Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television.
Dan Grat, a gunman hunted by Texas authorities, seeks refuge in Dodge City. Marshal Dillon goes into action against this outlaw who shoots before he talks.
Matt intercedes on behalf of ex-con Cope Borden, when Rance Bradley accuses Cope of horse theft and attempts to lynch him. Cope is proven innocent of the charge, but later kills Bradley's nephew in a fair fight during a gambling dispute. Matt is caught in an awkward situation when he must defend the unsavory Cope against the decent people of Dodge.
Hank Worth, son of wealthy rancher Jake Worth, is kidnapped by three men and held for $20,000 ransom. They shoot him in the back for trying to escape. They call on Doc but Hank dies. The killers decide to let Doc go because he is the only doctor within 400 miles and they fear they might need his services someday. Before sparing his life and freeing him, they force the reluctant Doc to give his word of honor that he will never reveal their identities.
When returning to Dodge, Chester and Matt are confronted by Holly Hawtree, whose father is desperately ill with gangrene. His only hope for survival is amputation of the affected leg. Matt performs the surgery, but the gangrene has spread too far and the old man dies. Matt later discovers that the presumed accident leading to Mr. Hawtree's condition was actually caused by Ben Walling, who has his sights on Holly.
Two outlaws seek the rumored hidden fortune of old prospector Obie. They drag him to get him to tell. Obie forgets his cares and disappears on honeymoon with newcomer Ella May. Matt suspiciously questions the simple Obie about Ella May's motives and finds Obie is deeper than he seems.
Little Timmy Wyatt witnesses a series of bizarre murders. He has a habit of telling tall tales, so no one will believe him.
Clay Young is trying to evict Josh Nolan, who says he paid for the property. Matt and Chester are tied up in reluctantly enforcing eviction law unless they can find another way.
Matt warns skilled gunman Andy Travis, of his choice between quitting the gun or else being constantly hunted and forced to prove himself. Matt finds a way to foil the $1000 bounty on Andy's head.
Buffalo hunter Jase Murdock is warned by storekeeper Ross to stay out of Indian territory. Matt talks with Murdock's skinner, Golden Calf, who determines that Murdock's medicine is no longer good.
Two bullies cut off Chen's pig-tail, gravely dishonoring him in Chinese culture. Chen vows vengeance.
Old-timer Smith is a former Army officer considered a butcher. He arrives in Dodge City speading rumors about the new Banker, Drew Holt.
Chester is embarrassed at a visit by his estranged mountain man brother Magnus. To prove that Magnus is too uncivilized for town, Chester tours him through the highlights of Dodge: card gambling, drinking, and talking with Kitty. Meanwhile, the Long Branch women plan a Christmas Eve dance which is busted by the spiteful Lucifer Jones.
Lucy professes her love for handsome Booth Rider, and concocts a scheme against Ephram. Booth becomes the unwitting pawn in a homicide that culminates in an ironic twist of fate.
Doc is enraged by traveling medicine man Professor Lute Bone and his opium elixir, and digs up a gun to shoot him with. A lad also hunts him because his father died drinking his elixir, so Bone reconsiders the patent medicine business.
A dishonest deputy sheriff steals a prisoner from Matt's jail, so Matt and Chester hunt them.
Matt kills a man and his widow posts a $1,000 bounty in vengeance. Everyone from sodbusters to gunslingers are out for that reward.
Yorky, a white boy who was brought up by Arapahoes, is victimized by horse thieves. Accused of their crime, he is shot by the vengeful Abe Brandt and his son. Matt is also targeted by the horse thieves.
A former lawman tries to keep his failing eyesight a secret from his enemies.
A well-liked hardware drummer is actually a man wanted for multiple murders.
A would-be tough guy picks on the wrong man in an attempt to make a name for himself when he tries to involve Marshal Matt Dillon by staging a street fight.
An old sodbuster comes to town and decides he wants to marry Kitty. When he won't leave her alone she declares she'll shoot him if he pesters her anymore.
When an old Indian scout (Eduard Franz) murders a man (DeForest Kelley), Matt pursues him into Comanche territory.
Doc must find a way to thwart a typhoid epidemic in Dodge (Howard McNear appears).
Matt has to figure a way around a six-foot-tall, 200-pound woman with a six-gun.
Hack Prine, a friend of Matt's rides into Dodge. However he is there as a gunman, for Matt Dillon.
A dishonest gambler (Vinton Hayworth) uses a mentally challenged man (Strother Martin) in a plot against Matt (Robert Vaughn appears).
Charles Bronson guest stars as a cowardly gunslinger who only goes after old men or young kids who aren't very experienced with guns. But, when Matt Dillon gives him an ultimatum, he shows his true colors.
A stranger comes to Dodge, and Doc bewilders and dismays Chester and Matt by arming himself and vowing to kill the man.
The brother of a man Matt was forced to kill vows to kill Matt by any means necessary (Mort Mills appears).
Matt's Childhood hero, Dutch George is now the leader of a notorious gang of horse thieves he must now stop.
A bitter old man spreads rumors of an impending Indian raid on Dodge.
When Chester's mail-order bride arrives, neither she nor Chester are what the other are expecting (first credited appearance of Bert Rumsey as 'Sam').
An ex-Union soldier is forced to use violence against a pair of diehard Rebels (Jacques Aubuchon appears). First episode without the "Boot Hill" intro.
Matt encounters an ex-girl friend---who's now working on the wrong side of the law.
A self-styled religious prophet (Ainslie Pryor) is making life miserable for his daughter and new son-in-law..
A young outlaw uses an old woman as a pawn in his bid for freedom.
While on the way back to Dodge, Matt and Chester discover a homsteading family fleeing Pleasant Valley, which is besieged by Indians.
James Arness
Marshal Matt Dillon
Amanda Blake
Kitty
Ken Curtis
Festus
Milburn Stone
Doc
Woody Chambliss
Woody Lathrop
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