User Reviews

***SPOILERS*** Two Great - actors, that is. John Wayne pegged this show, and Jim Arness for greatness, and he couldn't have been more right. The other, is of course the great John Dehner. One of the most prolific and popular actors in Hollywood, it is ALWAYS a treat to watch him act. In my opinion, one of the way st tell just how good an actor or actress is, is how well they can adapt and perform in comedy. Mr. Dehner plays funny stuff as well as anyone in the business, with a droll, calm approach to whatever buffoonery they cast him in. He is one of many character actors that, while observed on the screen, are largely unsung by critics. well, here on IMDB, they are recognized and celebrated. Thanks to S.A.G., and IMDB.

In this role he plays Cope Borden, a long-time bad guy who, in my thoughts is just not only unafraid of dying, but just doesn't care if he lives. You can see it and hear it in the way he carries himself and talks about how he's been kicked around and out of everything for most of his life. You are missed sir - R.I.P. Mr. Dehner. This episode is a 9.

This was a pretty good 2nd episode but you can tell this early episode was still trying to find it's way. Like when Matt tells Chester to kill a locked up prisoner if he tries anything which I don't think Matt ever told Chester anything like that again. Also he told the prisoner(John Dehner) to get out of Dodge even though he had a wanted poster of him. Before that he had let Dehner out of jail and Dehner gets into a poker game that he accuses a man of cheating. Matt and Chester are right there and sees a gunfight is about to start but just stand there doing nothing and Dehner kills the cheater. Matt would never have just stood there in later episodes. Interesting watch especially knowing the series was already pretty good early on and was going to get even better.

Veteran character actor John Dehner steals the show in the second episode of the first season of "Gunsmoke." Cast as Cope Borden, an unsavory ex-convict recently released from Yuma Prison in Arizona, he finds himself with a noose around his neck after he was intercepted riding a horse with the brand of a local cattleman. Rance Bradley (James Westerfield of "Hang'em High") and his ranch hands are poised to stretch his neck when Marshal Dillon rides up. Matt demands Rance surrender Borden's six-gun and let the law handle it. Borden's revolver has twelve notches carved into its plow-shaped handle. Rance and his riders are initially defiant.

The rancher swears without a shred of doubt that Borden rustled the horse. Ultimately, Rance sees reason and releases Borden into Matt's custody. Matt cuts the rope binding Borden's wrists, and Borden removes the noose. Matt asks about the horse as well as the brand. Borden assures Matt that he paid for the horse all legal like after he got out of prison. Now, Borden admits he doesn't have a bill of sale. In fact, he threw it away. Nevertheless, he furnishes Matt with the surname of the man who sold him the horse in Yuma. Meantime, Matt locks Borden up and awaits a wire telegraph message from Yuma. The Yuma lawman clears Bordon of horse theft. He recognized the name of the man who sold Borden a horse and provided a verification in the form of a telegram. Reluctantly, Matt turns Borden loose. However, he doesn't order this desperado to clear out of Dodge. Earlier, when Matt brought in Borden, Ms. Kitty (Amanda Blake) caught them entering the marshal's office. She greeted Matt and noticed Borden. Borden saw the twinkle in Kitty's eyes when she greeted man. Earlier, when Matt returned to Dodge, Chester noted that the lawman had been away from town for three days.

One of the themes of E. Jack Neuman's teleplay is the role heat exerts in the circumstances surrounding Borden's arrival. Everybody is hot, desperately hot, and Matt has huge sweat stains on his shirt. This is one of the rare episodes where Matt doesn't wear a vest. Everybody is driven to do impulsive things owing to the extreme heat. No sooner has Matt released Borden, who makes a beeline to the Long Branch Saloon, than the latter shoots a crooked gambler in self-defense. Borden accused the cardsharp of dealing off the bottom of the deck. Predictably, he shot him dead. This riles Rance because the tin-horn gambler happened to be his nephew. Now, Rance stirs up trouble and recruits other townspeople to back him up. They open fire on the jail, but nobody is injured. Chester breaks out the shotguns, and Borden sets back to savor the show. Previously, Borden had suffered at the hands of others who used the law against him, but it amuses him now that Marshal Dillon is taking his side. Eventually, Matt confronts Rance with a shotgun, talks sense into him, and disperses what could have been a tragedy.

Dehner gives a seasoned performance as a slimy gunslinger who asks no quarter and gives none. What aggravates Matt is that he must use his badge to shield this reprobate from attack by others. At one point, Matt chews out Rance and his followers, and Arness isn't laid-back about it. Instead, he appears properly upset, even though he cannot Borden. Like the first episode, "Hot Spell" opens with Matt wandering among the graves on Boot Hill and philosophizing about how in a matter of moments a good man makes the wrong decision and pays for it with a pauper's grave.

"Hot Spell" (episode 2 ) was first aired on television September 17, 1955.

(*Rance Bradley quote *) - "You're defending a killer, marshal, and I won't stand for it."

Matt is caught in an awkward position when he defends an unsavory ex-con against the decent residents of Dodge.