Wanted: GUNSMOKE (CBS/1955-1975) (1 Viewer)

[Dave Scarpa]

I've been behind, so I'm going to be one of those people and wait until the big all in one set of 16-20 is out, likely next year.

Because even CBS wouldn't be cruel enough to leave us hanging and forget about 20.

Yeah I’ve been waiting for price drops so I think I’ll buy season 15 and then wait till the 16-20 set comes out as well

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 15

Episode #10
“The Innocent”
written by Walter Black
directed by Marvin J. Chomsky
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Eileen Heckart, Barry Atwater, Anthony James, Lee de Broux, Tom Nolan, Eddie Little Sky, Manuel Padilla Jr., Robert B. Williams, Rush Williams

Phelps, Kansas: two dubious men named Loyal (actor Anthony James) and Zeal Yewker (actor Lee de Broux) wander and search nearby a relay station when Festus stops by with a wagon full of supplies and, a few minutes later, the stagecoach arrives and delivers Mrs. Athena Royce (actress Eileen Heckart) that Festus meets and passes the wagon. The lady introduces herself and explains she is on her way to Warusa to take care of a mission school but Festus worries about her safety and accompanies her on her long and perilous journey. The Yewker brothers and their father (actor Barry Atwater) follow them in order to later rob them. Festus and Royce meet the tribe of the Kiowas and they negociate and give them one food item. Later on, they have an accident near the river and the Yewker family finds them and pretends to help them: that’s when the real trouble starts …

It’s a decent solo Festus adventure and a not so light entry about threatening ruffians and a survival drama. The main interest of this story lies in the cast of the Yewker Family: Barry Atwater, Anthony James, Lee de Broux. In terms of common denominator, both hostile parties (the Yewker’s and the Kiowas) feature a pivotal young boy that changes the course of the action. Oddly enough, actress Eileen Heckart plays like her Sister Veronica character from The Fugitive.

Actor Barry Atwater returns from the iconic season 5 “Doc Judge”, Lee de Broux from the season 14 “Waco”, actress Eileen Heckart returns from the season 10 “The Lady”, Anthony James from this season 15 “The Still” but as a different character and this marks his last one.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 15

Episode #11
“Ring of Darkness”
written by Arthur Dales
directed by Bernard McEveety
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Tom Drake, John Crawford, Rex Holman, Anthony Caruso, Pamela Dunlap

Three gold thieves named Pinto (actor John Crawford), Gulley (actor Anthony Caruso), Carr (actor Rex Holman) stop at the farm of poor Ben Hurley (actor Tom Drake) to get fresh horses but he can’t deliver them when his blind daughter Susan (actress Pamela Dunlap) comes out of the house to greet the men who change their names. They warn and threaten him and leave cold. We learn from Hurley that he used to make a deal with the outlaws to get $500 in order to send his daughter to a special school at Kansas City. At the Long Branch, Dillon sends Newly on an errand to check out the missing horses of the Lazy Y ranch but he ends up at the Hurley’s, witnesses the stolen horses and meets Susan who hurts herself. Hurley returns home, threatens Newly with a winchester and creates a phony story incriminating Newly. At night, the outlaws return at the Hurley’s because Pinto is wounded in the belly. Things get pretty nasty because of Carr …

It’s an interesting solo Newly adventure and a poor farmer family drama with a sensitive and fooled blind woman issue. It’s the companion piece to the season opener “The Devil’s Outpost” because of Newly’s role and the bandits’ hideout. The character of Newly mentions Merry Florene to Miss Kitty at the Long Branch. As usual, the cast of the bandit characters is really good: Anthony Caruso, John Crawford, Rex Holman as the maniac interests in the young blind woman.

Actors John Crawford (“The Miracle Man”, “Johnny Cross”) and Rex Holman (“Zavala”, “The Long Night”) both return from season 14, Anthony Caruso returns from the season 9 “The Warden”.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 15

Episode #12
“MacGraw”
written by Kay Lenard and Jess Carneol
directed by Philip Leacock
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: J.D. Cannon, Michael Larrain, Diana Ewing, Sam Melville, Charles Kuenstle, Ned Wertimer, Tom Brown, Sid Haig, Allen Jaffe , Bobby Hall, Sam Edwards

The Crawford brothers, Eli (actor Sid Haig) and Ed (actor Allen Jaffe), have lunch in the countryside when they see a rider named Jake MacGraw (actor J.D. Cannon) at a remote distance, identify him and rush to their horses. Both parties meet and have a talk. Knowing that gunfighter MacGraw was released from prison and had to get a loot back, the Crawford brothers orders him to give them the money from his saddle bags but he guns them down first. At Dodge City, the men play a horse shoe game when MacGraw pops up with the bodies of the Crawford’s. MacGraw explains the situation to Matt Dillon and looks for a job when he notices a young man named Dave Wilson (actor Michael Larrain) heading to the Bull’s Head saloon followed by two doubtful ones: Garvey (actor Sam Melville) and Wilkes (actor Charles Kuenstle). MacGraw steps into the Long Branch and asks Miss Kitty a job of piano player. He auditions and gets it. Later, MacGraw orders a drink at the Bull’s Head saloon when he sees the same three men whispering about a mysterious operation. Meanwhile Dillon and Newly go on a mission at Smithtown. The whole town suspects MacGraw who provokes Dave Wilson at the Long Branch and, later on, gives a present to his girlfriend Ella Horton (actress Diana Ewing). MacGraw tails the three men who negociate a bargain of stolen horses from a ring of rustlers. Later on, MacGraw offers a deal to the three young men and $600 and, eventually, seduces the girlfriend of Dave Wilson. Dillon and Newly resume to town and …

It’s a very good double-edged intruder/stranger episode thanks to the steely performance of J.D. Cannon who keeps on calling the young character of Dave Wilson “sonny” but for one good educational reason—in a way, the mysterious behavior of MacGraw foreshadows the laconic stranger from Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter (1973). The whole town is afraid of MacGraw and feels guilty because they used to send him to prison during a trial: see the night scene with the armed with a shotgun citizen willing to eliminate MacGraw. Note that it is directed by former Gunsmoke producer Philip Leacock. Notice the good atmospheric music score of Leon Klatzkin. This episode is the thematic companion piece to the season 14 “Mannon”.

Actor J.D. Cannon returns from the season 10 “Big Man, Big Target”.
Actor Sam Melville returns from the season 14 “The Good Samaritans”.
Actors Sam Edwards (“The Devil’s Outpost”), Sid Haig (“A Man Called Smith”) and Charles Kuenstle (“The Devil’s Outpost”) return from this season 15.
Actor Allen Jaffe returns from the season 13 “The Pillagers”.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 15

Episode #12
“MacGraw”
written by Kay Lenard and Jess Carneol
directed by Philip Leacock
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: J.D. Cannon, Michael Larrain, Diana Ewing, Sam Melville, Charles Kuenstle, Ned Wertimer, Tom Brown, Sid Haig, Allen Jaffe , Bobby Hall, Sam Edwards

The Crawford brothers, Eli (actor Sid Haig) and Ed (actor Allen Jaffe), have lunch in the countryside when they see a rider named Jake MacGraw (actor J.D. Cannon) at a remote distance, identify him and rush to their horses. Both parties meet and have a talk. Knowing that gunfighter MacGraw was released from prison and had to get a loot back, the Crawford brothers orders him to give them the money from his saddle bags but he guns them down first. At Dodge City, the men play a horse shoe game when MacGraw pops up with the bodies of the Crawford’s. MacGraw explains the situation to Matt Dillon and looks for a job when he notices a young man named Dave Wilson (actor Michael Larrain) heading to the Bull’s Head saloon followed by two doubtful ones: Garvey (actor Sam Melville) and Wilkes (actor Charles Kuenstle). MacGraw steps into the Long Branch and asks Miss Kitty a job of piano player. He auditions and gets it. Later, MacGraw orders a drink at the Bull’s Head saloon when he sees the same three men whispering about a mysterious operation. Meanwhile Dillon and Newly go on a mission at Smithtown. The whole town suspects MacGraw who provokes Dave Wilson at the Long Branch and, later on, gives a present to his girlfriend Ella Horton (actress Diana Ewing). MacGraw tails the three men who negociate a bargain of stolen horses from a ring of rustlers. Later on, MacGraw offers a deal to the three young men and $600 and, eventually, seduces the girlfriend of Dave Wilson. Dillon and Newly resume to town and …

It’s a very good double-edged intruder/stranger episode thanks to the steely performance of J.D. Cannon who keeps on calling the young character of Dave Wilson “sonny” but for one good educational reason—in a way, the mysterious behavior of MacGraw foreshadows the laconic stranger from Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter (1973). The whole town is afraid of MacGraw and feels guilty because they used to send him to prison during a trial: see the night scene with the armed with a shotgun citizen willing to eliminate MacGraw. Note that it is directed by former Gunsmoke producer Philip Leacock. Notice the good atmospheric music score of Leon Klatzkin. This episode is the thematic companion piece to the season 14 “Mannon”.

Actor J.D. Cannon returns from the season 10 “Big Man, Big Target”.
Actor Sam Melville returns from the season 14 “The Good Samaritans”.
Actors Sam Edwards (“The Devil’s Outpost”), Sid Haig (“A Man Called Smith”) and Charles Kuenstle (“The Devil’s Outpost”) return from this season 15.
Actor Allen Jaffe returns from the season 13 “The Pillagers”.

Jake MacGraw (actor J.D. Cannon).

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Yeah I’ve been waiting for price drops so I think I’ll buy season 15 and then wait till the 16-20 set comes out as well

What is Wal-Mart up to now with their exclusives? Was 10-12 the last mini mega?

 

[Doug Wallen]

What is Wal-Mart up to now with their exclusives? Was 10-12 the last mini mega?

I believe that is correct. That is the last one I have.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I believe that is correct. That is the last one I have.

Okay. Thanks.

I just put my Gunsmoke sets together, turns out I ended after season 9. So at least that one will plug a hole. Then I decide whether to wait on the next one or go singles. At least there's a little time before 20 is announced.

I have to say, I tapered off because the task of completing the series seemed impossible at one point, especially that era when CBS released one season in, like, three years. But here we are, with the end in sight so it's time to get serious!

 

[JohnHopper]

¶
¶ Next on Gunsmoke season 15, the reviews of the fourth disc and starting on Monday!
¶ Only three episodes will be tackled this time.
¶ Load your guns and be ready!
¶​

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 15

Episode #13
“Roots of Fear”
written by Arthur Browne, Jr.
directed by Philip Leacock
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: John Anderson, Louise Latham, Cliff Osmond, Warren Vanders, Walter Burke, Jodie Foster, Arthur Peterson, Tom Brown, Robert Karnes, Paul Micale, Hank Wise

The Sadler’s rides to their new ranch near Dodge City and settles down. A rider named Lathrop stops by and warns them about the closing of the bank that contains the money to pay the ranch. The father Amos (actor John Anderson) goes to town and waits for in the line when the bank clerk stops delivering cash when he appears. That night, land agent Atkin (actor Walter Burke) warns the Sadler’s about the Friday’s deadline of the ranch’s payment. Amos supported by his brother Daniel (actor Cliff Osmond) and his cousin Ridge (actor Warren Vanders) decide to rob the bank from the rooftop to get their $2000 back. But things go nasty and run out of control …

It is a moving and semi grim socio-economical and family drama triggered by a topical bank run which can be linked to John Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath and properly directed by Gunsmoke producer Philip Leacock. Notice child actress Jodie Foster that will blossom in the next decades into a notorious actress.

Actors John Anderson (“A Matter of Honor”), Louise Latham (“Hawk”) and Warren Vanders (“The Devil’s Outpost”) return from this season 15.
Actor Cliff Osmond return from the season 14 “The Hide Cutters”.
Actor Walter Burke returns from the season 10 “Circus Trick”.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 15

Episode #14
“The Sisters”
written by William Kelley
directed by Philip Leacock
music by Johnny Parker
guests: Jack Elam, Lynn Hamilton, Gloria Calomee, Susan Batson, Cece Whitney, Craig Huxley, Erica Petal

At night and inside the cattle car of a train, three black nuns support a sick woman named Ivy Landers (actress Cece Whitney) and her two little children. Ivy dies. The morning after, the nuns followed by the two children stop at Dodge City where they meet Festus who tips them off about the farm of the Lander’s. Festus helps them and drives them to the decaying house where they have supper. That night, Pack Landers (actor Jack Elam), the full-time drunk skin trader husband of Ivy, pops up from nowhere and terrifies the nuns. The morning after, the nuns and some selected townspeople bury Ivy properly. The nuns are on their way to Cimarron to open up a school. Pack awakes, feels ashamed of his state and decide to reform his habits. But when what is natural is driven off, it returns at a gallop …

It’s a silly and grim social mysery and educational entry about a brutal and cunning father that is well-played by actor Jack Elam. Flatly directed by Gunsmoke producer Philip Leacock.

Actor Jack Elam returns from the season 13 “The First People”.
Actress Lynn Hamilton returns from the season 14 “The Good Samaritans”.
Actress Cece Whitney returns from the season 7 “The Dreamers”.

 

[Flashgear]

Could you do screen grabs from."P.S. Murray Christmas"?

It’s a silly and grim social mysery and educational entry about a brutal and cunning father that is well-played by actor Jack Elam.

John, Merry Christmas to you for all the hard work you put in here on our beloved Gunsmoke!

I jumped ahead to watch the wonderful 1971 Christmas episode from Gunsmoke season 17, P.S. Murry Christmas, featuring a delightful and ultimately touching interplay between Hollywood veterans Jack Elam and Jeanette Nolan, and also featuring posse of little adorable orphans, among them a very young Jodie Foster, a future Oscar winning actress, of course. And a pre-Happy Days Erin Moran...

Jack Elam plays the lovable but incorrigible caretaker of an orphanage run by cantankerous Jeanette Nolan, taking a dramatic departure from her now established Dirty Sally character established in season 16 and resulting in a 14 episode spin off series...here, she is first to be taken as a wicked step mother type, but a more gentle truth is ultimately revealed about her, one snowy Christmas at Dodge City...where Jack Elam has run away to, along with 7 of the orphans who love and trust him...

One of the reasons that the orphans want to run away with their caretaker...the kids are child laborers, building coffins for the local undertaker!

When they decide to run away, the barely literate caretaker leaves this note for the wicked Miss Grundy...

The potato flakes, um, snow, is really coming down, making for a lovely white Christmas in Dodge City...

Continued next post, don't worry, no spoilers!

 

[Flashgear]

P.S. Murry Christmas continued...

Murry Christmas to all of you here on HTF!

 

[JohnHopper]

John, Merry Christmas to you for all the hard work you put in here on our beloved Gunsmoke!

I jumped ahead to watch the wonderful 1971 Christmas episode from Gunsmoke season 17, P.S. Murry Christmas, featuring a delightful and ultimately touching interplay between Hollywood veterans Jack Elam and Jeanette Nolan, and also featuring posse of little adorable orphans, among them a very young Jodie Foster, a future Oscar winning actress, of course. And a pre-Happy Days Erin Moran...

Jack Elam plays the lovable but incorrigible caretaker of an orphanage run by cantankerous Jeanette Nolan, taking a dramatic departure from her now established Dirty Sally character established in season 16 and resulting in a 14 episode spin off series...here, she is first to be taken as a wicked step mother type, but a more gentle truth is ultimately revealed about her, one snowy Christmas at Dodge City...where Jack Elam has run away to, along with 7 of the orphans who love and trust him...

¶
¶ Thanks for the pictures and Merry Christmas to you!
¶ I just received my season 16 set of Gunsmoke just in time for the holidays!
¶​

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 15

Episode #15
“The War Priest”
written by William Kelley
directed by Bernard McEveety
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Forrest Tucker, Richard Anderson, John Crawford, Sam Melville, Richard Hale, Link Wyler, Tom Sutton, Pete Kellett, Vince Deadrick

At the end of a train line and inside a cattle wagon, Apache prisoners are stored. Old war priest El Cuerno (actor Richard Hale) passes the flame to his son Gregorio (actor Richard Anderson) and dies. A sentry (actor Link Wyler) warns heavy drinker Sergeant Emmett Holly (actor Forrest Tucker) about the death of the old war priest when Gregorio mugs a sentry, escapes and receives a bullet in the arm. Sergeant Holly decides to track Gregorio down against the will of Lieutenant Snell (actor Sam Melville). A stagecoach stops at Owl Flats station and delivers Miss Kitty who is given by Amos Strange (actor John Crawford) a buckboard—instead of a buggy—to continue her journey to Dodge City. Gregorio ambushes, uses and chains Miss Kitty to head South. Meanwhile at night Sergeant Holly meets and argues with widower Amos Strange at the station. The morning after, Strange receives a message from Dodge City about missing Miss Kitty and passes it to Sgt. Holly. The chase continues …

It’s an odd, nonsensical and ideological solo Miss Kitty adventure paired with a blue coat chasing an Apache entry and featuring two crazies: haunted station owner widower Amos Strange and drunk Sgt. Holly who stores whiskey jars in his saddle bag. This episode starts as a dead-serious Apache family drama a la Robert Aldrich’s Apache (1954) and degenerates into a silly drunk soldier playing games as in the previous drunk and lousy skin trader “The Sisters”. Miss Kitty is abused by Sgt. Holly and Gregorio lectures her about her big mouth. The ambush scene is fierce and well-shot. One thing is wrong: casting Richard Anderson to play an Indian make you immmediatly think looking at secret service head Oscar Goldman posing as a hippie with a long wig! During the prologue, you can notice a train footage from The Wild Wild West.

Actors Richard Anderson returns from the season 10 “Jonah Hutchinson”, John Crawford (“Ring of Darkness”) and Sam Melville (“MacGraw”) from this season 15, Richard Hale (“The First People”) and Forrest Tucker (“The Cattle Barons”) from the season 13, Link Wyler from the season 14 “9:12 to Dodge”.

 

[JohnHopper]

¶ Since I received my season 16 set of Gunsmoke, I watched the season opener “The Noose”
and what a good surprise! But that review is scheduled for February 2020.​

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I've been thinking about how to watch Gunsmoke.

Now, I've seen bits and pieces here and there, enough to know I enjoy the show. But 635 episodes in a row?

So, break it up into eras! 6 seasons of half hour, 5 seasons of hourlong B&W, and 9 seasons (most of which are shorter seasons, comparatively) of color hourlong.

And, it gives me the chance to watch other stuff, and extend the watch until season 20 is out, which will be April 2020 if CBS is polite enough to keep up the current every two months schedule for one more release.

So, that's it. Back to reviews. If John doesn't mind, I may throw in impressions on the B&W years eventually. Nothing detailed, though. I don't know nothing bout no screencapping.

 

[Flashgear]

I've been thinking about how to watch Gunsmoke.

Now, I've seen bits and pieces here and there, enough to know I enjoy the show. But 635 episodes in a row?

So, break it up into eras! 6 seasons of half hour, 5 seasons of hourlong B&W, and 9 seasons (most of which are shorter seasons, comparatively) of color hourlong.

And, it gives me the chance to watch other stuff, and extend the watch until season 20 is out, which will be April 2020 if CBS is polite enough to keep up the current every two months schedule for one more release.

So, that's it. Back to reviews. If John doesn't mind, I may throw in impressions on the B&W years eventually. Nothing detailed, though. I don't know nothing bout no screencapping.

Robert, I for one would be interested in your reviews and impressions of your Gunsmoke viewings...anybody who lives in Truth or Consequences New Mexico has to have an insightful perspective on things!

I only post screen caps in an effort to enrich my postings, as a good picture is indeed worth a thousand words...and only after I blundered through in discovering and self teaching myself how to use the snipping tool in MS Windows 10...

The amount of dedicated hard work that John Hopper puts into this thread bespeaks his love for this series!

The sheer span of this series in both postwar American pop culture, let alone television itself as the new entertainment medium evolved from it's radio network origins, is awe inspiring...from sound stage bound "bottle" shows to epic action panoramas filmed on location with high production values that challenged Hollywood feature films at their box office, with many people opting to stay home in front of their TV...and, Gunsmoke was among the most illustrious dramas that network TV had on offer...indeed, this series was often very grim and dark in it's story telling, and with the talent that helmed this series, it succeeded in meeting it's aspirations as one of the prestige marquee shows on what was once called the "Tiffany" network...

I have every original season and half season volume of Gunsmoke thus far released, and the first 3 of the 1987-93 reunion TV movies...and now, with CBS having announced seasons 18 and 19, with the final season sure to follow in 2020, I am still somewhat stunned at the imminent completion of this magnum opus on DVD...It does take up a lot of welcoming shelf space, along with CBS' Rawhide, HGWT, WWW and Bonanza...along with all the WB westerns released by Warner Archive and the motherlode of great westerns that Timeless and Shout have released...oh, my Lord! When I began to realize almost 20 years ago that it might be possible to actually collect considerable TV series on these new fangled DVDs, I had no idea what my own library would grow into...fabulous stuff, from all the treasured genres of my youth...and of course, a huge number of feature films on DVD and Blu as well...

When Gunsmoke seasons 16 and 17 first aired from 1970-72, I was only catching it on occasion, being a 14 to 16 year old with a lot of other diversions on my mind (ha, ha)...I had been a regular viewer during the B+W and early color years (although we continued to have a B+W TV till 1970), so watching these recent releases is almost like watching them for the first time...and of course, they look glorious, in the spectacular remastering from vault 35 mm film elements.

 

[JohnHopper]

I've been thinking about how to watch Gunsmoke.

Now, I've seen bits and pieces here and there, enough to know I enjoy the show. But 635 episodes in a row?

So, break it up into eras! 6 seasons of half hour, 5 seasons of hourlong B&W, and 9 seasons (most of which are shorter seasons, comparatively) of color hourlong.

And, it gives me the chance to watch other stuff, and extend the watch until season 20 is out, which will be April 2020 if CBS is polite enough to keep up the current every two months schedule for one more release.

So, that's it. Back to reviews. If John doesn't mind, I may throw in impressions on the B&W years eventually. Nothing detailed, though. I don't know nothing bout no screencapping.

Go ahead, make my day. I will be pleased to read your impressions of the monochrome days.

 

[JohnHopper]

I wonder if someone know a good companion book about Gunsmoke, by the way.