let's talk about something else.
But, Matt, maybe, maybe if we get an idea...
I don't want to hear any more about it. Now, do you get that idea?
Yes, sir, Mr. Dome.
Well, I declare.
It's her, Mr. Dome. Miss Meisen is driving up in her buggy.
Huh?
Oh, all right, Chester. You go on out back like I told you.
Now, are you sure, Mr. Dome, that you don't want me to stay?
I'm sure. Go on now. I don't want her walking in here feeling she's surrounded.
Now, go on. Get out.
Oh. All right.
Marshall?
Come in, Miss Meisen.
I come. Like I said.
Oh.
Uh, I think we could talk a little better if you'd, uh, put the gun down.
Ain't no need for talking.
They hung my boy this morning.
Yes, ma'am. You can let him lie in peace.
There ain't no peace for me, Marshal Dillon.
I'd help you if I could, ma'am. I'd help Jake if I could.
There ain't no helping. For me or for you.
You're a good woman, Miss Meisen. You don't want to shoot him on your conscience.
My conscience tells me to kill the man that took my boy.
I'm not gonna let you kill me, ma'am.
You ain't stopping me.
I don't want to hurt you, but you put the gun down, Miss Meisen.
Stay where you are, Marshal Dillon.
I said put the gun down.
I swear. I swear.
Hattie.
Hattie. Hattie, let it go.
Let the gun go. It's no answer. Let me take it.
All right. Let me have it.
I got it, Miss Henshaw.
You. You got no right, Loretta Henshaw.
You got no right. I wasn't even good enough for you to talk to with the Berrien.
I was wrong, Hattie. I'm sorry.
Being sorry ain't bringing my boy back.
No.
It's not bringing my boy back either.
Neither is being bitter, Hattie. Neither is being bitter.
You ain't no one to talk.
Maybe not.
But I spent the night long on my knees about it.
It's gonna be hard, Hattie, without our boys.
I've had hate in my heart, too.
Loretta.
But I learned in the praying that the only way to feel close to my dead son is to feel love.
Love for him and love for the world.
Without it, he fades away.
My. My Jake fades away, too.
That's what I can't rightly bear.
He fades away.
Then give him a chance to stay near Hattie.
Let the hate out of your heart let him in.
I ain't been one to hate.
I just didn't know nothing else to do.
That's right, Hattie.
Cry.
I ain't letting myself shed no tears.
Let him come.
Let them cool your grief.
I'm sorry, Marshall.
I'm sorry.
It's all right, Miss Myzel.
I'll take her home with me, Marshall Dunn.
Thank you, Miss Henshaw.
She'll be all right now.
Yes, ma'am.
I'm sure she will.
I'm sorry.
Yes, ma'am. I'm sure she will.
And I'll be all right, too.
There's a man with a beard named Mitch Miller.
No, not the beard, the man.
There's also a man with a show named Mitch Miller.
Yes, the show and the man, the same man with the beard.
The same man knows all those fabulous gals and guys from the sparkling world of show business.
Mitch holds open house for them and you Sunday nights on CBS Radio.
That's the Mitch Miller Show, beard and all.
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 Meskin.
Featured in the cast were Gene Bates and Virginia Christine.
Harley Bear is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
This is Bill Conrad.
All of the Gunsmoke cast want to extend their congratulations to K&X Radio in Los Angeles for the observance of its 40th anniversary this week.
Founded in 1920, K&X has been an important part of the CBS Radio network since 1937 and important to us on Gunsmoke, too.
For we broadcast our program from the CBS K&X studios in Hollywood.
Again, congratulations from all of us.
This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week when CBS Radio presents another story on Gunsmoke.
WBT Charlotte.
Out in your car, CBS Radio rolls along with you.
There's more to see. Only CBS brings you the stars.
Gary Moore and Doug Link, letter God for you, Bing.
Lolo Thomas and we promise Rosie Clooney'll sing.
Out in your car, roll along with the stars you can only get on CBS.
CBS Radio, CBS Radio, CBS Radio, CBS Radio, CBS Radio, CBS Radio, CBS Radio.
You'll hear all those stars plus many more on CBS and WBT Radio tomorrow morning.
Tonight, stay tuned next for the CBS News, followed by the Kingston Trio.
At 710, yours truly, Johnny Dollar, makes a hurried trip to Philadelphia in a desperate effort to save a longtime friend from being accused of arson.
Suspense brings you another thrilling and spine-chilling story at 735.
And Mitch Miller introduces you to some fascinating guests at 805.