Around Dodge City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers
and the spoilers and that's where the US Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
John Wilkes Booth 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.
Good morning, Chester.
I ain't at all sure about that, Mr. Dillon.
Sure about what?
That it's a good morning.
Well, it's the only one we're going to get, Chester.
Is that fresh coffee?
Sure can't.
That's the batch that boiled up last night.
Oh?
I ain't had time to make no fresh yet.
Why?
Them fellas who locked up last night, Mr. Dillon.
Have they caused them trouble?
They've been at me ever since I come in here fussing and complaining.
About what?
They want me to fix them some breakfast.
Been carrying on about it like they'd never had before.
Well, I guess they've never had anything like your cooking before, Chester.
Ain't you going to let them out this morning, Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, I guess so.
They should be sober enough by now.
Well, then it just don't make a better sense for me to go to all the trouble of feeding
them, does it?
No, forget it, Chester.
I'm going to let them out.
Let me tell you, I've got enough to do around here.
Just reddening up the place.
I'll feed a bunch of prisoners and they ain't even going to stay on.
All right, Chester.
That's enough.
You two can come out now.
Don't seem right to turn the body out without no food, Marshal.
You know, man, could go a week.
Come on, get out of there and bring your friend with you.
He ain't feeling no good, Marshal.
Looks like his strength was sapped.
Now, we was to have some breakfast.
Look, you weren't worried about food last night when you rode your horses into the Long
Branch and I'm not going to worry about it now.
Go on, get out of here.
I'm glad we could ask for coffee anyway.
I said get out.
Come on, come on.
See what I mean?
You think we was running a boarding house around here.
No.
You should have just let them lay in there and have seen last night to get prompt on.
You better get the cell cleaned up, Chester.
That's nothing, Mr. Doney.
Just don't seem right for them grunks to be able to make the fearful mess they do and have
somebody to have to clean up after them.
I'm going to let them out.
I'm going to let them out.
I'm going to let them out.
I'm going to let them out.
I'm going to let them out.
I'm going to let them out.
Go on, Chester, get it over with.
Yes, sir.
I'll do it all right, but I ain't going to like it.
Well, I don't like hearing you complain about it either.
Hello, Matt.
Chester.
How about that?
Slow down.
Something the matter with you two?
Well, Chester doesn't like the way the Marshal's office is being run.
That's right.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I don't like the way the Marshal's office is being run.
That's all.
Well, neither do I.
I was coming in to tell you about it.
Oh?
All right, Doc.
What's on your mind?
Some drunken drover jumped into my buggy last night out in front of the office and raced
it down the street.
Oh, did he bring it back?
He couldn't.
He turned it over going around the corner.
You know who it was?
No idea.
Whoever it was disappeared into the nearest saloon.
I'm sorry, Doc, but it doesn't look like I can do anything for you.
Well, why not?
Well, in the first place, there was no way I could get in.
My buggy was stolen.
You got it back, didn't you?
For heaven's sake, stop being such an old maid.
Old maid?
Now look here, Mac.
What do you want me to do?
Sit around watching your buggy or they'll...
No, no, no, Mac.
No, of course not.
But there ought to be a better way of keeping the town in line.
Well, maybe we could pass a law saying that drovers can't drive buggies, huh?
I don't think that's terribly funny, Mac.
All I'm saying is there must be something you can do.
Look, Doc, I've had fevers and ague that you haven't cured.
But at least when you come into my office, I try to help.
And that's more than I can pay for your off.
Well, you better stick to your pills.
I intend to.
I certainly intend to.
I won't be wasting any more time around here.
You can be sure of that.
Oh, oh, oh.
I'm sorry, Guv, I didn't mean to run you down.
Oh, you're looking for the morgue, too?
Yes.
Go right on in for all the good that'll do you.
I'm getting out.
Well, doctors seem a little upset.
Yeah, well, Doc gets that way sometimes.
What can I do for you, Doby?
Oh, well, truth is, Marshal, I've come to register a complaint.
Well, you're going to have to stand in line.
How's that?
Oh, never mind.
What's your problem?
Oh, well, Marshal, those chairs, you know,
those chairs I have sitting along in front of the hotel on the boardwalk there?
Yeah.
Well, you know, people keep sitting in them.
Well, I guess I don't understand.
Well, what I mean is those chairs are put there for my hotel guests
and the town ropers have taken over.
Never knew them for my guests.
Have any of your guests complained to you?
No.
Well, how do you know that they'd want to use them?
Well, I know.
I just know they don't.
I see.
Now, what do you want me to do about it?
Well, Marshal, Dodge House has a reputation to uphold,
and it isn't helping any of it.
Every lazy, good-for-nothing Dodge spends the day whittling or sleeping
right at the front door.
I want you to tell those men they can't do that anymore.
You asking me to be a doorman, Mr. Doby?
Well, no, of course not.
Well, I have two suggestions for you, Mr. Doby.
Either tell the loafers you speak up to move along or you take away the chairs.
Now, I can't see that that's too much of a problem.
Besides, I've never seen one guest at the Dodge House sit on that board
walking all the year round now.
You go on, Doby, because you've got a hotel to run and you better attend to it,
and I wouldn't be too hard on those loafers you speak of
because most of our men who speak to town ropers are illiterate.
All right, Marshal, all right.
I'm frank to say I'm disappointed in the Marshal's office.
Good days.
I'm beginning to get pretty disappointed in him, I suppose.
Now, where's my...
Chester!
Yes, sir?
What happened to my hat?
Yes, sir.
What do you mean, yes, sir?
I was afraid you were going to ask that.
What does that mean?
Yes, sir.
See, I was told in a bucket of water to mop up with this morning,
just like coming in the door one of them cussed prisoners hard,
something like that, and then when I turned around and yelled back,
I knocked her hat right off in the head there, didn't I?
Or her flopped all over.
Well, if you're that bad off, you better get Doc to give you some of that nerve tonic
he saves for old women.
Now, where did you put it?
The bucket?
Where did you put my hat, Chester?
Yes, sir.
I was trying to dry it out over the stove.
Come on, Chester, come on.
I started a little bit too close.
Burned the top clean out of it, Mr. Jones, so I just kind of threw it out.
You threw it out?
Well, there was nothing left but the brim, Mr. Jones,
and you know, you look kindly, the fool is just going around in that.
The brim?
All right, Chester.
Where are you going, Mr. Jones?
I'm going to the store, Chester, to get myself a new hat
so that I won't look so foolish, if that's possible.
Well, hello there, Marshal, be right there with you.
All right, Jones.
Hello, Marshal Dillon.
Oh, hello, Mrs. Bagley.
I was going to call on you at your office later today,
but now I won't have to, will I, meeting you in the store this way?
No, ma'am, I guess not.
You know, Marshal, several of the town ladies have been meeting at our home
from time to time to discuss matters affecting our community.
And frankly, Marshal, we've been disturbed about the way things have been going on in Dodge.
Oh, is that so?
Yes, Marshal, I was talking to the ladies about it last night.
Bottles all over the street and noise and shootings every time the Texas herds come in.
And we ladies feel that perhaps the law might keep things just a little better under control.
Well, I tell you something, Miss Bagley, maybe you...
Oh, oh, excuse me, there's Mr. Bagley.
He's come to take me home in the buggy.
I guess I'll have to come to your office after all, Marshal.
Yeah, why don't you do that?
All right, Marshal, I can take care of you now.
I want a hat, Jonas.
A hat? I just sold you one month or two ago.
I want another one.
Well, sure, see what I got out back.
The same kind will do.
Anyway, here, have a look at that U-sharp's rifle that just came in today.
Reach!
Well, that little Gilmore, you old sheep herder, you.
How are you?
What'd you get into town?
I just rolled in.
I got the driest throat in Kansas.
Well, we better fix that up. Jonas!
I've almost found him, Marshal.
No hurry, I'll be back later.
Come on, Luke, I'll buy the throat.
I won't give you an argument.
Well, how long are you here for?
Just a day this time.
I got my eye on the far west.
This part of the country isn't going to make anybody rich.
I just figure it's time to move on.
You know, that might not be a bad idea for you to come to think of it.
Yeah, you may be right, Luke.
You may be right.
Well, you make it sound like a fortune, says the lion there, waiting for us.
Well, it is, Matt. I tell you, it is.
But now that the railroad is joined up, there's just no telling what a man could do for himself out there.
I know, but a lot of gold rushers came back with holes in their britches.
Sure they did, Matt, but this is different.
Things are starting up now that'll last.
Well, you know, you could set yourself up your own town.
You're aiming pretty high, aren't you, Luke?
Sure I'm aiming high, Matt, and you should, too.
What do you figure you'll ever get out of Dodge?
Nothing more than I can carry.
That's right. That's absolutely right.
You're eating dust and dodging bullets and chasing every penny out of Batman on the prairie.
Isn't that right?
That's about it.
You're frying in the summer and freezing in the winter.
Nursemaid in a town that doesn't even thank you for it.
You always were one to tug up a storm, Luke.
You're talking sense, Matt. I'm right and you know it.
Well, you can stay on here and spend your life for this town and get no thanks for it.
Now, isn't that so?
I don't get paid in facts.
Or much else either.
Well, I'm on my way, Matt.
Got to collect some money from a fella up country, but you think it over.
I'll be back.
You coming through, Dodge?
Yeah. Yeah, I'm coming through in a few days, heading west.
You got any sense, you come with me.
Think it over, Matt.
Yeah, I will think it over.
So long, Luke.
I'll be back, Matt. You be ready.
Yeah.
Well, it's been a long time since I've seen you take a drink before noon.
Oh, hello, Kitty.
You going to ask me to sit down?
Oh, oh, sure, sit down.
That fella on old friend New York?
Matt?
What?
For heaven's sake, if I'm bothering you.
Oh, no, I'm sorry, Kitty. I was thinking.
What did you say?
It's kind of early to be woolgathering.
I just asked you if that fella was an old friend.
Yeah, Luke Gilmore. I know him in Texas.
Oh, you're making some plans with him?
I don't know, you got Kitty?
But it just might be.
Good morning, Mr. Jones.
I'm awful sorry I let it run out of coral oil, but it's refilled right up the top.
I trimmed down the wick a little dab, too.
Thanks, Chester, just set it down.
Anything else I could get you, Mr. Jones? A nice cup of coffee?
No, thanks, Chester. I could turn in.
Maybe a fresh pail of water? I could go fetch it from the well.
You just brought one, didn't you?
Oh, yes, well.
Well, then I'll just see if this window's open nice and wide.
Oh, for goodness sakes, Chester, will you stop fussing around like a mother hen?
What's the matter with you?
Well, I think nothing really matters.
I just got to come right out with it, Mr. Jones.
Come out with what?
Everybody's talking about how yours out here's a bull in the thorn sick of these last few days.
Mr. Kee and Doc and me was wondering if maybe there's anything wrong.
I don't know.
What do you mean?
Oh, never mind, Chester, it's not important enough.
Why don't you get on out of here and let me get some sleep?
All right, Mr. Jones?
Yes, sir. Good night, Chester.
Good night, Mr. Jones.
Darn fool.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Marshall?
What?
Well, hello, long robe.
How did you get here?
Door not locked?
Well, want you to sit down?
No, want Marshall come.
Come? Come where?
Long robe show.
All right, long robe, in the morning.
You mean you want me to ride out with you now?
No.
What's the matter?
Be much shooting if guns come.
Guns? What guns?
White men selling guns.
Bring in morning to Indians.
Long robe want to stop.
You come.
All right, long robe. I'll come.
Trees by river.
Yeah, I see them.
We stop there.
That's where the wagon will be coming?
There. We wait.
Okay, long robe.
Here. Stop here.
Now, wait here.
Oh, that's better.
I'm tired.
But Marshall no sleep.
Marshall man of planes.
Marshall keep good watch.
Tell me something, long robe.
Why didn't you go to the army at Fort Dodge about this?
Why didn't you come to me?
No want soldiers.
Well, they'd have gotten the gun runners for you.
Soldiers not know.
What do you mean they don't know? This is their business.
Soldiers not know Indians.
Soldiers come. Soldiers go away.
Soldiers not man of planes.
Well, what's that got to do with stopping some gun runners?
Soldiers stop gun runners.
But soldiers go get Indian too.
Punish Indians.
Start more trouble.
You don't think the Indians should be punished?
Long robe punish Indian.
Keep trouble in tribe.
No shooting.
I guess you will at that.
Indian need help from white man.
But white man must know Indian.
Well, lots of white men know Indians.
I'm not the only one.
Too long robe and his people.
Marshal the only one.
Marshal his friend.
We watch now for wagon.
Marshal, wagon comes.
Yeah, I've been watching it.
Long robe stand with marshal.
No, you stay here. Out of sight.
Long robe stand with friend.
I don't want you hurt in any shooting.
Not afraid.
You brought me out here because you thought I could handle this, didn't you?
Because you didn't want trouble for your tribe?
There'd be plenty of trouble if you were shot, long robe.
Every Indian on these planes would fight if their chief was killed.
Marshal talks true.
Alright then, you stay down.
I'll go out there now and I'll tell you when to come.
Alright, that's far enough.
Oh yeah, cool.
We ain't got room for no more.
Or it'd be too many.
I don't want to ride.
I want to look in your wagon.
Now mister, I'm not sure I'd take time out of that.
I'm the marshal out of dodge.
I want to know what you're carrying.
I tell you marshal, you see what I'm carrying right there.
Won't take much to make it go off.
Yeah.
And that gun's a sample of the wagon load you're taking to the Indians.
Well now marshal, that's mighty interesting talk.
How you come know about that?
That's just say I got friends.
Just say you're gonna need them.
Shoot him, Gash.
You stand to be in enough trouble running guns to the Indians without shooting a US marshal.
Ain't nobody gonna find you to know about it marshal, if you worry none at all.
Come down out of that wagon.
Gash, you take another look marshal.
There's three of us.
We got guns to ram straight down your throat.
There wouldn't be three of you when it was over.
You can't take us all three.
Maybe not.
But I can take the first one to start anything, so go ahead and try it.
Oh, he's bluffing, Jack.
You can sure find out in a hurry.
Now come on.
You make your play or you come down off that wagon.
There's no man wearing a tin badge gonna face me down.
Alright, who's next?
You kill him. You kill Gash.
Now does either one of you two feelin' brave?
Then you drop your guns and you get down off that wagon right now.
Now stand right there.
Long rope.
Marshal?
Tie him up for me, will ya?
There's a rope under the wagon seat. I'll put this man in the back.
When you get those two tied, you can drive the wagon back to town. I'll ride alongside.
You can pull up now, Long. We're about to take over here. We're just about in.
It'd be better if you weren't seen around here. You might have to answer a lot of questions.
Questions bring trouble.
They can if people don't understand the answers.
Marshal understands answers.
Well, some of them anyway.
Marshal understands answers about Indians.
Marshal knows ways of the plains.
I've been out here for a long time. I should have learned something.
All white men do not learn.
Maybe not.
It is good for Indians to have Marshal learn.
I guess so.
It is good for white men too.
Well.
It is good for a man to live among people he understands where there is need.
Long rope, go now.
All right, Long Rope.
Will your people be moving on soon?
At the next full moon.
Oh, good hunting.
When the next north wind blows, my people come back.
Long Rope come to smoke pipe with Marshal.
All right, Long Rope. I'll be here.
Hmm.
It is good for a man to live among people he understands.
Gun smoke, produced and directed in Hollywood by Norman McDonald, stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The story was specially written for Gun Smoke by Marion Clark, with editorial supervision by John Meston.
Featured in the cast were Virginia Christine, Richard Perkins, Ralph Moody, Lawrence Dobkin, and Joseph Kern.
Charlie Bear as Chester, Howard McNear as Doc, and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.