Ed Polk and his partner Joe Bryan have robbed a bank somewhere over 200 miles north of Dodge City. A posse is pursuing them, so they separate with plans to meet in Dodge several days later. Polk comes upon a farm on the prairie. The Cassidy family lives on the farm. Ron Cassidy, the father, is an ornery, selfish, bitter man who is fed up with living on a farm where water is scarce. He leaves to scout for a better place to move the family.
When Ed Polk sees there is no man on the farm, he seizes on the opportunity to take advantage of Ron's wife Clara. When Clara sees Polk approaching, she senses danger and tells her daughter Letty to hide and stay out of sight. When Clara attempts to get a gun, Polk shoots and kills her -- all while Letty is watching. Letty manages to escape without Polk seeing her.
Festus Haggen happens to be riding by when he sees Letty sitting under a tree. At first Letty doesn't trust Festus, but after he lassos her, they return to the Cassidy farm and bury Clara. They leave a note for the Cassidy father and make their way to Dodge. A friendship develops between Festus and Letty, and they build a kite together, hence the name of the episode.
Cassidy and Polk both eventually arrive in Dodge. Cassidy is primarily concerned with avenging his wife's death. He doesn't really care so much that she is dead. He is more angry at how the events reflect on him. He decides to parade Letty all over Dodge in the hopes she will identify the man that killed her mother so Cassidy can exact his revenge. He is also a fool with a big mouth which allows Polk to discover Letty witnessed his murder of Clara Cassidy.
While Festus and Matt try to keep Letty safe, Polk is busy attempting to cover his tracks.
This is very much a John Meston story. Meston was a student of the Old West, and he knew as the United States expanded, there was a large number of people who moved west in order to take advantage of the sparse law enforcement. He had a penchant for creating amoral characters, and both Ron Cassidy and Ed Polk fit that bill in this story.
There is a great scene in this episode between Festus and Ma Smalley. We learn that Ma doesn't think very highly of Festus, but Festus doesn't take Ma's insults seriously.
Another notable attribute of this episode is (I think) the first time Festus addresses Matt Dillon as "Matthew," something he would do countless times over the coming years. It is yet another sign of the growing friendship between Festus and the Marshal.
Lyle Bettger was always great at playing villains. One of his more notable roles was portraying Ike Clanton in the classic film Gunfight at the O.K Corral with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. He wasn't the stereotypical brutish bad guy. He was more of the suave, sophisticated type that would smile while he shot someone in cold blood. Here he portrays Ed Polk with the proper level of casual nastiness. Michael Higgins, a veteran of many television shows and movies, is Ron Cassidy. Betsy Hale is Letty. She had a short career playing children characters on television.
When Ed Polk sees there is no man on the farm, he seizes on the opportunity to take advantage of Ron's wife Clara. When Clara sees Polk approaching, she senses danger and tells her daughter Letty to hide and stay out of sight. When Clara attempts to get a gun, Polk shoots and kills her -- all while Letty is watching. Letty manages to escape without Polk seeing her.
Festus Haggen happens to be riding by when he sees Letty sitting under a tree. At first Letty doesn't trust Festus, but after he lassos her, they return to the Cassidy farm and bury Clara. They leave a note for the Cassidy father and make their way to Dodge. A friendship develops between Festus and Letty, and they build a kite together, hence the name of the episode.
Cassidy and Polk both eventually arrive in Dodge. Cassidy is primarily concerned with avenging his wife's death. He doesn't really care so much that she is dead. He is more angry at how the events reflect on him. He decides to parade Letty all over Dodge in the hopes she will identify the man that killed her mother so Cassidy can exact his revenge. He is also a fool with a big mouth which allows Polk to discover Letty witnessed his murder of Clara Cassidy.
While Festus and Matt try to keep Letty safe, Polk is busy attempting to cover his tracks.
This is very much a John Meston story. Meston was a student of the Old West, and he knew as the United States expanded, there was a large number of people who moved west in order to take advantage of the sparse law enforcement. He had a penchant for creating amoral characters, and both Ron Cassidy and Ed Polk fit that bill in this story.
There is a great scene in this episode between Festus and Ma Smalley. We learn that Ma doesn't think very highly of Festus, but Festus doesn't take Ma's insults seriously.
Another notable attribute of this episode is (I think) the first time Festus addresses Matt Dillon as "Matthew," something he would do countless times over the coming years. It is yet another sign of the growing friendship between Festus and the Marshal.
Lyle Bettger was always great at playing villains. One of his more notable roles was portraying Ike Clanton in the classic film Gunfight at the O.K Corral with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. He wasn't the stereotypical brutish bad guy. He was more of the suave, sophisticated type that would smile while he shot someone in cold blood. Here he portrays Ed Polk with the proper level of casual nastiness. Michael Higgins, a veteran of many television shows and movies, is Ron Cassidy. Betsy Hale is Letty. She had a short career playing children characters on television.