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

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #14
“The Avengers”
written by Donn Mullally
directed by Vincent McEveety
guests: James Gregory, John Saxon, Les Brown, Jr.

Dodge City is without marshal. At night, Thad and Festus keep up the shop when Miss Kitty gets abused by a stranger in her saloon’s bedroom. In self defense, Festus guns the man down. The next day, Matt Dillon is back and we learn the identity of the stranger from his tombstone: (drover) Richard Strom. The family of the deceased one comes to town to avenge his murderer and the father working as a judge (actor James Gregory) investigates and asserts false truth about the events of the deed. Matt is forced to send them away. In retaliation, Matt receives a bullet in the leg and both Festus and Kitty are abducted at night. The next day, a posse led by wounded Matt, Thad and Sam is launched. Festus and Kitty are sentenced to be hanged!

It’s a good dark episode about bias justice served by the expressive and atmospheric film-making of Vincent McEveety, supported by the ominous stock music culled from Morton Stevens’ “Seven Hours to Dawn” and Franz Waxman’s “The Raid” and the guest actors playing the Strom’s: James Gregory, John Saxon, Les Brown, Jr. Thad is present. Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty get hurt as in “Seven Hours to Dawn”.

Actor James Gregory returns from the season 10 “The New Society” and John Saxon from “Dry Road to Nowhere”.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #15
“Gold Mine”
written by Scott Hunt and Beth Keele
directed by Abner Biberman
guests: John Anderson, Paul Carr, Michael Vandever, Tom Nardini, Argentina Brunetti, Dort Clark, John Harmon, Russ Bender

Miss Kitty travels to the hostile small town of Pickaxe “loaded with every low-down renegade west of the Mississippi”. Matt Dillon worries a lot and orders Thad to go protect Miss Kitty until she achieves the transfer of her gold mine title and keeps him inform by letter. Miss Kitty meets the unbridled Gibbijohns who refuses to give her the gold mine. Without any news from Thad, Matt Dillon rides to Pickaxe to straighten things out.

It’s a light solo Miss Kitty adventure in which she teams up with Thad and a mute young man named Richard Danby (actor Tom Nardini) from Pickaxe. Miss Kitty faces male predators, a lousy hotel room and a family of wild gold miners played by actors John Anderson, Paul Carr, Michael Vandever. The mine location is the same as in “The Reward”. At the start of the prologue, it features a cue from Hugo Friedhoher’s “Six Weeks to Bent Fork” from Rawhide (season 8).

Actor Michael Vandever returns from this season “Seven Hours to Dawn”, John Anderson from the season 8 “The Cousin” and Paul Carr from the season 7 “The Squaw”.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #16
“Death Watch”
written by Calvin Clements, Sr.
directed by Mark Rydell
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Albert Salmi, Willard Sage, Frank Silvera, Richard Evans, Alfred Ryder, Patricia Quinn, Charles Wagenheim, Robert Foulk, Karl Lukas, Steve Gravers

It’s the hot season in Kansas. Two sleazy bounty hunters (actors Albert Salmi and Willard Sage) find the injured body of wanted Mexican bandit named John Drago (actor Frank Silvera), bring him back to Dodge City to treat him and plan to ride with him to the Mex border to get the big reward of $30,000 in gold. Meanwhile young farmer Austin Boyle (actor Richard Evans) is anxious that his wife gets her baby and becomes the replacement deputy. A reporter named George Flint (actor Alfred Ryder), from the Kansas City Beacon, manipulates the two bounty hunters so that they sell shares of their criminal as in the stock market and bribe the poor farmer to simulate the escape of the criminal.

It’s a good cynical dual story linked by the destiny of a young and frail farmer and well-served by the ominous score by Leon Klatzkin and, above all, the film-making of Mark Rydell that gives a colorful painting of the guest characters: the two groups of bounty hunters, the crazy criminal, the young troubled man. Two scenes shine: the moral dilemma of Austin Boyle trying to gun down John Drago and the insane outcome. Thad is present and work as a night watchman at Doc’s office.

Actor Richard Evans and Willard Sage return from this season “The Storm” and Alfred Ryder from the season 4 “Passive Resistance”. Actor Frank Silvera works on both Rawhide (see the season 7 “El Hombre Bravo”) and The Wild Wild West (see the season 3 “The Night of the Jack O’Diamonds”).

Recommended for the aficionados of the gritty old west!

 

[JohnHopper]

Next week, folks, it's disc 5 with these episodes: “Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs”, “The Raid, Part I”, “The Raid, Part II”, “Killer at Large”.
“The Raid" is the main reason why I purchased season 11: a reference episode.
So stay tuned for more Matt Dillon's adventures!

 

[bmasters9]

“The Raid" is the main reason why I purchased season 11: a reference episode.

What do you mean by "reference episode"?

 

[JohnHopper]

What do you mean by "reference episode"?

It's a landmark and seminal episode in the series body of work.

 

[bmasters9]

It's a landmark and seminal episode in the series body of work.

Sort of like "V For Vashon" on O-R Jack Lord Five-O, or "A House Divided" on O-R CBS Dallas?

 

[JohnHopper]

Sort of like "V For Vashon" on O-R Jack Lord Five-O, or "A House Divided" on O-R CBS Dallas?

Let's say it's the quality equivalent of “Eye of the Beholder” for TZ or “The Things of Forms Unknown” for TOL.

 

[JohnHopper]

“The Raid" is the main reason why I purchased season 11: a reference episode.

Will be published on Tuesday 5 and Thursday 7. Note that in your calendar. Screen shots will follow.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #17
“Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs”
written by Gustave Field
directed by Alvin Ganzer
music by Richard Shores
guests: Robert Random, Brooke Bundy, Shug Fisher, Royal Dano, Slim Pickens, Diane Ladd, Judy Carne, Alice Backes

Festus is obliged to find a bride for his young nephew Sweet Billy (actor Robert Random) who looks for a literate person and introduces him to two women and it fails. A young woman named Orabelle Beal (actress Brooke Bundy) has a soft spot on Billy but her father Pony (actor Slim Pickens) asks $500 to give his daughter. Festus now need to find some money and creates a company called The Haggen Hauling and Freighting Corporation but the father tries to con him.

It’s a light Festus entry that plays like Gunsmoke meet The Beverly Hillbillies. The Haggen clan consists of three actors: Royal Dano, Shug Fisher, Robert Random. Thad is present. The comical score of Richard Shores underlines the nature of the Haggen clan and the chase scene between the Haggens and Pony Beal is typical.

Actor Slim Pickens returns from the season 9 “Once a Haggen”, Brooke Bundy from the season 9 “The Magician”, Royal Dano from the season 10 “Deputy Festus”, Shug Fisher from this season “The Storm”, Robert Random from this season “South Wind”.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #18
“The Raid, Part I”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Vincent McEveety
music by Franz Waxman
guests: John Anderson, Gary Lockwood, Jeremy Slate, Jim Davis, Michael Conrad, Richard Jaeckel, John Kellogg, Ted Jordan, Preston Pierce, Dee Pollock, Edmund Hashim, Roy Engel, Percy Helton, Tony Haig


“Violence has never been part of my nature”.
—Mastermind Les McConnell (actor John Anderson).


Sedalia, Missouri, Les McConnell (actor John Anderson) lights a cigar and enters the bank while cowboy Clell Williams (actor Jim Davis) comes out of a house and outside of town, an army of outlaws led by Jim Stark (actor Gary Lockwood) rides fast and then robs the bank in a silent way like well-trained soldiers. On their way out, Cash McLean (actor Michael Conrad), one of the criminals, gets shot in the leg and becomes a problem. At Mullenville, the town next to the robbers hideout owned by old rancher Mr. Early (actor Percy Helton), Jim Stark and his second-in-command Web Fraley (actor Jeremy Slate) bribe the important people (bartender, sheriff) and bring back drunk and compromising Clell Williams. The next target is Dodge City! Les McConnell posing as a gun salesman studies the town and warns the gang about the danger represented by Matt Dillon. Therefore Jim Stark orders murderer Johnny Barnes (actor Edmund Hashim) and his young brother-in-law Tom (actor Dee Pollock) to eliminate Matt Dillon. But for the first time, things don’t go according to plan …

It’s the fancy and tense two-parter top-tier masterpiece all the way. Find another great episode supervised by the tandem of writer Clyde Ware and director Vincent McEveety that is the companion piece to “Seven Hours to Dawn” that deals again with a gang of outlaws willing to ruin Dodge City but it’s done as a clockwork con game/caper operation straight from Mission: Impossible because it tackles the theme of bank robbery through a mastermind-infiltrator (Les McConnell) and an army of belligerent riders which makes it like a coup. Writer Clyde Ware used to fashion a similar plot on the season 7 of Rawhide entitled “Piney” but without the army. Oddly enough, this highly effective team suffers from two black sheeps (Clell Williams and Cash McLean) which drink too much and the mastermind (Les McConnell) fails to be executed by the brutal leaders. The lush cast of robber characters (John Anderson as Les McConnell, The Stark brothers: Gary Lockwood as Jim and John Kellogg as Ted, Jim Davis as Clell Williams, Michael Conrad as Cash McLean, The Fraley brothers: Jeremy Slate as Web and Richard Jaeckel as Pence and Preston Pierce as Jeff, Ted Jordan as Shiloh) is fabulous as well as the epic score composed by Franz Waxman and conducted by Morton Stevens. Note this is the only entry featuring the episode title at the start of Act 1.

Actor John Anderson returns from this season “Gold Mine”, John Kellogg from the season 9 “Ex-Con”, Michael Conrad from the season 10 “Hung High”, Jeremy Slate from the season 10 “The New Society”, Richard Jaeckel from the season 8 “Two of a Kind”.

Highly recommended!

Music from CBS Westerns (label: Film Music Society)
Franz Waxman’s “The Raid”, conducted by Morton Stevens in September 16-17, 1965. It’s a 15:57 score that has twelve cues.
“The Holdup”
“The Challenge”
“Guns For Sale”
“The Pursuit”
“All Is Clear”
“The Posse”
“The Hideout”
“Matt and Festus”
“More Dead Outlaws”
“The Last Two”
“Between The Rocks”
“Finale”

http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/merchandise/cds/cbswesterns.html

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #18
“The Raid, Part I”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Vincent McEveety
music by Franz Waxman
guests: John Anderson, Gary Lockwood, Jeremy Slate, Jim Davis, Michael Conrad, Richard Jaeckel, John Kellogg, Ted Jordan, Preston Pierce, Dee Pollock, Edmund Hashim, Roy Engel, Percy Helton, Tony Haig


“Violence has never been part of my nature”.
—Mastermind Les McConnell (actor John Anderson).


Sedalia, Missouri, Les McConnell (actor John Anderson) lights a cigar and enters the bank while cowboy Clell Williams (actor Jim Davis) comes out of a house and outside of town, an army of outlaws led by Jim Stark (actor Gary Lockwood) rides fast and then robs the bank in a silent way like well-trained soldiers. On their way out, Cash McLean (actor Michael Conrad), one of the criminals, gets shot in the leg and becomes a problem. At Mullenville, the town next to the robbers hideout owned by old rancher Mr. Early (actor Percy Helton), Jim Stark and his second-in-command Web Fraley (actor Jeremy Slate) bribe the important people (bartender, sheriff) and bring back drunk and compromising Clell Williams. The next target is Dodge City! Les McConnell posing as a gun salesman studies the town and warns the gang about the danger represented by Matt Dillon. Therefore Jim Stark orders murderer Johnny Barnes (actor Edmund Hashim) and his young brother-in-law Tom (actor Dee Pollock) to eliminate Matt Dillon. But for the first time, things don’t go according to plan …

It’s the fancy and tense two-parter top-tier masterpiece all the way. Find another great episode supervised by the tandem of writer Clyde Ware and director Vincent McEveety that is the companion piece to “Seven Hours to Dawn” that deals again with a gang of outlaws willing to ruin Dodge City but it’s done as a clockwork con game/caper operation straight from Mission: Impossible because it tackles the theme of bank robbery through a mastermind-infiltrator (Les McConnell) and an army of belligerent riders which makes it like a coup. Writer Clyde Ware used to fashion a similar plot on the season 7 of Rawhide entitled “Piney” but without the army. Oddly enough, this highly effective team suffers from two black sheeps (Clell Williams and Cash McLean) which drink too much and the mastermind (Les McConnell) fails to be executed by the brutal leaders. The lush cast of robber characters (John Anderson as Les McConnell, The Stark brothers: Gary Lockwood as Jim and John Kellogg as Ted, Jim Davis as Clell Williams, Michael Conrad as Cash McLean, The Fraley brothers: Jeremy Slate as Web and Richard Jaeckel as Pence and Preston Pierce as Jeff, Ted Jordan as Shiloh) is fabulous as well as the epic score composed by Franz Waxman and conducted by Morton Stevens. Note this is the only entry featuring the episode title at the start of Act 1.

Actor John Anderson returns from this season “Gold Mine”, John Kellogg from the season 9 “Ex-Con”, Michael Conrad from the season 10 “Hung High”, Jeremy Slate from the season 10 “The New Society”, Richard Jaeckel from the season 8 “Two of a Kind”.

Highly recommended!


View attachment 55837


Music from CBS Westerns (label: Film Music Society)
Franz Waxman’s “The Raid”, conducted by Morton Stevens in September 16-17, 1965. It’s a 15:57 score that has twelve cues.
“The Holdup”
“The Challenge”
“Guns For Sale”
“The Pursuit”
“All Is Clear”
“The Posse”
“The Hideout”
“Matt and Festus”
“More Dead Outlaws”
“The Last Two”
“Between The Rocks”
“Finale”

http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/merchandise/cds/cbswesterns.html

At Sedalia, Clell Williams lights his cigar to warn his partner.

Les McConnell lights his cigar as an answer to Williams.

The clock of leader Jim Stark who waits for the right time.

Leader Jim Stark is ready to launch his army.

Jim Stark and Web Fraley at the saloon of Mullenville.

Cash McLean and Clell Williams wait for to attack the farm.

 

[bmasters9]

Jim Davis as Clell Williams, Michael Conrad as Cash McLean

Both of who would later become integral parts of two of television's later great dramas: Jim Davis as Jock Ewing on O-R CBS Dallas from 1978-81, and Michael Conrad as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus on Hill Street Blues from 1981-84 on NBC.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #18
“The Raid, Part I”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Vincent McEveety
music by Franz Waxman
guests: John Anderson, Gary Lockwood, Jeremy Slate, Jim Davis, Michael Conrad, Richard Jaeckel, John Kellogg, Ted Jordan, Preston Pierce, Dee Pollock, Edmund Hashim, Roy Engel, Percy Helton, Tony Haig


“Violence has never been part of my nature”.
—Mastermind Les McConnell (actor John Anderson).


Sedalia, Missouri, Les McConnell (actor John Anderson) lights a cigar and enters the bank while cowboy Clell Williams (actor Jim Davis) comes out of a house and outside of town, an army of outlaws led by Jim Stark (actor Gary Lockwood) rides fast and then robs the bank in a silent way like well-trained soldiers. On their way out, Cash McLean (actor Michael Conrad), one of the criminals, gets shot in the leg and becomes a problem. At Mullenville, the town next to the robbers hideout owned by old rancher Mr. Early (actor Percy Helton), Jim Stark and his second-in-command Web Fraley (actor Jeremy Slate) bribe the important people (bartender, sheriff) and bring back drunk and compromising Clell Williams. The next target is Dodge City! Les McConnell posing as a gun salesman studies the town and warns the gang about the danger represented by Matt Dillon. Therefore Jim Stark orders murderer Johnny Barnes (actor Edmund Hashim) and his young brother-in-law Tom (actor Dee Pollock) to eliminate Matt Dillon. But for the first time, things don’t go according to plan …

It’s the fancy and tense two-parter top-tier masterpiece all the way. Find another great episode supervised by the tandem of writer Clyde Ware and director Vincent McEveety that is the companion piece to “Seven Hours to Dawn” that deals again with a gang of outlaws willing to ruin Dodge City but it’s done as a clockwork con game/caper operation straight from Mission: Impossible because it tackles the theme of bank robbery through a mastermind-infiltrator (Les McConnell) and an army of belligerent riders which makes it like a coup. Writer Clyde Ware used to fashion a similar plot on the season 7 of Rawhide entitled “Piney” but without the army. Oddly enough, this highly effective team suffers from two black sheeps (Clell Williams and Cash McLean) which drink too much and the mastermind (Les McConnell) fails to be executed by the brutal leaders. The lush cast of robber characters (John Anderson as Les McConnell, The Stark brothers: Gary Lockwood as Jim and John Kellogg as Ted, Jim Davis as Clell Williams, Michael Conrad as Cash McLean, The Fraley brothers: Jeremy Slate as Web and Richard Jaeckel as Pence and Preston Pierce as Jeff, Ted Jordan as Shiloh) is fabulous as well as the epic score composed by Franz Waxman and conducted by Morton Stevens. Note this is the only entry featuring the episode title at the start of Act 1.

Actor John Anderson returns from this season “Gold Mine”, John Kellogg from the season 9 “Ex-Con”, Michael Conrad from the season 10 “Hung High”, Jeremy Slate from the season 10 “The New Society”, Richard Jaeckel from the season 8 “Two of a Kind”.

Highly recommended!


View attachment 55837


Music from CBS Westerns (label: Film Music Society)
Franz Waxman’s “The Raid”, conducted by Morton Stevens in September 16-17, 1965. It’s a 15:57 score that has twelve cues.
“The Holdup”
“The Challenge”
“Guns For Sale”
“The Pursuit”
“All Is Clear”
“The Posse”
“The Hideout”
“Matt and Festus”
“More Dead Outlaws”
“The Last Two”
“Between The Rocks”
“Finale”

http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/merchandise/cds/cbswesterns.html

Stay tuned for Part 2 on Thursday 7!!!

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #19
“The Raid, Part II”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Vincent McEveety
music by Franz Waxman
guests: a shortened cast of robber characters from Part I


“That’s something I never will understand. Why is it the McConnells and the Starks keep thinking that’s an easy way to make a living?”
—Marshal Matt Dillon


It starts out with a 4 minutes 20 seconds recap of the previous part I. The gang abducts Doc to cure wounded Jeff Fraley (actor Preston Pierce). The authority of Jim Stark (actor Gary Lockwood) is called into question by Web Fraley (actor Jeremy Slate) and Ted Stark (actor John Kellogg) tries to tame his hotheaded brother. Dodge City is on fire! Matt Dillon launches a huge posse composed of the townpeople! At the hideout, Jim Stark asks Doc to shorten the life of dead weight Jeff Fraley but fails to execute it at the last minute and, one hour later, they ride out dead South to the desert in order to reach Mexico. Both sides are tired, desperate, ruthless. Only Matt Dillon and Festus continue the iron crusade.

It’s a good large scale second part and a fine escape entry with great cavalcades that look like a mini feature film. As the story progresses to the desert, gang members drop like flies, the posse gets shorter and leader Jim Stark gradually looses his mind: shoot the black sheeps of his gang, hit Doc, suffers from delusion of grandeur to the point of no return. As in Part I, one gang member is wounded and cripple the group. As in “The Avengers”, Doc is abducted.

Highly recommended!

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #19
“The Raid, Part II”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Vincent McEveety
music by Franz Waxman
guests: a shortened cast of robber characters from Part I


“That’s something I never will understand. Why is it the McConnells and the Starks keep thinking that’s an easy way to make a living?”
—Marshal Matt Dillon


It starts out with a 4 minutes 20 seconds recap of the previous part I. The gang abducts Doc to cure wounded Jeff Fraley (actor Preston Pierce). The authority of Jim Stark (actor Gary Lockwood) is called into question by Web Fraley (actor Jeremy Slate) and Ted Stark (actor John Kellogg) tries to tame his hotheaded brother. Dodge City is on fire! Matt Dillon launches a huge posse composed of the townpeople! At the hideout, Jim Stark asks Doc to shorten the life of dead weight Jeff Fraley but fails to execute it at the last minute and, one hour later, they ride out dead South to the desert in order to reach Mexico. Both sides are tired, desperate, ruthless. Only Matt Dillon and Festus continue the iron crusade.

It’s a good large scale second part and a fine escape entry with great cavalcades that look like a mini feature film. As the story progresses to the desert, gang members drop like flies, the posse gets shorter and leader Jim Stark gradually looses his mind: shoot the black sheeps of his gang, hit Doc, suffers from delusion of grandeur to the point of no return. As in Part I, one gang member is wounded and cripple the group. As in “The Avengers”, Doc is abducted.

Highly recommended!

The Fraley clan calls into question their leader.

The Stark clan counterattacks.

At the hideout, Jim Stark sees mad Clell Williams.

Clell Williams and Cash McLean justify themselves.

Jim Stark’s handgun is about to fire at black sheep Williams.

Mastermind Les McConnell is thinking of an escape plan while the others argue.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #20
“Killer at Large”
written by Calvin Clements, Sr.
directed by Marc Daniels
guests: Geraldine Brooks, Cyril Delevanti, Stuart Erwin, Tim O’Kelly, Hardie Albright, Craig Hundley, John Pickard, Jim Beggs, Robert Ballew, Jonathan Lippe, Morgan Jones

After the show of a street peddler selling a phony exilir, Festus accidently provokes a young gunslinger named Sandy (actor Tim O’Kelly) working for the charlatan. Later that night, drunk Sandy summons Festus for a street showdown. Sandy dies and wounded Festus runs to Nebraska and trades his mule Ruth to a second-rate horse. After passing by a general store and antagonizing one young man, Festus has a horse accident and spends the night in the barn of a station. A widow named Esther Harris (actress Geraldine Brooks) helps me out but the Gabins, the people from the general store, provoke him and are willing to get rid of the station. Meanwhile Matt Dillon and Thad look for Festus.

It’s a solo Festus on the run entry. The first half of the story is really gloomy and the Gabins (actor John Pickard, Jim Beggs, Robert Ballew, Jonathan Lippe, Morgan Jones) are really plumb mean and tortures Festus. Thad is present. As in “Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood” with Thad, the foe insults a supporting character (Festus) and calls him “plowboy”. Contains stock music from Franz Waxman’s “The Raid”. A story consultant starts from that episode, writer Paul Savage who previously penned two season 11 episodes (“The Storm”, “The Bounty Hunter”).

 

[JohnHopper]

Next week, folks, it's disc 6 with these episodes: “My Father’s Guitar”, “Wishbone”, “Sanctuary”, “Honor Before Justice”.
Don't miss “My Father’s Guitar” with Beau Bridges and Steve Ihnat coming this Monday!
So stay tuned for more Matt Dillon's adventures!

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #21
“My Father’s Guitar”
written by Hal Sitowitz
directed by Robert Totten
music supervision by Morton Stevens
guests: Beau Bridges, Robin Blake, Louis Massad, Steve Ihnat, Charles Dierkop, Dub Taylor, William Bramley

A young Spanish guitar player named Jason (actor Beau Bridges) stops by a small farm to water his horse and ends up stabbing the owner named Jed Woodard (actor William Bramley) who provokes him about his instrument. A birthday party is organized in the honor of Doc at the Long Branch when Jason steps into and plays the guitar for the people. The next day, an old peddler named Sonny Starr (actor Dub Taylor) brings the body of the farmer and shows it to Matt Dillon and Festus. Two wild drovers (actor Steve Ihnat and Charles Dierkop) pretend to start a showdown for fun in the street and finish the evening at the Long Branch to get drunk and beat up Jason in a back Alley. Matt Dillon locks up the two drovers and find an evidence on them related to the dead farmer. Jason stages the escape of the two men and leaves with Sonny Starr. But the drovers find him …

It’s a good Film Noir entry served by a fine low-key cinematography: Gunsmoke meets The Fugitive—actor Beau Bridges guests in twice on that series: see “Stroke of Genius” (season 3) and “The Other Side of the Coin” (season 4). The performances of actor Steve Ihnat as Jack and Charles Dierkop as Dan are noteworthy. Thad is present. Anytime, the character of obsessed Jason encounters a resistance related to his Spanish guitar, the aggressor (Jed Wooddard, Jack and Dan) always asserts it is for fun. This is the first credits as a music supervisor for composer and CBS musical director Morton Stevens and that credits is largely popular to those watching The Wild Wild West.

Actor Steve Ihnat returns from the season 10 “The Pariah” and William Bramley from the season 8 “Collie’s Free”.


Matt Dillon’s office winchesters used a background for the music supervisor credits.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 11

Episode #22
“Wishbone”
written by ‘story consultant’ Paul Savage
directed by Marc Daniels
music supervision by Morton Stevens
guests: Lew Gallo, Victor French, Lyle Waggoner, Billy Beck, Michael Fox, Natalie Masters, Joan Granville

Three bandits rob the passengers of the stagecoach heading to Dodge City and one of the them named Spellman (actor Lew Gallo) abuses a woman when the driver shoots him in the leg. Doc is upset by the casualties of the stagecoach and decides to go fishing all alone when a snake bites him and the scared the horse of his buggy runs away and leaves him without his medicine bag. Meanwhile Matt Dillon chases the bandits who are splitted into two parties. Festus finds out the secret place of Doc and decides to join him. After the discovery of injured Doc, Festus goes robbing a chicken at a farm and guns down the wounded stagecoach bandit and not knowing his true identity. At night, Matt Dillon ends up in a ghost farm and slowly eliminates the two remaining bandits. Festus is desperate by the state of Doc and feels guilty of committing a crime.

It’s an adequate dual story with an atmospheric ghost farm scene. Both Matt and Doc are hurt. As in “Killer at Large”, Festus kills again a hotheaded gunman. Thad is present. As usual the cast of bandit characters is good: Lew Gallo as wounded Spellman, Victor French as Travers, Lyle Waggoner as Aikens. The episode title has no connection with the character of Wishbone from Rawhide but it refers to Festus’ wish to see Doc healed.

Actor Lew Gallo returns from the season 5 “Brother Whelp”. For the record, this is the first part of actor Victor French who appears in 18 episodes.