Matt sets out with a vengeance to capture two trouble-making Texas cowhands who dragged Chester and left him near death.Matt sets out with a vengeance to capture two trouble-making Texas cowhands who dragged Chester and left him near death.Matt sets out with a vengeance to capture two trouble-making Texas cowhands who dragged Chester and left him near death.
- Director
- Writers
- John Meston(uncredited)
- Norman MacDonnell(uncredited)
- Charles Marquis Warren(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe trail boss says Matt better watch out for Strobo, who is "even bigger than you". Strobo was played by former boxer Buddy Baer, who was about the same height as James Arness, but considerably heavier. Buddy was the brother of heavyweight champion Max Baer, and once knocked Joe Louis out of the ring during a fight.
- GoofsStarting at the 3:20 mark, when Chester confronts the two Texans bothering the town ladies, you can see the boom microphone, swinging back and forth between characters, in the top glass pane to the left of the cowboy with his back to the camera.
Featured review
Marshal Dillon's Guilt-Fueled Fury
An exhausted Matt Dillon just wants to get some sleep when a Dodge City resident named Shiloh comes into the office to report two cowboys are harassing women outside the Long Branch Saloon. Matt sends Chester Goode to tell the men they are welcome to drink and enjoy themselves in Dodge, but they cannot continue bothering women.
Chester confronts the pair of drunken cowboys, but they laugh at him. One of the men, a giant of a man named Stobo, lassos Chester and drags Chester through the town out onto the prairie where they leave him severely injured.
Shiloh alerts Marshal Dillon to the events. Matt finds Chester and takes him to Doc Adams's office. Doc has doubts about Chester's chances of recovery, even if the viewer does not.
Kitty is able to identify the two men as Stobo and Treavitt, and she tells Matt they are part of a group of drovers camped somewhere outside Dodge. Matt sets out in pursuit, but he is so furious even he does not know whether he will try to arrest them or kill them. Part of his fury is fueled by the guilt he feels over sending Chester to confront the men.
Actor Buddy Baer, who was a former boxer and the younger brother of boxing champion Max Baer, portrays the huge Stobo character in this story, which was his only Gunsmoke performance. Baer often played characters with "big" in the name, or with names like "Sampson" and "Bull." He can frequently be seen in roles in westerns of the 1950s and 1960s.
Tom Greenway returns for his second Gunsmoke episode. He portrays the Treavitt character in this story. He had previously appeared in another episode prominently featuring the Chester Goode character, Season 2's "Chester's Murder." Greenway had roles in five different Gunsmoke stories, all during the thirty-minute seasons.
This episode includes the first appearance in the series by actor Woodrow Chambliss. Chambliss portrays the Shiloh character. Shiloh is one of those characters that is a local resident everyone knows, but he is only seen in a single episode. Chambliss would later appear regularly as Mr. Lathrop, a Dodge store owner. Chambliss took part in thirty-eight Gunsmoke episodes over the course of the series.
Paul Birch, the original "Marlboro Man," appears briefly as a trail boss.
A highlight of this episode is the focus on the relationship between Matt and Chester. Matt often treats Chester like an older brother would treat a little brother. Chester is more aloof and less confident in the relationship, however. For example, Chester always calls Matt "Mr. Dillon." Chester often expresses doubts about how much his Dodge City friends care about him. The Matt Dillon character demonstrates his love and care for his sidekick in this story.
If there is a single attribute that sets Gunsmoke apart from other series, it is that the writers, directors, and producers were never afraid to show the Matt Dillon character's flaws. He often made mistakes, demonstrated vulnerabilities, and was sometimes guided more by his emotions than his duties and responsibilities.
As a lifelong Gunsmoke fan, I have wished for years there would have been an explanation provided in an episode for where Chester went after he left Dodge. It would have been great if the character could have returned for a visit at some point in a later season, too. (The only reference to Chester Goode after Dennis Weaver left the show was in Season 20's "The Fourth Victim" when Newly O'Brien is reading an old court record and mentions Chester's name. Matt responds that Chester once worked for him and left Dodge shortly after the court case Newly is referencing.)
Chester confronts the pair of drunken cowboys, but they laugh at him. One of the men, a giant of a man named Stobo, lassos Chester and drags Chester through the town out onto the prairie where they leave him severely injured.
Shiloh alerts Marshal Dillon to the events. Matt finds Chester and takes him to Doc Adams's office. Doc has doubts about Chester's chances of recovery, even if the viewer does not.
Kitty is able to identify the two men as Stobo and Treavitt, and she tells Matt they are part of a group of drovers camped somewhere outside Dodge. Matt sets out in pursuit, but he is so furious even he does not know whether he will try to arrest them or kill them. Part of his fury is fueled by the guilt he feels over sending Chester to confront the men.
Actor Buddy Baer, who was a former boxer and the younger brother of boxing champion Max Baer, portrays the huge Stobo character in this story, which was his only Gunsmoke performance. Baer often played characters with "big" in the name, or with names like "Sampson" and "Bull." He can frequently be seen in roles in westerns of the 1950s and 1960s.
Tom Greenway returns for his second Gunsmoke episode. He portrays the Treavitt character in this story. He had previously appeared in another episode prominently featuring the Chester Goode character, Season 2's "Chester's Murder." Greenway had roles in five different Gunsmoke stories, all during the thirty-minute seasons.
This episode includes the first appearance in the series by actor Woodrow Chambliss. Chambliss portrays the Shiloh character. Shiloh is one of those characters that is a local resident everyone knows, but he is only seen in a single episode. Chambliss would later appear regularly as Mr. Lathrop, a Dodge store owner. Chambliss took part in thirty-eight Gunsmoke episodes over the course of the series.
Paul Birch, the original "Marlboro Man," appears briefly as a trail boss.
A highlight of this episode is the focus on the relationship between Matt and Chester. Matt often treats Chester like an older brother would treat a little brother. Chester is more aloof and less confident in the relationship, however. For example, Chester always calls Matt "Mr. Dillon." Chester often expresses doubts about how much his Dodge City friends care about him. The Matt Dillon character demonstrates his love and care for his sidekick in this story.
If there is a single attribute that sets Gunsmoke apart from other series, it is that the writers, directors, and producers were never afraid to show the Matt Dillon character's flaws. He often made mistakes, demonstrated vulnerabilities, and was sometimes guided more by his emotions than his duties and responsibilities.
As a lifelong Gunsmoke fan, I have wished for years there would have been an explanation provided in an episode for where Chester went after he left Dodge. It would have been great if the character could have returned for a visit at some point in a later season, too. (The only reference to Chester Goode after Dennis Weaver left the show was in Season 20's "The Fourth Victim" when Newly O'Brien is reading an old court record and mentions Chester's name. Matt responds that Chester once worked for him and left Dodge shortly after the court case Newly is referencing.)
helpful•51
- wdavidreynolds
- Jan 20, 2022
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3
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