This is a strange story. Kip Gilman (played by Tim O'Connor) is on the run for a murder charge. This was the first of three appearances by O'Connor on Gunsmoke. His character, Gilman, seems like a really nice guy.
When Gilman finds runaway Packy (played by Kurt Russell), he feeds the kid, and offers to help him get to Dodge City, so Packy can find his mother. This is the first of Kurt Russell's two appearances on Gunsmoke. Gilman and Packy pretend to be father and son, in order to mislead anyone that might be looking for them.
Eventually, they get to Dodge and find Packy's mom, Elena (played by Diane Ladd, who was married to Bruce Dern, and became the mother of Laura Dern). This was the first of her three appearances on Gunsmoke. Elena is living in the town slum, "Rathole Alley"," which very rarely was shown on any episode of Gunsmoke.
Elena has a drinking problem, and is probably turning tricks in the slum in order to buy liquor. Another previous tenant of this slum was June Lockhart, who also played a woman with a drinking problem. Lockhart appeared on Gunsmoke in 1958, in the episode "Beulah."
For some unknown reason, once Gilman reunites Packy with his mom, he does not continue on the run. It seems like love at first sight for Gilman. Why would he want to become the husband of a drunken prostitute with a truant son? Elena does everything to rebuff and disillusion Gilman. Gilman spends his money to help Elena, and to fix up her shack. Gilman plans to stay living in the same shack, with Elena and Packy, as a family, even though it is the worst part of Dodge City. It would have been nice if these characters had been shown a couple of episodes later, so there could have been a positive update on the family.
Along comes Karl Swenson, who was on Gunsmoke a total of nine times. This was his fifth appearance. Swenson and his crew are hunting for Gilman, who allegedly killed the ranch foreman and robbed their payroll money. Dillon is researching the allegations against Gilman, and gets a telegram that exonerates Gilman, and puts the blame on one of Swenson's men, Ed Sykes. Sykes was played by character actor Jan Merlin, who usually played a villain, but this was his only appearance on Gunsmoke.
Despite the best efforts of Dillon, Festus, Miss Kitty, and Gilman to avoid a gun-fight, all hell breaks loose at the end. This episode builds up to a very action-packed conclusion, with no less than six gun-slingers in the exciting final shoot-out.
When Gilman finds runaway Packy (played by Kurt Russell), he feeds the kid, and offers to help him get to Dodge City, so Packy can find his mother. This is the first of Kurt Russell's two appearances on Gunsmoke. Gilman and Packy pretend to be father and son, in order to mislead anyone that might be looking for them.
Eventually, they get to Dodge and find Packy's mom, Elena (played by Diane Ladd, who was married to Bruce Dern, and became the mother of Laura Dern). This was the first of her three appearances on Gunsmoke. Elena is living in the town slum, "Rathole Alley"," which very rarely was shown on any episode of Gunsmoke.
Elena has a drinking problem, and is probably turning tricks in the slum in order to buy liquor. Another previous tenant of this slum was June Lockhart, who also played a woman with a drinking problem. Lockhart appeared on Gunsmoke in 1958, in the episode "Beulah."
For some unknown reason, once Gilman reunites Packy with his mom, he does not continue on the run. It seems like love at first sight for Gilman. Why would he want to become the husband of a drunken prostitute with a truant son? Elena does everything to rebuff and disillusion Gilman. Gilman spends his money to help Elena, and to fix up her shack. Gilman plans to stay living in the same shack, with Elena and Packy, as a family, even though it is the worst part of Dodge City. It would have been nice if these characters had been shown a couple of episodes later, so there could have been a positive update on the family.
Along comes Karl Swenson, who was on Gunsmoke a total of nine times. This was his fifth appearance. Swenson and his crew are hunting for Gilman, who allegedly killed the ranch foreman and robbed their payroll money. Dillon is researching the allegations against Gilman, and gets a telegram that exonerates Gilman, and puts the blame on one of Swenson's men, Ed Sykes. Sykes was played by character actor Jan Merlin, who usually played a villain, but this was his only appearance on Gunsmoke.
Despite the best efforts of Dillon, Festus, Miss Kitty, and Gilman to avoid a gun-fight, all hell breaks loose at the end. This episode builds up to a very action-packed conclusion, with no less than six gun-slingers in the exciting final shoot-out.