Gunsmoke (season 6)

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]

Gunsmoke
Season 6
Starring
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes38
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 3, 1960 (1960-09-03) 
June 17, 1961 (1961-06-17)
Season chronology

The first episode of season 6 aired in the United States on September 3, 1960, and the final episode aired on June 17, 1961. All episodes were broadcast in the U.S. by CBS.[4]

Season 6 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

Production

Season 6 consisted of 38 half-hour black-and-white episodes produced by Norman Macdonnell.

Writing

Occasionally, titles were re-used. Season six had three such episodes: episode 7, "The Squaw" was also the title of season 20, episode 14; episode 23, "Reprisal" was also the title of season 14, episode 20, and episode 33, "The Prisoner" was also the title of season 14, episode 25.

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1961"Friend's Pay-Off"Jesse HibbsStory by: Marian Clark
Screenplay by: John Meston
September 3, 1960 (1960-09-03)
Matt shoots and kills the outlaw who wounded his old friend on the road to Dodge, but the assailant's dying words will alter the Marshal's friendship.
1972"The Blacksmith"Andrew V. McLaglenStory by: Norman MacDonnell
Screenplay by: John Meston
September 17, 1960 (1960-09-17)
An immigrant blacksmith faces the backlash from a disgruntled rancher when he refuses to sell his land.
1983"Small Water"Andrew V. McLaglenJohn MestonSeptember 24, 1960 (1960-09-24)
Despite his claims of innocence, Matt arrests a family patriarch and escorts him to Dodge, but his sons give chase and methodically cut off the Marshal's escape.
1994"Say Uncle"Andrew V. McLaglenJohn MestonOctober 1, 1960 (1960-10-01)
A young man suspects his recently arrived uncle of murder when his father dies in a freak accident.
2005"Shooting Stopover"Andrew V. McLaglenStory by: Marian Clark
Screenplay by: John Meston
October 8, 1960 (1960-10-08)
Matt and Chester transport a prisoner to Wichita by stagecoach and are forced to take a stand at the stage's stopover when they're set upon by bandits.
2016"The Peace Officer"Jesse HibbsStory by: Norman MacDonnell
Screenplay by: John Meston
October 15, 1960 (1960-10-15)
Matt relives Tascosa's Sheriff of duty after a complaint of corruption, and in return he sends his henchmen to intercept the Marshal while making a veiled threat, "there's a lot of prairie between here and Dodge".
2027"Don Matteo"Jesse HibbsStory by: Marian Clark
Screenplay by: John Meston
October 22, 1960 (1960-10-22)
A Mexican rancher, Matt's friend from his Texas border days, arrives in Dodge hunting the ill-tempered gunman that dishonored his family and the Marshal warns him to not take the law into his own hands.
2038"The Worm"Arthur HillerJohn MestonOctober 29, 1960 (1960-10-29)
A crude buffalo hunter and his bullied lackey come to Dodge to sell their hides and encounter ridicule and discrimination.
2049"The Badge"Andrew V. McLaglenStory by: Marian Clark
Screenplay by: John Meston
November 12, 1960 (1960-11-12)
Matt is ambushed and held hostage by two bank robbers who desperately need a horse, but it's his badge that proves pivotal.
20510"Distant Drummer"Arthur HillerStory by: Marian Clark
Screenplay by: John Meston
November 19, 1960 (1960-11-19)
A naive Civil War drummer boy is harassed and badgered by a couple of Dodge City locals and then jailed when one of the tormentors turns up dead.
20611"Ben Tolliver's Stud"Andrew V. McLaglenStory by: Norman MacDonnell
Screenplay by: John Meston
November 26, 1960 (1960-11-26)
A brash ranch hand quits his job over disagreements with his boss and appropriates the horse he caught and broke, but the rancher claims ownership of the steed and accuses him of theft.
20712"No Chip"Jean YarbroughJohn MestonDecember 3, 1960 (1960-12-03)
Neighboring ranchers spar over cattle grazing rights which escalates into an all-out war where one elderly rancher must confront three lawless brothers alone.
20813"The Wake"Gerald MayerJohn MestonDecember 10, 1960 (1960-12-10)
A bold and daring man brings his dearly departed best friend into Dodge for a proper burial and the madcap wake that comes with it.
20914"The Cook"Ted PostJohn MestonDecember 17, 1960 (1960-12-17)
A drifter becomes extremely popular when he pays off his debt by cooking at Delmonico's, but an altercation with a customer leads to murder.
21015"Old Fool"Ted PostJohn MestonDecember 24, 1960 (1960-12-24)
A married farmer is attracted to a widowed temptress who steadily lures him in, but his strong-willed wife ends up teaching both a lesson.
21116"Brother Love"Franklin AdreonJohn MestonDecember 31, 1960 (1960-12-31)
Matt investigates a robbery and murder at Jonas' general store and what results is an unexpected family tragedy.
21217"Bad Sheriff"Andrew V. McLaglenJohn MestonJanuary 7, 1961 (1961-01-07)
Matt is suspicious of an opportunistic sheriff and his deputy who caught a stagecoach robber with a saddlebag full of money.
21318"Unloaded Gun"Jesse HibbsStory by: Marian Clark
Screenplay by: John Meston
January 14, 1961 (1961-01-14)
Matt becomes quite ill suffering from fever and exhaustion when a cold-blooded killer comes to town and in his daze, he confronts the outlaw totally unaware that Chester has cleaned and unloaded his gun.
21419"Tall Trapper"Harry Harris Jr.Story by: Marian Clark
Screenplay by: John Meston
January 21, 1961 (1961-01-21)
A Georgia couple traveling by wagon share a camp outside of Dodge with a trapper and the next morning the husband begs Doc to come out and treat his ailing wife, but what he finds is far more distressing.
21520"Love Thy Neighbor"Dennis WeaverJohn MestonJanuary 28, 1961 (1961-01-28)
A misunderstanding over a stolen sack of potatoes leads to a deadly feud between two homestead families.
21621"Bad Seed"Harry HarrisStory by: Norman MacDonnell
Screenplay by: John Meston
February 4, 1961 (1961-02-04)
Matt saves a runaway teenage girl from her abusive father, but she creates further difficulties for the Marshal.
21722"Kitty Shot"Andrew V. McLaglenJohn MestonFebruary 11, 1961 (1961-02-11)
Kitty is caught in the crossfire during a bar room brawl and Matt trails the shooter out on the open range, but little does he know, a mysterious rider is tracking him.
21823"About Chester"Alan Crosland Jr.Story by: Frank Paris
Screenplay by: John Meston
February 25, 1961 (1961-02-25)
Chester fights for his life when he's held captive by an irrational off-balanced horse thief and his abused common-law wife.
21924"Harriet"Gene Fowler Jr.John MestonMarch 4, 1961 (1961-03-04)
Matt inadvertently gives away a young woman's daring cat-and-mouse plan of revenge against the two men that murdered her father.
22025"Potshot"Harry HarrisJohn MestonMarch 11, 1961 (1961-03-11)
Chester is shot and wounded which coincides with the arrival of a strange old man, who thoroughly enjoys stirring up a little mischief.
22126"Old Faces"Harry HarrisJohn MestonMarch 18, 1961 (1961-03-18)
A young married couple come to Dodge to settle down, but the bride's past quickly catches up to both of them.
22227"Big Man"Gerald MayerJohn MestonMarch 25, 1961 (1961-03-25)
A belligerent man who made unwanted advancements on Kitty is found beaten to death and an eyewitness comes forward claiming Matt did it.
22328"Little Girl"Dennis WeaverStory by: Kathleen Hite
Screenplay by: John Meston
April 1, 1961 (1961-04-01)
Matt and Chester come upon a burnt homestead and are surprised by a ten-year-old girl emerging from the brush who attaches herself to the Marshal.
22429"Stolen Horses"Andrew V. McLaglenStory by: Norman MacDonnell
Screenplay by: John Meston
April 8, 1961 (1961-04-08)
Matt and Chester track down a murderer and horse thief into Indian territory.
22530"Minnie"Harry HarrisJohn MestonApril 15, 1961 (1961-04-15)
A wounded female buffalo skinner seeking medical attention flaunts all her womanly charms when she becomes enamored with Doc.
22631"Bless Me Till I Die"Ted PostStory by: Ray Kemper
Screenplay by: John Meston
April 22, 1961 (1961-04-22)
The town's diminutive loudmouth bully has a beef with a newly arrived couple and recognizes the husband who's hiding his checkered past.
22732"Long Hours, Short Pay"Andrew V. McLaglenJohn MestonApril 29, 1961 (1961-04-29)
Matt captures a gunrunner trading rifles with the Pawnees and in turn is captured himself.
22833"Hard Virtue"Dennis WeaverJohn MestonMay 6, 1961 (1961-05-06)
A freight line owner has an accident with a down-and-out young couple and offers the husband a job, but it's his wife that he's more interested in.
22934"The Imposter"Byron PaulStory by: Kathleen Hite
Screenplay by: John Meston
May 13, 1961 (1961-05-13)
A Sheriff from Miami, Texas comes to Dodge looking for a bank robber and murderer, but Matt soon learns that he's not what he seems.
23035"Chester's Dilemma"Ted PostStory by: Vic Perrin
Screenplay by: John Meston
May 20, 1961 (1961-05-20)
Chester becomes infatuated with a runaway girl from Ohio who exploits his position as Marshal's assistant to hide her secret.
23136"The Love of Money"Ted PostJohn MestonMay 27, 1961 (1961-05-27)
Matt's friend, a retired U.S. Marshal from Oklahoma territory is shot in the back and his murder may go unsolved, but when a $500 information reward is offered, greed and betrayal take over.
23237"Melinda Miles"William D. FarallaJohn MestonJune 3, 1961 (1961-06-03)
A rancher's daughter alibi's her boyfriend, who's suspected of killing her father's right-hand man leaving Matt to solve the mystery.
23338"Colorado Sheriff"Jesse HibbsJohn MestonJune 17, 1961 (1961-06-17)
A Colorado Sheriff is insistent in arresting the wounded man Matt and Chester found out on the open prairie, but without an arrest warrant, the Marshal suspects that he's being untruthful.

Release

Broadcast

Season six aired Saturdays at 10:00-10:30 pm (EST) on CBS.[4]

Home media

The sixth season was released on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment in two volumes. 19 episodes were released on August 7, 2012 and 19 episodes were released on October 16, 2012.

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

  1. Barbaras 1990, p. 74–75.
  2. Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570–571.
  3. McNeil 1996, p. 351–352.
  4. Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570.
  5. Barbaras 1990, p. 87–102.

References

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