Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name.[1] The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.[2][3]
The first episode of season 5 aired in the United States on September 5, 1959, and the final episode aired on June 11, 1960. All episodes were broadcast in the U.S. by CBS.[4]
Season 5 of Gunsmoke was a half-hour program filmed in black-and-white, as one hour episodes were not introduced until season 7, and color episodes were not filmed until season 12.
Synopsis
Gunsmoke is set in and around Dodge City, Kansas, in the post-Civil War era and centers on United States Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) as he enforces law and order in the city. In its original format, the series also focuses on Dillon's friendship with three other citizens of Dodge City: Doctor Galen "Doc" Adams (Milburn Stone), the town's physician; Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), saloon girl and later owner of the Long Branch Saloon; and Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), Dillon's assistant.[5]
Cast and characters
Main
- James Arness as Matt Dillon
- Dennis Weaver as Chester
- Milburn Stone as Doc
- Amanda Blake as Kitty
Production
Season 4 consisted of 39 half-hour black-and-white episodes produced by Norman Macdonnell. Episode 1 of the season is the first on-screen credit of James Arness as an associate producer.
Episode 15, "Tag, You're It", was the last episode to feature the beginning Boot Hill introduction.
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 157 | 1 | "Target" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | September 5, 1959 | |
| A love story ends tragically when a rancher attempts to drive squatting gypsies off his land. | ||||||
| 158 | 2 | "Kitty's Injury" | Buzz Kulik | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | September 19, 1959 | |
| Kitty is injured when her horse throws her, and Matt must seek assistance from a poor prairie family whose son has distorted plans of his own. | ||||||
| 159 | 3 | "Horse Deal" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | September 26, 1959 | |
| Matt devises a plan to catch a con man who's selling stolen horses to unaware townfolk. | ||||||
| 160 | 4 | "Johnny Red" | Buzz Kulik | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | October 3, 1959 | |
| A young man comes to Dodge claiming to be the long-lost son of a lonely widow, but Matt recognizes him from an old wanted poster and suspects a ruse. | ||||||
| 161 | 5 | "Tail to the Wind" | Christian Nyby | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | October 10, 1959 | |
| Divine intervention intercedes when a timid homesteader and his wife are bullied off their land and refuse Matt's help. | ||||||
| 162 | 6 | "Annie Oakley" | Jesse Hibbs | John Meston | October 17, 1959 | |
| A drama-seeking woman manipulates her husband into a fight with their neighbor. | ||||||
| 163 | 7 | "Kangaroo" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | October 24, 1959 | |
| A religious zealot passes judgment and delves out his own brand of justice, and now Chester has drawn his ire. | ||||||
| 164 | 8 | "Saludos" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | October 31, 1959 | |
| Matt escorts three cowboys back to Dodge with hopes that a wounded Pawnee Indian girl can identify the one that shot her. | ||||||
| 165 | 9 | "Brother Whelp" | R.G. Springsteen | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | November 7, 1959 | |
| After three years in prison, a brother returns home only to find out that his life has been turned upside down, which he blames on his younger sibling. | ||||||
| 166 | 10 | "The Boots" | Jesse Hibbs | John Meston | November 14, 1959 | |
| An ex-gunman whose life spiraled down into a bottle still has one redeemable attribute, a 12-year-old orphan that he cares deeply for. | ||||||
| 167 | 11 | "Odd Man Out" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | November 21, 1959 | |
| Something's amiss when an old farmer exhibiting odd behavior tells Matt and Chester that his wife left him. | ||||||
| 168 | 12 | "Miguel's Daughter" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | November 28, 1959 | |
| A father who greatly believes in family honor takes the law into his own hands when his daughter is harassed and molested by two cowboys. | ||||||
| 169 | 13 | "Box o' Rocks" | R.G. Springsteen | Les Crutchfield | December 5, 1959 | |
| Matt searches for a man who faked his own death after his coffin is found full of rocks. | ||||||
| 170 | 14 | "False Witness" | Ted Post | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | December 12, 1959 | |
| An attention-seeking man claims he was an eyewitness to murder and then proceeds to finger an innocent cowboy. | ||||||
| 171 | 15 | "Tag, You're It" | Jesse Hibbs | Les Crutchfield | December 19, 1959 | |
| Dodge townspeople are highly agitated when a notorious gunfighter comes to town, and no one knows who he's after. | ||||||
| 172 | 16 | "Thick 'n' Thin" | Stuart Heisler | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | December 26, 1959 | |
| Matt tries to keep the peace between two old bickering curmudgeons who share a homestead. | ||||||
| 173 | 17 | "Groat's Grudge" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | January 2, 1960 | |
| After years of searching, an ex-Confederate cavalryman has finally found the former Union officer he thinks was responsible for the death of his wife, during Sherman's March to the Sea. | ||||||
| 174 | 18 | "Big Tom" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | January 9, 1960 | |
| Two unscrupulous boxing promoters set up a deadly match for a washed-up local prize fighter in a winner take all contest. | ||||||
| 175 | 19 | "Till Death Do Us" | Jean Yarbrough | Les Crutchfield | January 16, 1960 | |
| An abusive and self-righteous rancher becomes the target of a hired gunman. | ||||||
| 176 | 20 | "The Tragedian" | Arthur Hiller | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | January 23, 1960 | |
| An unemployed and impoverished stage actor resorts to petty crime when his world collides with a jailed murderer. | ||||||
| 177 | 21 | "Hinka Do" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Les Crutchfield | January 30, 1960 | |
| Matt, Chester and Doc try to unravel a mystery involving the missing Lady Gay Saloon owner and the brash, larger-than-life female proprietress whose taken over the establishment. | ||||||
| 178 | 22 | "Doc Judge" | Arthur Hiller | John Meston | February 6, 1960 | |
| Chester protects Doc from an escaped convict who mistakes him for the Wyoming Territory judge that sentenced him to seven years. | ||||||
| 179 | 23 | "Moo Moo Raid" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | February 13, 1960 | |
| Two trail bosses driving their herds to Dodge threaten to kill each other over the use of a local farmer's special swimming cow. | ||||||
| 180 | 24 | "Kitty's Killing" | Arthur Hiller | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | February 20, 1960 | |
| Kitty prevents a distraught and frenzied man from killing his son-in-law, who he blames for the death of his daughter. | ||||||
| 181 | 25 | "Jailbait Janet" | Jesse Hibbs | Les Crutchfield | February 27, 1960 | |
| Matt tracks down a desperate family who robbed a train and killed the baggage clerk in retaliation for the railroad inadvertently burning down their farm. | ||||||
| 182 | 26 | "Unwanted Deputy" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | March 5, 1960 | |
| A convicted murderer's sibling concocts a unique plan to avenge his brother's hanging, by unofficially acting as town deputy with hopes of provoking Matt into a gunfight. | ||||||
| 183 | 27 | "Where'd They Go" | Jesse Hibbs | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | March 12, 1960 | |
| Matt and Chester ride out to arrest a shrewd farmer for robbing the general store, but the silver-tongued fellow completely pulls the wool over their eyes. | ||||||
| 184 | 28 | "Crowbait Bob" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Les Crutchfield | March 26, 1960 | |
| A dying old prospector has everyone curious when he wills Kitty all of his worldly possessions, much to the dismay of his niece and her husband. | ||||||
| 185 | 29 | "Colleen So Green" | Jean Yarbrough | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | April 2, 1960 | |
| A pretty Southern belle uses her beauty and native wit to charm the pants off all the single men of Dodge. | ||||||
| 186 | 30 | "The Ex-Urbanites" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | April 9, 1960 | |
| Chester takes care of a severely injured Doc when they're bushwhacked by a pair of outlaws out on the open prairie. | ||||||
| 187 | 31 | "I Thee Wed" | Jesse Hibbs | Story by : Les Crutchfield Screenplay by : John Meston | April 16, 1960 | |
| A despicable and abusive husband keeps beating his wife and she just hopes and believes that he'll change, until he doesn't. | ||||||
| 188 | 32 | "The Lady Killer" | Andrew V. McLaglen | John Meston | April 23, 1960 | |
| Matt suspects Kitty's new saloon girl is a hired killer and when she shoots a man set to testify against a known gambler, he must connect the dots. | ||||||
| 189 | 33 | "Gentleman's Disagreement" | Jesse Hibbs | Les Crutchfield | April 30, 1960 | |
| After five years, a jealous gunman carrying a personal grudge has finally found the man who married the girl he once courted. | ||||||
| 190 | 34 | "Speak Me Fair" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Les Crutchfield | May 7, 1960 | |
| Matt has his hands full investigating two separate crimes, a Kiowa Indian boy found nearly beaten to death and cattle rustling at a nearby ranch. | ||||||
| 191 | 35 | "Belle's Back" | Jesse Hibbs | Les Crutchfield | May 14, 1960 | |
| A local girl returns to Dodge asking for a fresh start, after riding off with a notorious gunman three years ago. | ||||||
| 192 | 36 | "The Bobsy Twins" | Jesse Hibbs | John Meston | May 21, 1960 | |
| Crude hillbilly twin brothers come west to Dodge to kill Indians, and along the way their callous nature leaves a trail of violence. | ||||||
| 193 | 37 | "Old Flame" | Jesse Hibbs | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | May 28, 1960 | |
| Matt's old girlfriend asks him to find her abusive husband, who she claims beat her and ran off with all her money, but Kitty suspects she has ulterior motives. | ||||||
| 194 | 38 | "The Deserter" | Arthur Hiller | Story by : Marian Clark Screenplay by : John Meston | June 4, 1960 | |
| Matt acquires information that puts him on the trail of an Army corporal and his civilian partner who stole a Fort Dodge payroll. | ||||||
| 195 | 39 | "Cherry Red" | Andrew V. McLaglen | Les Crutchfield | June 11, 1960 | |
| A stagecoach special agent comes to Dodge searching for one-half of a hold-up team and falls in love with the wife of the other half, who he shot and killed. | ||||||
Release
Broadcast
Season five aired Saturdays at 10:00-10:30 pm (EST) on CBS.[4]
Home media
The fifth season was released on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment in two volumes. The first 20 episodes were released on October 11, 2011 and the remaining 19 episodes were released on December 13, 2011.
Reception
Gunsmoke held the number one primetime spot in the Nielsen ratings four years straight, for the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth seasons.[6]
Footnotes
- ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 74–75.
- ^ Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570–571.
- ^ McNeil 1996, p. 351–352.
- ^ a b Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570.
- ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 87–102.
- ^
- "1957-1958 TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.
- "1958-1959 TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.
- "1959-1960 TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.
- "1960-1961 TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.
References
- Barbaras, SuzAnne & Gabor (1990). Gunsmoke: A Complete History. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-89950-418-3.
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- Costello, Ben (2006). Gunsmoke: An American Institution. Chandler, Arizona: Five Star Publications, Inc. ISBN 978-1-58985-014-9.
- McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.