Major Emmett Egan has been approved for the job of marshal by the War Department. Matt agrees to let him have his job if Egan shadows him for a week to see if he can handle it.Major Emmett Egan has been approved for the job of marshal by the War Department. Matt agrees to let him have his job if Egan shadows him for a week to see if he can handle it.Major Emmett Egan has been approved for the job of marshal by the War Department. Matt agrees to let him have his job if Egan shadows him for a week to see if he can handle it.
- Clarise
- (as June Carter)
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Passerby
- (uncredited)
- Barfly
- (uncredited)
- Barfly
- (uncredited)
- Barfly
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJune Carter Cash's first credited acting role. Made some eleven years before her third, and final marriage to music legend Johnny Cash,
- Quotes
Mr. Phipps: [Shooting off guns and his mouth, Phipps draws his horse to a halt in front of the marshal's office] Can't say I'm not puttin' you on notice, Marshal! I'm back in town again!
Matt Dillon: And so I notice.
Chester: How's your wife there, Mr. Phipps?
Mr. Phipps: Half alligator and a touch of earthquake! And I'm gonna get mackereled clear to the gills! There's gonna be eye gougin' and nose bitin' tonight!
Matt Dillon: All right. Before you get started, you better take that horse to Moss Grimmick's. Last time I had to go out and find him for you!
Mr. Phipps: I'm warning you, Marshal! I'm gonna have my fun tonight, and no lank, drawn-out, milk-lovin' lawman's gonna keep me from it! Yee-hoo!
This is one of the more sprawling early episodes. It features a relatively large cast, and it packs a lot of material into the thirty-minute format.
Herbert Rudley appears for the second and final time in a Gunsmoke episode. He portrays Major Egan. In his other role in the earlier Season 2 story "No Indians," he portrayed an inexperienced Army captain. Rudley guested in many television shows in the 1950s and '60s. His earlier work tended to be dramatic roles in both films and television. In the 1960s, he gravitated more toward comedy roles with parts in series like The Beverly Hillbillies, Leave It to Beaver, and a recurring role as Herb Hubbard in the series The Mothers-In-Law.
Former NFL player Walter Barnes appears in the opening scene as a blacksmith named O'Dell who is shoeing Matt's horse -- and mistreating the horse in the process. Chester is there, but he dismisses O'Dell's behavior as occasional orneriness. This is the first of three Gunsmoke appearances for Barnes.
Alex Sharp is one of those actors that appeared in numerous small and uncredited roles in both films and television shows. He appeared in twenty different Gunsmoke episodes, but the roles were often so small it takes an astute observer to recognize him. He plays Jeff Willoughby, a local resident who gets into some trouble with one of the women from the Long Branch Saloon.
Kelly Thordsen makes his first Gunsmoke appearance as Wilson Willoughby. Thordsen is a familiar actor in many westerns and dramas of the period. Following this appearance, Thordsen played the character Colorado Charlie in several episodes of the series Yancy Derringer. During his extensive acting career, Thordsen appeared in four Gunsmoke episodes.
This episode includes a few noteworthy, short appearances. Ned Glass makes his third appearance of the season as a rowdy drunk named Mr. Phipps. Kirby Smith makes his only appearance as Sam Botkin, the owner of Botkin's Bank. The Botkin character was played by several different actors over the years. George Selk makes another of his many appearances as livery stable owner Moss Grimmick.
June Carter, one of the famous Carter Family country singers, appears in her first credited acting role as Clarise, the Long Branch Saloon employee involved in an incident with Jeff Willoughby. Carter was the daughter of Maybelle Carter and married singer Johnny Cash several years after this appearance.
This is the final Gunsmoke screenplay written by the team of David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr. Eleven of their thirteen screenplays for the series were filmed in Season 1. They went on to write for The Rifleman series. Victor would continue writing and producing several additional series during a prolific Hollywood career.
This unique story provides a fascinating look into Matt Dillon's professional life, and I like how the John Meston story avoids painting a picture of an exciting, action-filled existence. Major Egan is certainly disappointed to find the job is often dull and boring. It is also interesting to see the nuances of Marshal Dillon's job -- when force should be used and when restraint is needed.
Note: There is a rare scene inside the Texas Trail saloon in this episode. This is one of the saloons in Dodge City that competes with the Long Branch. It was frequently mentioned in the radio program because Kitty Russell worked there on occasion. (The radio version of Kitty Russell leaves little doubt that she was a prostitute that worked the different saloons in Dodge.)
- wdavidreynolds
- Jan 7, 2022
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3