James Arness: Matt Dillon

Quotes 

• Marshal Matt Dillon : [Matt has shot and wounded Kane, a hired gun]  Hold it. Drop the gun belt.

  Kane : [removes belt]  You sure don't leave a man a lot, do ya?

  Marshal Matt Dillon : You didn't bring a lot with you.

• Marshal Matt Dillon : You told me once that if I ever needed anything from you, all I had to do was ask. Well, I'm askin' now: stay off of that for a week.

  [Points to a bottle of whiskey] 

  Chauncey Demon : Give me one good reason why I should?

  Marshal Matt Dillon : All right, I'll give you a reason: Johnny. Ever since he was old enough to understand, Bill and Kathy have been holding you up to him as an example of what a man ought to be. He heard about what you did last night. Fits right in with his picture of you. I don't want him to know that a hero like Chauncey Demon can want a drink so bad, that he'll grovel in the dirt for it. Like a whipped dog. That he's got so little respect for himself and his friends, that he can live without pride. Without dignity. And, from the smell of you, even without soap!

  Chauncey Demon : I ought to kill you for that!

  Marshal Matt Dillon : You're one of the few men I ever knew who had a chance of doing that once.