Gunsmoke

Matt Gets It

Sep 10, 1955

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.

Hot Spell

Sep 17, 1955

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.

Word of Honor

Oct 1, 1955

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.

Home Surgery

Oct 8, 1955

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.

Obie Tater

Oct 15, 1955

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.

Night Incident

Oct 29, 1955

Little Timmy Wyatt witnesses a series of bizarre murders. He has a habit of telling tall tales, so no one will believe him.

Smoking Out the Nolans

Nov 5, 1955

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.

Kite's Reward

Nov 12, 1955

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.

The Hunter

Nov 26, 1955

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.

The Queue

Dec 3, 1955

Two bullies cut off Chen's pig-tail, gravely dishonoring him in Chinese culture. Chen vows vengeance.

General Parsley Smith

Dec 10, 1955

Old-timer Smith is a former Army officer considered a butcher. He arrives in Dodge City speading rumors about the new Banker, Drew Holt.

Magnus

Dec 24, 1955

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.

Reed Survives

Dec 31, 1955

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.

Professor Lute Bone

Jan 7, 1956

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.

No Handcuffs

Jan 21, 1956

A dishonest deputy sheriff steals a prisoner from Matt's jail, so Matt and Chester hunt them.

Reward for Matt

Jan 28, 1956

Matt kills a man and his widow posts a $1,000 bounty in vengeance. Everyone from sodbusters to gunslingers are out for that reward.

Robin Hood

Feb 4, 1956

Witnesses refuse to testify against a notorious outlaw.

Yorky

Feb 18, 1956

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.

20-20

Feb 25, 1956

A former lawman tries to keep his failing eyesight a secret from his enemies.

Reunion '78

Mar 3, 1956

A well-liked hardware drummer is actually a man wanted for multiple murders.

Helping Hand

Mar 17, 1956

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.

Tap Day for Kitty

Mar 24, 1956

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.

Indian Scout

Mar 31, 1956

When an old Indian scout (Eduard Franz) murders a man (DeForest Kelley), Matt pursues him into Comanche territory.

The Pest Hole

Apr 14, 1956

Doc must find a way to thwart a typhoid epidemic in Dodge (Howard McNear appears).

The Big Broad

Apr 28, 1956

Matt has to figure a way around a six-foot-tall, 200-pound woman with a six-gun.

Hack Prine

May 12, 1956

Hack Prine, a friend of Matt's rides into Dodge. However he is there as a gunman, for Matt Dillon.

Cooter

May 19, 1956

A dishonest gambler (Vinton Hayworth) uses a mentally challenged man (Strother Martin) in a plot against Matt (Robert Vaughn appears).

The Killer

May 26, 1956

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.

Doc's Revenge

Jun 9, 1956

A stranger comes to Dodge, and Doc bewilders and dismays Chester and Matt by arming himself and vowing to kill the man.

The Preacher

Jun 16, 1956

Seth, a newcomer to Dodge is bullied by Keeler, a boxer.

How to Die for Nothing

Jun 23, 1956

The brother of a man Matt was forced to kill vows to kill Matt by any means necessary (Mort Mills appears).

Dutch George

Jun 30, 1956

Matt's Childhood hero, Dutch George is now the leader of a notorious gang of horse thieves he must now stop.

Prairie Happy

Jul 7, 1956

A bitter old man spreads rumors of an impending Indian raid on Dodge.

Chester's Mail Order Bride

Jul 14, 1956

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').

The Guitar

Jul 21, 1956

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.

Cara

Jul 28, 1956

Matt encounters an ex-girl friend---who's now working on the wrong side of the law.

Mr. and Mrs. Amber

Aug 4, 1956

A self-styled religious prophet (Ainslie Pryor) is making life miserable for his daughter and new son-in-law..

Unmarked Grave

Aug 18, 1956

A young outlaw uses an old woman as a pawn in his bid for freedom.

Alarm at Pleasant Valley

Aug 25, 1956

While on the way back to Dodge, Matt and Chester discover a homsteading family fleeing Pleasant Valley, which is besieged by Indians.