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.
Gunsmoke starring William Conrad, the story of the violence that moved west with young America and the story of a man who moved with it.
And 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 chancy job and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Marshal Dillon.
Come on in son.
I'm looking for Doc.
Doc's office is upstairs.
I've been there, I've been everywhere.
Why, is there somebody sick?
My Pa told me to bring him out to our place.
Is it your Pa that's sick?
He wants the Doc bad, Marshal.
Who is your Pa, son?
Ben Pitcher.
You Ben Pitcher's boy?
My name's Jerry.
Jerry, your Pa must be pretty sick if he's sent for Doc.
No, he hates doctors.
He don't believe in them.
But he wants Doc to come, Marshal.
He told me I had to find him.
I've looked everywhere.
I'll go with you.
You don't have to go.
I'm going to ride out there with him, Jerry.
When your Pa sends for a doctor, something's really wrong.
Come on.
How do you like riding in a buggy, Matt?
Does it make you feel important?
Sure it does, Doc.
But the way you drive, I'd feel a lot safer on a horse.
You'll get used to it.
I hope not.
Whoa, there you go.
Hey, don't see anybody around, man.
You expect a sick man to be waiting on the porch for you?
I'd expect most anything of Ben Pitcher.
You know, a man can change, Doc.
Not him, not Pitcher.
Well, we'll find out soon enough.
What are you doing out here, Marshal?
I just came along to keep Doc company, Miss Pitcher.
Oh.
Where's the boy?
Jerry said tell you he belonged directly.
Why didn't he come back with you?
Well, he said that you gave him a list of stuff to buy while he was in town.
Oh, I forgot.
Yes, we're wasting time. Where's Ben, Miss Pitcher?
He's over there.
Over where?
In the barn.
What's he doing in the barn?
You ask him, Doc.
I don't interfere in my husband's way of doing things.
Oh, my, that woman could fair drive me crazy, man.
Yeah, maybe that's what happened to Pitcher.
Between the two of them, it's a wonder the boy's made out at all.
Jerry seems okay so far.
If they have their way, they'll make a spook out of him, yeah.
They could, all right.
Pretty good bond he's got here.
Yeah.
Uh, Doc, I'll go in first.
What?
You follow me.
Hey, Pitcher.
Hey, Pitcher.
I'm back here.
Oh, come on, Doc.
Over here in this stall.
I thought it was Doc.
He's here, Pitcher.
What are you doing in there with that cow?
I thought you were sick.
I ain't sick, Doc.
Well, who is sick?
Macau.
What?
Macau's got the colic or something.
I done everything I can for her.
You mean you had me come all the way out here to doctor a cow?
I sure wouldn't let your doctor know humans.
But a cow is different.
I don't mind so much you working on a cow.
Oh, you don't?
No.
Humans can get well by themselves, but cows is helpless.
You're kind of pitiful.
I ought to kick you right in the head, Ben Pitcher.
If you're so smart, do something for my cow.
Before she dies, Doc.
Ah.
All right, I'll look at her.
But you sure don't deserve it, Ben.
You ain't doing it for me.
You bet I'm not.
Now get out of the way and let me in there.
Hen, men.
Men, medics.
Medics, medics, Medicare.
Medicare, Medi-Card.
Oh, excuse me, sir.
What are you doing?
Oh, I'm a memory expert.
And I'm committing a fact to memory.
Oh, what fact?
Ah, oh, now you see you made me forget.
Oh, maybe we can bring it back.
You mentioned Medicare.
Does it have to do with medical care for dependents?
Yeah, that's it.
My boy just turned 10.
I'm on my way to get him an ID card so he can use it for things like
the Dependents of Medical Care Program.
Every dependent over 10 years of age should have an ID card.
Oh, that's an excellent reminder, Mr.
Oh, you can just call me anytime you need help with memory problems, fella.
Now which way was I going when you came up?
For your information, get the pamphlet Dependents Medical Care Program.
Oh, what's he doing in there all this time, Marshall?
Leave him be, Ben.
He'll let us know if he wants any help.
I guess he's through.
How's my cow, Doc?
Here's your knife, Ben.
Did you stick her with it?
I did, and she's going to feel a lot better.
You can give her all the water she wants, but don't let her eat anything for a day or two.
Is she going to live?
I don't know, Ben.
If she dies, I ain't going to pay you.
I wouldn't take money from you anyway.
What's wrong with my money?
It's not your money.
It's you.
What do you mean?
Hey, Pawn!
Ben!
I got all the stuff tomorrow, won't I?
You'd better have.
Oh, Doc, Marshall.
Jerry.
Say, Doc, you missed all the excitement.
Yeah? What's that?
It happened just after you left.
Everybody was running around looking for you.
What happened, Jerry?
On this hill, she was walking down the street, and I guess the sun was too much for her or something.
Anyway, she kind of fainted like, and she fell against the window right there at the general store.
And it cut her arm real bad.
Nobody could get her to stop bleeding.
They couldn't?
No.
That's why they was looking for you, Doc.
I told them you'd come out here, but they wouldn't believe me.
Well, what happened to Mrs. Hill, Jerry?
She died, Doc, just before I left.
She died?
Did you hear that, Pitcher?
A woman died.
If I'd have been there, I could have saved her.
But she died.
Don't talk at me.
She died because of you and your rotten, lying ways.
Hey, take it easy, Doc.
You know, I'll show you.
Nobody eats meat.
Pa's got a knife.
No, Pitcher.
He cut him.
Pitcher!
Here, I got you, Doc.
He ripped me with that knife, Matt.
Yeah, you hurt bad.
It's bleeding.
Help me in the house, Matt.
We can look at it there.
Sure, Doc.
Come on.
What about Pa?
Let me know when he comes, too.
I'll come back and knock him out again.
Yeah, it's pretty clean now, Doc.
Looks better.
Still bleeding a little, though.
I don't care for the mess you're making on that bed, Marsha.
Go get me another pan of hot water, will you?
You're ordering me around my own house.
I said do it.
All right.
Matt?
Yeah, Doc?
I'm not sure, but I...
I don't think that knife ruptured anything.
Oh, good.
But a couple of veins have to be tied off.
Then I got to be sewed up.
Oh.
With a needle and thread in my bag.
I'd do it myself, but I can't reach it easy enough.
You mean you want me to do it?
I'll tell you how.
You think I can?
It's easy, especially for a gunfighter.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking.
I can bleed to death this way.
Yeah.
I won't have any trouble, Doc.
I'll go get your bag.
Now, here, you hold the cloth on it.
I've got it.
Marshal?
Huh?
Get out of here, Pitcher.
You hit me awful hard.
Did I?
He jumped me first.
You saw him.
I was protecting myself.
Pitcher, if Doc doesn't come out of this all right,
I'm going to quit being a marshal,
and I'm going to come after you as a plain man looking for revenge.
You're threatening me.
Now, I know what's wrong with me, but I'm going to kill you, Pitcher.
Now where?
Get out of here.
Now, you stay out. Out of this house.
All right.
I'm going.
I'm going.
It wasn't easy, and I felt like I had fence posts for fingers,
but I finally got Doc sewed up.
He'd lost an awful lot of blood, and he passed out before I finished,
so all I could do was just sit there and watch him.
Yeah, maybe that was the hardest part.
In the morning, however, he seemed better,
and he insisted that I take him into the Dodge,
so I made a bed in Pitcher's wagon
and had Jerry drive the buggy alongside.
He was in bad shape by the time we reached town,
but I got him into his own bed and then sent for Kitty to help me out.
I don't know what I'd have done without her for that next week.
Matt?
Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, Kitty.
You know what he wants now?
Know what?
He's tired of drinking plain water.
He says if we don't start cutting it with some good corn,
he won't drink any more.
I'll let him go thirsty. He won't hold out long.
No public servants can tell me what's good for me.
Send that lawman down for some whiskey.
Now, Doc, we've gone to a lot of trouble to keep you alive.
We sure have, Doc.
Well, don't you worry about me.
I'd get out of bed right now, only I like being waited on.
Who's that?
Oh, that's a dumb question. How'd I know? Go look.
You know, Doc, I never thought anything could make you any onerier
than you've always been, but by golly, getting stabbed.
Never mind the gap. Just answer the door.
Come on in.
Oh, what man is it?
Come on in, I said.
Oh, good heavens, man.
All right, go ahead, Doc. Fire me.
Doc? Doc?
Oh, in here.
Hello, Doc.
Oh, it's Jerry.
Well, here, here. Come in, son.
What are you doing in town, Jerry?
I come for Doc.
Your what?
Pa's sick. He's about to die. He's so sick.
Oh, now look, what is this?
It's the truth, Marshal.
Pa made me lie last time, but he don't even know I'm here now.
He doesn't know you're here?
He's too sick, Doc. It's like he's out of his head. He don't know nothing.
What about your Ma? Does she know you're here?
I didn't tell her. She'd have stopped me. Doc?
Look, Jerry, your Pa tried to kill Doc the last time.
Now, Doc's still in bed. He can't go any place.
Please, Doc.
Why should he risk his life for your Pa?
Wait. I'll come, Jerry.
No, Doc.
A man's dying. Doesn't matter what man. I'm a doctor.
I knew you'd come. I knew you would.
You're crazy, Doc. You'll open that wound right now, fair.
Besides, you're not strong enough.
You're taking an awful chance.
Jerry?
What? How'd you get to town?
I figured you'd need it, so I brought the wagon.
I thought so.
Well, you gonna help me, Matt?
All right, I'll help you, Doc.
Have you ever sat in the club listening to someone hold the center of attention?
No doubt you said to yourself, how does he do it?
He's no smarter than I am.
And you may be right.
But he does have the power to command your attention.
And this power may come from a thorough knowledge of the subject in discussion.
This power through knowledge is available to you.
The United States Armed Forces Institute provides opportunities for military personnel to continue their education while on active duty with the armed forces.
USAPI courses are almost limitless.
Why, there are over 200 courses in high school, college, and technical subjects alone.
For a small initial fee, you may enroll in your first USAPI course.
From then on, you can continue to take other USAPI courses at no further cost, as long as your progress is satisfactory.
Take advantage of this opportunity.
Develop your own power through knowledge with a USAPI course.
The next time there's a big discussion at the club, you may hold the center of attention.
I'll give you a hand, Doc. I can make it.
Wish you'd let me carry you. I said I can make it.
He's awful weak, ain't he? Yeah.
Here, I'll get the door.
Come in.
Ma's probably in the bedroom.
It's over this way. Yeah, we know where it is, Jerry.
Oh, I forgot.
Is that you, Jerry? It's me, Ma.
Where you been?
What are you doing here?
Jerry came after me, Mrs. Pitcher.
We don't want no doctor.
Your husband's sick?
He's terrible sick.
But you can't do him no good. Now get out.
Now wait a minute, Mrs. Pitcher.
You look at Doc, you can tell he shouldn't be here at all, but he came.
He came to help a man who tried to kill him.
And nobody's going to stop him now.
Come on, Doc.
Mrs. Pitcher, you get out of the way.
I'll get you a chair, Doc.
Thank you.
There you are.
She was pretty sick.
Let's go, Jerry.
Now what?
She's got a gun, Marshal.
Here, I got her, Jerry.
I'm kidding. You and Doc both.
Here, give me that.
Now you sit down.
Go on.
Jerry, you go see if Doc needs any help.
Okay, Marshal.
You don't deserve Doc being here, Mrs. Pitcher.
I don't deserve it at all.
Marshal.
What?
I've been thinking.
All night I've been sitting here thinking.
Oh?
I don't want my husband to die.
I can't have him die.
Doc's doing everything he can for him.
Can he save him?
Do you think he can save him?
I don't know, ma'am.
Mrs. Pitcher?
How is he, Doc?
He's past the worst.
I think he'll be all right.
Can I see him? Can he talk?
Yes, but not for long.
He needs a lot of rest now.
You look like you could use some rest too, Doc.
I'm going to go back to Dodge, Matt, and I'll sleep the whole way.
Doc, he wants to talk to you.
What is it, Pitcher?
Ma says that you was here all night.
I was, yes.
She says you saved my life.
Maybe I helped.
Maybe.
But what I want to say is, I ain't going to pay you.
You what?
I didn't ask you to.
Doc saved your life, Pitcher.
Maybe he did.
But I ain't going to pay him.
Doesn't matter, but why not?
Because my cow died.
No, but...
Pitcher.
Matt.
Now what, Doc?
Don't bother.
Let's go.
Okay.
Doc.
Yes?
He means what he says, Doc.
I can't change him.
It's all right, ma'am.
I can't change him.
But there's something I got to say.
Yes?
I'm proud to have you in my house, Doc.
I'm real proud.
I can't say no more.
Well, Doc.
I've been paid, Matt.
Pretty good.
Gunsmoke, produced and directed by Norman McDonald's,
the American company that produces and distributes
the most expensive guns in the world.
It's a production of the American company
that produces and distributes the most expensive guns in the world.
It's a production of the American company
that produces and distributes the most expensive guns in the world.
The name is Gunsmoke,
produced and directed by Norman McDonald's,
stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The script was specially written for Gunsmoke by Les Crutchfield
with editorial supervision by John Meston.
The music was composed and conducted by Rex Cory.
Sound patterns were by Ray Kemper and Bill James.
George Walsh 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.