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.
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I can just get this full gun belt set just right again. Ain't no reason, ain't no reason at all I can't draw a gun as fast as the next fella.
Hey, it's just fancy too. Ain't really nothing to it, we're just a bunch. Oh, crack them more. Oh, how about Chester, I... What are you doing with that gun?
I ain't doing nothing at all. The fact is I was practicing, Mr. Dillon. You practicing with a six gun? Well, ain't no reason I can't, are they? No reason, except it seems to me you're taking them up a little late in life, aren't you?
Well, they come to time when a man has to stand up for himself. That's about a fixing to cause you trouble, Chester. Well, he ain't exactly causing me no trouble. More like he's fixing to plague me to death with his everlasting bragging and carrying on.
Oh, who? That Joe Sleat down at Long Branch. Joe Sleat? Joe Sleat, I... Oh, I forgot. You ain't been here for a couple days. Ain't like that you even saw him. What about Joe Sleat?
Well, he's one of them hard-talking gunfighters, that's what's about him. Oh, Chester, now you've got more sense in the tangle with somebody like that, haven't you? Well, sure I have, Mr. Dillon.
Then why are you practicing? Well, you don't hurt none, does it? No, I guess not. But you better be sure of one thing, Chester. What's that? That a fellow like Joe Sleat knows that you're just practicing.
Oh, Marshall. Alvin. Hi, Marshall. Hi, Proney. Hello, Bryce. Kitty. Doc. Hello, Matt. Matt, how it sounds like you're running for office. The way you're greeting folks.
I speak when I'm spoken to, Doc. Very friendly. Very friendly. Well, sit down and have a drink. Thank you, Kitty.
I've been looking for you, Doc. You've been looking? Oh, not very hard, you haven't. You've been right here. I figured it was a little early in the day, but I guess I should have known.
Is somebody sick? No, Kitty, but Judge Meadows is coming in this afternoon. He wants to talk to Doc about the wound that killed Bluett. Oh, sure. I guess I'll go along with you.
Oh, there's no big rush, Doc. Stage won't be here for another hour. I have some things to do. Oh, there he goes again. I wish he'd do his drink in someplace else. Who?
Oh, that big one. Joe Sleat. Every time he talks to anybody, there's a fight. I want to talk to him. I'll be right back, Doc. I'll be here. Put that thing away.
Well, you ain't roped so as you have to stay. Got a right to drink without no gun spinning in my face. You want to fight me about that?
That's just what you want, ain't it? Somebody to fight. All right, quiet down. Listen, Marshal. All right, Meeker, I'll handle it.
Always trying to get somebody to fight him. Slick drawing knife. I said I'd handle it. Now go on, Meeker, sit down. That's right, sonny, go sit down like the Marshal said.
I've been hearing about you, Sleat. These lots has heard about me. You aren't making many friends. Ain't meant to.
You're not meant to do your gun slinging in the saloon either. I do it where it suits me. It suits you even better if it causes trouble, is that it?
I can handle trouble if it comes, Marshal. If trouble comes in Dodge, I handle it, Sleat, you remember that?
Sure, Marshal.
Are you ready to go, Doc? Yeah, yeah. Thanks for talking to him, Matt. He's bullied around with that gun ever since he came to Dodge.
I just hope it did some good. We'll see you later. Goodbye, Kitty. Come on.
Oh my, that Joe Sleat's a miserable human being, isn't he? Yeah. This kind should never get near a gun.
They're not grown up enough to use one. You're right about that. It's an interesting study, Matt, about his prowess with a gun.
A fella like Sleat is childlike. He's absolutely childlike. But he's killed a lot of people with those the same.
Well, certainly. But what I meant... Come on.
Sleat. Yeah, let me through. Stand back, please, folks. Stand back.
Help me turn him over. Let's see.
How about it, Doc? He's alive, all right. A couple of men, help me carry him up to my office.
Yes, sir. I'll be up in a minute, Doc. Yeah, all right, Matt. Take it easy now. Gently.
What happened, Kitty? It was Meeker. Meeker? Sleat finally said too much. He's been deviling Meeker all day.
Yeah, but I never thought Meeker would draw on him. Sleat wasn't expecting it either.
He didn't shoot him in the back, did he? No. Sleat wasn't paying any attention, and Meeker didn't exactly warn him.
He shot twice and ran out the back way. Well, do you have to go after him?
If Sleat dies, yeah. It's a gunman, Matt. He had it coming.
Yeah, but the law isn't very choosy sometimes.
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Well, I'll let you know if there's any change, Matt, but I'm sure he's going to be all right.
Thanks, Doc. I'm glad for meakers' sake.
Yes.
Well, I'll be in the office.
All right, man.
Doc? Doc, I want to talk to you.
I'm coming.
Am I going to make it, Doc?
You'll make it.
You know, he didn't give me no chance to draw.
Had he not?
He'd have never got me if he'd give me a chance.
Just lie still.
Nobody could have out-drawed me if they'd give me a chance.
Now hold your head still. You're messing with me.
Seems like one bullet disgraced your temple.
It's my arm. My arm that hurts, Doc.
Yes, yes, yes.
What about my arm, Doc?
Well, I took that bullet out, sleep. That's all I can do. Now.
You'll be all right, won't it, Doc?
Oh, you'll be all right. I'm pretty sure of that.
Well, there won't be nothing wrong with my arm, either, will there, Doc?
It's too early to tell.
It's my right arm.
I know.
What? I wouldn't be no good without I could use my right arm.
Well, we'll have to see how it heals.
Well, you fix it, Doc. You can fix it.
Doc?
Yes, sleep.
You wouldn't do nothing to keep it from healing up good, would you?
I mean, because it's my gun arm?
No. I'm a doctor sleep, not a judge.
No matter how much I might want to be.
Oh, boy.
Hello, sleep. Back to see me again, huh?
It ain't no better, Doc.
I'm sorry, sleep, but it's likely to change overnight.
It's been more than a month since I've seen you.
I'm sorry, sleep.
I'm sorry, sleep, but it is likely to change overnight.
It's been more than a month, Doc,
and I still ain't got the use of my fingers.
I've told you, sleep, sometimes it happens that way.
Well, it ain't no good without the use of my fingers, Doc.
It's my gun hand.
You were lucky not to lose the whole arm.
I've told you that from the start.
Listen, Doc, if it's money,
I'll find me some money so that you can fix it.
There are some things that money can't buy,
and one of them's a good right hand.
You mean it ain't never gonna get well, huh?
they tell you what i told you all along he
it just doesn't look good
isn't just a matter of muscle and bone
it's the nerve
nerves don't often come back
it's got to come back
i ain't nothing without my gun hand
and he was never much with his gun hand
neither
sleet is waiting for you at your office
every day is that right yes every
blessed day
it doesn't matter how often I tell him I
can't do anything for me he's still there
showing me his arm trying to work his
fingers with anyone else you'd be sorry
I'm kind of sorry for dark having him
hang around like that
yes indeed I wish you could find
something to do for my sake I can't get
in or out of my office without stepping
over well I can hardly get in or out of
the long branch these days either doc
that'll make you feel any better
what's the trouble kitty? oh it's just one of the
penalties of owning a business doc you
know that fella I had to help out at the
bar and be a general handyman
you mean that roaming fella? yeah that's the one
what happened to him? who knows what happened to him
he just hasn't shown up for two days
you'd think nobody else could do
anything around there except me of course
why don't you get somebody else? nobody's
down and out enough to want the job I
guess it isn't much no no wait a minute
could a man with one hand do it? one hand
tied behind his back you mean? yeah just about that
well I was thinking about sleet
sleet? well maybe if he had some simple job to do
he'd snap out of it and quit bothering you
that's right
well no Miss Kitty wouldn't want a fella like him around
oh I don't know Chester I've had it worse
you think it'd work Matt? I guess it wouldn't hurt
anything to try it but there's one thing
sure sleet isn't able to hurt anything
all right then you can talk him into a
doc I'll chance it I could sure use some
help now it just don't seem right Miss
Kitty I wouldn't do that if I was you
well will you take the job for me Chester?
no ma'am it ain't something I'd rightly
feel like doing nobody feels like it
go ahead doc talk to sleet
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I brought us our beer Miss Gay. Thanks Chester.
Did Sleet Pourham all right for you Chester?
Sure he did. Ain't nothing to pour a glass of beer.
Then you're not worried about Sleet
anymore. Well I wasn't ever worried about
him. Ah you were a couple of weeks ago Chester.
Don't deny it. Well that was before he
changed into a changed man you might say.
You figure he's changed that. Sure he is.
Anybody can see that. Ain't that so Miss
Kitty? We are Chester you're right.
Thomas is this gun has been a part of him
that without it he seems to have lost
part of his whole makeup. Does he ever
talk about it? He never talks about
anything. Not even the doc. Doc says Sleet
won't even speak when he's passing him
on the street. Well I guess Doc can do
without all the talk he used to get from him.
Yeah I guess he can. It's a funny thing he
has done. Now talk can change. Sleet all
the he used to like to be around where the
crowd was. Now nobody don't never see him.
That's right. He leaves here as soon as
his chores are done. Nobody knows where he
stayed. Must be out of town somewheres. I
see him walking out there most every
night. You suppose old man had calmed down
like that if there were no guns? I don't
know Kitty but it sure saved me a lot of
trouble. Yeah saved women a lot of worry.
Now don't hold your breath Kitty I think
we'll be hanging on to our guns for a
while. And women will go right on worrying.
What's the matter Chester? Somebody
chasing you? What? No sir. The door just
slipped out of my hand. That's all that happened.
You nearly broke it off. Where you been?
I seen him horse down at the liver stable.
He's got that lame leg and all. Did you get
him fixed up? Yes sir I think I did.
Must have gone keep an eye on him. That's good.
He's worth taking care of. Oh yes sir he is.
Say you know who I seen down there at the
table? No who did you see down there at the
stable Chester? That fellow meeker Mr.
Jones. You know the one that shot Joe Sleet?
He just rode in town. Did he say where he
was heading? No sir he didn't. I don't think
it'd be hard to find him though. How's that?
He said he'd been on the trail all day and
he was packing around awful first. All
right come on Chester. Yes sir where are we
going? Just come on.
Bartender, whiskey. I want some whiskey.
Well Joe Sleet. They told me you was working
here. I wanted to see for myself. You
remember me Sleet. Sure you gotta remember
me. I'm the one that put you back at that
bar. Best job of work ever done too. Fixed it
so you couldn't shoot no more. What's the
matter Sleet? Can't you talk neither? I
fixed it so you couldn't talk neither. I
done better than I thought for. Sleet? No
Sleet wait. All right put that gun down
Sleet. You can have it Marshal. Beaker's dead
Mr. Dunn. He's dead. And I shot him. Yeah you
did. I shot him with my left hand Marshal.
I've been practicing up. Every night I've
been practicing up. I taught myself good
didn't I Marshal? Seems like it. No man
could live to chop me down Marshal. You
should have known that. You found out.
Yes it proves I'm still a top gun don't
it Marshal? Even with my left hand. After
all that practicing proves it don't it? I
don't know about that Sleet but it proves
one thing for sure. What's that? That you're a
man to be tried for murder. Let's go.
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Produced and directed in Hollywood by
Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as
Matt Dillon US Marshal. The story was
specially written for Gunsmoke by
Marion Clark with editorial supervision
by John Mespin. Featured in the cast
were Vic Perrin and Harry Bartel. Harley
Bear is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc
and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
This is George Walt inviting you to join
us again next week when CBS radio
presents another story of the Western
Frontier. When Matt Dillon, Chester
Proudfoot, Doc and Kitty together with
all the other hard-living citizens of
Dodge will be with you once more. It's
America growing west in the 1870s.
It's Gunsmoke.
This is the CBS radio network.