It seems the words strike a deep chord, because Matt surprises everyone by quitting his marshal job. The remaining hardcase chastises the marshal for murdering his comrades, treating them like meat. Matt single-handedly gets the upper hand on four bank robbers, and in the process, kills three. Grainger's favorite Gunsmoke episode: “Mannon”! When the marshal was able to sneak off and changes clothes twice is anybody’s guess. Matt also places a lot of trust in his number one sidekick, the limping Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), who delivers admirably-bonding these two even closer.įun trivia: IMDb tips us off to the factoid that Matt wears, in one day, different clothes in the scene with the gypsy than he does elsewhere in the episode. What separates this episode from so many others in the canon is that Dillon goads Crego into an ultimate showdown before he can murder anyone else. In the episode’s opening, Matt somberly muses, “It never bothered me, killing a man whose very existence was an offense to the company of decent people.” What has him doggedly pondering this thought is Crego (played by Charles Bronson), who only challenges opponents who he is confident he can kill outright. These deliberations (via James Arness’s voiceover) about the city, his role, or some other philosophizing point allows us to get into the mind of a hero that would become much more closed-off as the years passed. Note: These early episodes opened with Matt wandering among the headstones on Boot Hill, observing the “Gomorrah of the Plains” (Dodge City) in the distance. After recovering, the marshal discovers why the killer prefers to be a bit too close when engaging a fire fight and uses that knowledge to his advantage. John Wayne introduces Gunsmoke’s debut episode and the program’s lead actor Jim Arness by explaining to the viewers that what they are about to watch is an adult Western and that “you might as well get used to him, like you’ve had to get used to me.” The actors are far from establishing their characters, but all the elements are in place with a distinctive first plot featuring gunslinger Dan Grat (Paul Richards), who goads people into showdowns, when he gets the upper hand on Matt, nearly killing him. So I’ll call them almost two fists’ worth of the most memorable tales, and, please, challenge me in the comments with your own selections. Given such a popular, high-quality series it would be foolish-darn near impossible-to say these are definitively its greatest adventures. TV’s Gunsmoke ran over twenty years, 635 episodes (1955-1975), and five television movies (1987-1994). ONE MANS JUSTICE leads Dillon on a perilous journey to fend for a young man in search of vengeance.Before Gunsmoke’s first episode, John Wayne introduced us to the show. THE LONG RIDE places pressure on Dillon to clear his name after a case of mistaken identity declares him wanted: dead or alive. TO THE LAST MAN places a battle-weary Dillon in the middle of a bloody range war with vigilante ranchers on his back. In RETURN TO DODGE Matt Dillon finds himself pursued by an enemy from his past who vows to settle an old score.THE LAST APACHE calls Dillon into action to seek out and rescue his long-lost daughter who has been kidnapped in a violent raid. Despite a lifetime of law enforcement under his well-worn belt Marshal Dillon is now thrust back into the thick of the action to once again restore peace, encounter new friends and face old enemies in a series of five feature-length adventures that will not only test his considerable skills but sharpen his rugged resolve. A respected and courageous lawman with a keen sense of justice, Marshal Dillon ensured a peaceful existence for the town folk of Dodge City, Kansas for many years until his eventual retirement. James Arness established legendary lawman Marshal Matt Dillon and made him a household name between 19, featuring in 634 episodes of the landmark western TV series Gunsmoke.
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