Now, post-toasties, the Heap Good Corn Flakes is proud to present Gunsmoke.
Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with a U.S. Marshal and the smell of Gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke, the story of the violence that moved west with young America, the story of a man who moved with it, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal.
It's easy to do your whole tribe a big favor, Mother. Just pour every big and little Indian in your camp a breakfast bowl full of post-toasties.
Post-toasties, you know, are the Heap Good Corn Flakes. They're the best thing that's happened to corn since the Indians discovered it.
Fresh as fresh can be. Say, post-toasties are cracklin' crisp. Sweet kernel corn flavor, toasted. That's post-toasties.
Post-toasties are packed with nourishment, too. A bowl of post-toasties with sugar and milk helps your big braves and little Indians start the day right.
Get post-toasties soon. And now, Gunsmoke, starring William Conrad.
Well, nice day, man.
The wind's gone down anyway.
It sure was blowin' last night.
Where were you, Doc?
Out at the Caldwell place. Mrs. Caldwell's expecting.
Still?
There was a false alarm last night.
You ought to get some sleep while you can, Doc.
Yes, I know. It's right where I'm headed.
Doc Adams.
Oh, hello, Roof.
I've been lookin' for you, Doc.
Uh, Matt, this is Roof Tucker, Shealy Tucker's son.
Oh, hello, Roof.
We ain't met before, Marshal.
No, how's Shealy these days?
He's just like ever. But it's ma I come to get Doc for.
Well, what's the matter, Roof?
She swallowed a nail, Doc, and it's hurtin' her bad.
Mm, swallowed a nail, is he? How'd she do that?
I told her not to, but she was fixin' the chicken house anyway, and she had some nails in her mouth.
Oh, you say it's hurting her?
It's her stomach.
She's got a terrible pain in her stomach.
Oh, that's bad. I'll write out with you right away, Roof.
As soon as I get my tools, may have to operate.
You know Bob, Doc. You know how he is.
Oh, yes, I forgot about him.
Shealy doesn't like doctors, does he?
He hates them. But he ain't there now.
He's been out on the prairie the last couple of days.
Oh? When'll he be back?
I don't know for sure.
But Ma said to get you anyway. She doesn't want to die.
Shealy'd cause trouble if he found me there, wouldn't he?
He sure would. He'd beat you half to death.
Well, maybe I better write out with you, Doc, just in case Shealy comes home while you're there.
Good idea, Matt. I think you better.
Roof, go over to the olive fruganza and tell Chester I want him to go with us, will you?
Sure, Marshal.
How is she, Mr. Dillon?
Oh, I don't know, Chester. Doc's still working on her.
Well, there's no sign of Shealy anyway.
Oh, that's some help.
What's the matter with a man like that, Mr. Dillon? Hating doctors the way he does?
I don't know, Chester. Probably there weren't any doctors around when he was young.
And what was good enough for his father is good enough for him. Some fool notion like that, maybe.
Shealy always was a mean old cuss, except for his horses.
He's always treated horses like they're human. Did you ever notice that?
Well, Shealy isn't really a bad man, Chester. He's just...ignorant and prejudiced because of his ignorance.
If he'd have been here, he'd have let Miss Tucker die rather than have Doc operate on her.
Yeah, probably.
Well, that's bad. To me it is.
Maybe if Doc saved him someday, he might get over his ideas.
Oh, Shealy's never had a sick day in his life. I don't know of.
Oh, Doc, you're all true.
Eh? Oh. Yeah. Yes, I'm all true, Matt.
How is she, Doc?
Yeah. She's dead.
Dead?
I guess her heart couldn't take it. I don't know. I had to operate, though. She'd have died sure if I hadn't.
It isn't your fault, Doc. You did all you could.
I know, but I always feel maybe if I'd have done it better, things like this wouldn't happen.
You're not to blame, Doc. You, uh, want me to tell Roof?
Yeah, I've already told him he's in there with her.
Oh, how'd he take it?
He didn't say a word, Matt.
Well, we'd better be getting back to Dodge, I guess.
Yeah, you must be plum war out, Doc.
Yeah, I am.
Doc.
Eh? Eh, yes, Roof.
And you too, Marshall. You're gonna have to help me.
We'll help you, Roof. What is it?
It's about Pa. I don't know what to tell him when he comes back.
Hey, that's right. I kind of keep forgetting about him.
Just tell him the truth, Roof. Doc tried to save your mother, but he wasn't able to. Nobody could have.
You don't know Pa very well, I guess. He just won't stand for it.
Well, there's nothing he can do about it now. It's all over.
Not for him it won't be.
Hmm, but, uh, what do you mean, Roof?
Well, when Pa says a thing, he means it. And he said none of us was ever to go near a doctor.
Roof, do you agree with your Pa's thinking?
No. And neither did Ma. But we didn't dare cross him when he was around anyway.
I'm afraid of him, Marshall. You'll have to stay here and tell him.
Yeah, well, I can't stay. I have to get over to the cold little place. That baby's you any time now.
But you can't go in there.
All right, Roof. All right. I'll stay here till he comes back.
Um, Chester, you better ride into town in case anybody's looking for me, huh?
All right, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah, it's a funny thing how a doctor can lose one life and maybe bring another into the world all on the very same day.
Yeah. Come on, Chester. We can ride part way together.
That ought to do it, Roof.
I want her buried good, Marshall.
How about a cross? You want to put up a cross?
I'll let Pa decide that. Oh, my gosh, Marshall. Here he comes now.
Yeah. Looks like he's been riding pretty hard.
Pa always rides hard, but he takes mighty good care of his horses all the same. He's never hurt one yet.
I know.
Oh, boy.
Hi, Marshall.
How are you, Shealy?
What are you doing out here?
What's this?
Shealy, your wife died. Roof and I just finished burying her.
She died?
Just a few hours ago. We didn't know when you were going to get back, so we went ahead and buried her.
What'd she die of?
She was holding some nails in her mouth and she swallowed one of them.
Roof, take this horse into the barn and dry him off.
Sure, Pa.
Rub him good now.
I will, Pa.
Don't let him near no water yet.
Oh.
What are you doing out here, Marshall?
I came out with Doc.
With who?
Doc Adams. He did everything he could to save her life, Shealy.
He cut on her, didn't he?
He tried to get the nail out, if that's what you mean. She'd have died from it if he hadn't.
Cutting on her, that's what killed her?
Look, Shealy, your wife was dying and Doc tried to save her. That's how it happened, no matter what you think.
I've got no use for doctors. They're all croakers. That's what my old man called them, croakers.
I kind of figure that's where all this came from.
Shealy, have you ever thought that your old man might have been wrong?
Not about them he wasn't.
Hey, how'd Doc get here anyway? Who told him to come?
Your wife wanted him.
After all the times I've told her to stay away from doctors...
I guess she didn't want to die, Shealy. She wanted a chance to live.
Yeah, sure. And he came out here and killed her.
Poor defenceless woman.
Doc Adams will pay for this, Marshal. I'm telling you right now.
You lay a hand on Doc and I'll run you out of the country, Shealy.
Maybe it won't be a hand I'll use, Marshal.
Try anything like that and you'll hang for it. I'll find you no matter where you go.
He killed my wife with his bungling butchery. He's a murderer.
There isn't a man in Kansas who'd believe that. Doc's a pretty valuable citizen around here, Shealy.
Not to me, he ain't. It's an eye for an eye, Marshal, like it says in the good book.
You even try it and I'll throw you in jail.
I don't try nothing.
Then you'll hang.
Will I, Marshal?
Say, what goes on at your house at breakfast?
Well, you can take it from me.
The best thing that can go on your breakfast table is post-toasties.
Yes, sir, post-toasties. The heap good cornflakes.
Those golden crisp cornflakes are the best thing that's happened to corn since the Indians discovered it.
You know how to prove it?
Just pour out breakfast bowlfuls of post-toasties for your whole tribe and then watch how they enjoy them.
Post-toasties are crisp and tasty.
From the first bite down to the last spoonful, that sweet kernel corn flavor makes your breakfast.
So always ask for post-toasties, the heap good cornflakes.
Post-toasties, heap good cornflakes.
The best thing that's happened to corn since the Indians discovered it.
Heap good cornflakes. Post-toasties, heap good cornflakes.
Remember, post-toasties is one of the famous triple-wrapped post cereals, guaranteed fresh or triple your money back.
Now back to gun smoke.
Music
I left Shealy Tucker standing by his wife's grave and I rode back to Dodge.
There was no use trying to convince the man that doctors aren't bunglers and murderers.
I figured he'd have to experience the truth himself somehow.
And there wasn't much chance of that the way things stood.
What really worried me was his threat to get Doc.
Ordinarily, Shealy was peaceable enough, but there was no telling what he might do now.
Doc stayed at the Caldwell Place that night and the next day too.
I thought he'd be safe there and I didn't worry about him until the next evening.
Kitty and I were having supper at the Dodge house.
Matt, for a town that lives on the cattle trade, you'd think we'd be able to eat decent steaks.
You should have had the prairie chicken, Kitty.
You didn't have to walk all the way from Texas.
That steak I had got carried. It was too old to walk.
I've never eaten prairie chicken, Matt. What's it taste like?
Oh, little chicken. A lot of prairie.
If I didn't know you better, I'd say you've been drinking.
If I know you, you'll order a steak next time anyway.
I don't give up easy, Matt.
Yeah, I know.
Remember it then.
Sure.
You don't know much about women, do you, Matt?
Well, I'm learning.
Yeah, but at the pace you've said, I'll be in my grave before you're out of first grade.
Well, it took me ten years to learn how to handle a six gun.
Well, that's the nicest compliment I've had all day.
Drink your coffee. I gotta get out of here.
Yes, sir, Mr. Dillon.
Oh, here's Doc.
Oh, hello, Matt. Kitty.
How's Mrs. Caldwell, Doc?
Yeah, gave birth to a 12 pound boy this afternoon.
Ah, that's fine.
Yeah, that's not what I came to talk about, Matt.
Somebody tried to shoot me on the way back from the Caldwell place.
What? Who was it, Doc?
I didn't see him, and since I didn't have a gun, I rode straight ahead.
Ah, fast.
What just happened?
About a mile the other side of the grove.
I should have come out and ridden back with you, Doc.
You should have, huh?
Well, then, you know something about this?
Yeah.
Shealy Tucker, huh?
He came back after you and Chester had left, Doc.
He made some threats.
Yes, I might have known that.
I'm not going to be a target for Shealy here every time I go on a call in the country.
I'm going out and see him, Matt. We'll have this out face to face.
I don't think you can change his mind, Doc, but I'll go with you.
And if he admits shooting at you this afternoon, I'll bring him back to jail.
Maybe I'll bring him back anyway.
Well, I should hope so. People around here would be in an awful fix without Doc.
Well, then, me too, Kitty.
Oh, sure, Doc. I was thinking of you.
We'll ride out in the morning, Doc.
There's somebody in the corral there, Matt.
Yeah, it looks like Shealy.
Yes, him and Ruth both.
Come on.
Let's leave them here. They'll stand.
We got a horse tied down in there, Mr. Dillon.
He's down, Chester, but he isn't tied.
Oh, my golly, he ain't.
Oh, say, look at that.
I broke his leg. Now that's too bad.
Here we are.
Oh, Doc, I'll go first in case Shealy gets excited.
Oh, all right, man.
Go ahead, I'll close it.
Hello, Shealy. Ruth.
Hello.
You bring that croaker out here to kill my horse for me, Marshal?
And now, Shealy...
Wait a minute, Doc. I'm sorry about your horse, Shealy. What happened?
That bay is the finest animal I ever owned.
I was just topping him off when he fell and busted his leg. You'll blame it.
Gee, that's too bad.
It sure is. Ruth, go on up to the house and fetch me my rifle.
Okay, Pa.
Terrible things lose a horse like this.
Shealy, if you like, I'll do the shooting.
Oh, thanks. I'll kill him myself. It's my job.
You know, it's a funny thing.
We always shoot a horse if it breaks a leg,
but we wouldn't think of shooting a man when he dies.
You croakers got other ways of getting rid of people.
I'll overlook that, Shealy, but I'll tell you something.
I don't want to hear nothing from you.
You like that horse, don't you?
Of course I do.
Well, then, don't shoot him.
What?
Well, look, Shealy, that horse is down for anyway,
so it won't hurt to let me try to fix his leg the same way I would a man.
It just might work.
You mean put a cast on him?
I do.
I never heard of putting a cast on a horse, Doc.
Yeah, neither have I.
It's crazy. I don't like it.
It's up to you, Shealy.
Well, I wouldn't have let you near my wife if I'd been here.
Why should I let you fool with my horse?
All right. All right, Shealy.
Shoot your horse, then I'm taking you back to Dodge.
What for?
You're going to jail for trying to kill Doc yesterday.
At least that's what Doc told me.
Yeah, now, Matt, I didn't exactly say...
Shut up, Doc.
I ain't going to jail. I can't...
Yes, you are.
Unless maybe Doc changes his mind about charging you with attempted murder.
Then I couldn't put you in jail.
Oh?
Yeah, no.
No, he couldn't then.
You know, Shealy, I might get so busy working on this horse,
I'd plain forget about everything else.
I might even save the animal to boot.
Well, make up your mind, Shealy.
I got to get back to Dodge.
Well, all right.
But you better make it work, Doc.
I said I'd try.
That's the best I can do.
Ever.
No matter who the patient is.
Okay, Doc, you try.
But try real hard, will you?
I always do, Shealy.
Real hard.
Chester and Roof made a fast trip into Dodge
for a plaster of Paris and some muslin to go under it.
And when they got back, Doc went to work.
An hour later, he had a heavy cast on the horse's leg.
And after giving Shealy some final instructions, he was finished.
He promised to come back in a couple of weeks
and put a lighter cast on, and then we left.
Shealy didn't say much, but I knew if anything went wrong
with that horse, he'd be after Doc again.
However, six weeks went by before anything happened.
Doc and I were hiding out in his office
with a game of chess we'd started a few days earlier.
Yeah, Doc, Ron Rook, if you're sitting there, Matt,
if I move my bishop, you'll be right in on that queen.
That's the only move you got, Doc.
All right. There you are, Matt.
See what you can do with it.
A couple more of those, and I'll get that queen.
Doc.
Well, hello, Shealy.
Doc, I've been looking everywhere for you.
Why'd you put a sign on your door saying you were out?
How come you're wearing a gun, Shealy?
Man, it'd be a fool not to wear a gun in this town, Marshal.
It'd be a worse fool to try to use it.
Don't rile me. I'm in a bad enough temper already.
What's wrong, Shealy?
How's your horse?
My horse is tied up right outside, Doc.
What?
Yeah, I took that second cast off myself.
Then I rode him in here.
Of course, I took it easy with him, Doc, real easy.
And he ain't even limping.
Well, what do you know?
By heaven, it works.
That's fine, but what are you so heated up about, Shealy?
Well, you'd be heated up too, Marshal.
You've been carrying a rotten tooth in your jaw as long as I have.
You mean you're looking for a doctor, Shealy?
Well, I'm man enough to admit it, Marshal.
Well, now, Shealy, you just sit down right over there,
and I'll see what I can do.
Okay, Doc, this is the one right here.
Try to get it out, will you?
I'll try, Shealy. That's the best I can ever do.
Ever.
That's good enough for me, Doc.
In just a moment, we'll tell you about next week's adventure on Gunsmoke.
Say, exciting things happen to breakfast when there are sugar crinkles at every place.
Sure, new sugar crinkles make breakfast more fun than a circus.
You know why?
Sugar crinkles is the sugar rice treat that's just right sweet.
Not too sweet, the way some sugar-coated cereals seem to be,
and not like others that aren't sweet enough.
Sugar crinkles, every golden crisp nugget of them, is just right sweet.
So try starting your day off just right with new sugar crinkles.
And don't forget, when you're listening to the radio or watching television,
sugar crinkles make great snacks.
From the bowl or from the pack, for your breakfast or a snack,
sugar crinkles are more fun than a circus.
Try sugar crinkles soon.
They're the sugar rice treat that's just right sweet.
So better get several packages.
Music
Gunsmoke, under the direction of Norman MacDonald,
stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
Tonight's story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Meston,
with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey.
Featured in the cast were Sam Edwards and Tom Tully.
Carly Bearer as Chester, Georgia Ellis as Kitty,
and tonight Paul Fries played Doc.
Ken Peters speaking.
Join us again next week as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal,
fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in Gunsmoke.
Music
Listen next week at this time when Gunsmoke will be brought to you by sugar crinkles,
the sugar rice treat that's just right sweet.
Music