Wanted: GUNSMOKE (CBS/1955-1975) (2 Viewers)

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #13
“Us Haggens”
written by Les Crutchfield
directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
no music credits
guests: Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Elizabeth MacRae, Billy Hughes, Howard Wright

It’s a good semi solo Dillon adventure on a criminal errand—catching wanted murderer Black Jack Haggen (actor Denver Pyle), the uncle of Festus—and a journey episode. The story raises the question of family loyality. For the record, Dillon gets shot in the arm, can’t heal his wound and slows down the convoy. This is the pioneering episode that introduces the character of Festus Haggen—who has a different outfit and a different attitude: he is filled with hate and revenge towards his uncle—but as a mere guest and working as a scout for Dillon. For the anecdote, Festus rides a regular horse and not Ruth yet! In a loose way, Festus has his first deputy job because he also looks for Jack Haggen. We learn from Festus he had a twin brother named Fergus who got shot by his uncle. We meet poor and mistreated April Clomley (actress Elizabeth MacRae) who first teams up with Jack Haggen. Oddly enough, actors Ken Curtis and Denver Pyle will return together during season 10: see “Deputy Festus”.

Guest assistant: None.

Returning guest actors: Ken Curtis (the season 5 “Speak Me Fair”), Denver Pyle (the season 6 “The Wake”), Elizabeth MacRae (the season 7 “Half Straight”), Billy Hughes (the season 7 “Reprisal”), Howard Wright (the season 7 “All That”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #13
“Us Haggens”
written by Les Crutchfield
directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
no music credits
guests: Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Elizabeth MacRae, Billy Hughes, Howard Wright

It’s a good semi solo Dillon adventure on a criminal errand—catching wanted murderer Black Jack Haggen (actor Denver Pyle), the uncle of Festus—and a journey episode. The story raises the question of family loyality. For the record, Dillon gets shot in the arm, can’t heal his wound and slows down the convoy. This is the pioneering episode that introduces the character of Festus Haggen—who has a different outfit and a different attitude: he is filled with hate and revenge towards his uncle—but as a mere guest and working as a scout for Dillon. For the anecdote, Festus rides a regular horse and not Ruth yet! In a loose way, Festus has his first deputy job because he also looks for Jack Haggen. We learn from Festus he had a twin brother named Fergus who got shot by his uncle. We meet poor and mistreated April Clomley (actress Elizabeth MacRae) who first teams up with Jack Haggen. Oddly enough, actors Ken Curtis and Denver Pyle will return together during season 10: see “Deputy Festus”.

Guest assistant: None.

Returning guest actors: Ken Curtis (the season 5 “Speak Me Fair”), Denver Pyle (the season 6 “The Wake”), Elizabeth MacRae (the season 7 “Half Straight”), Billy Hughes (the season 7 “Reprisal”), Howard Wright (the season 7 “All That”).

Pictures of Festus Haggen (actor Ken Curtis).

 

[Flashgear]

Hey John, enjoying your season eight reviews and screen caps! This season has always been among my favorites. Here's a Coffee mug you might like?


See on Amazon

By the way, do you have Ken Curtis' previous TV series (with Larry Pennell) on DVD, Ripcord? I've got both seasons in the nice DVD sets released by TGG Direct a number of years ago.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #14
“Uncle Sunday”
written by John Meston
directed by Joseph Sargent
music composed by Tommy Morgan and conducted by Lud Gluskin
guests: Henry Beckman, Joyce Bulifant, Ed Nelson, Dabbs Greer, Gage Clarke, Wallace Rooney, Nora Marlowe

It’s a good but light Chester fearing his Texan uncle episode that shows him doing petty jobs at Dodge City (Quint’s blacksmith, Jonas’ general store, boss billiard) and gets fired for negligence. The main interest of this story is watching Chester trying to unmask impostors and two-timers and prevents a bank robbery. Chester and Doc perform the song “Getting Along to Californi-ay” at the marshal’s office. As in “Us Haggens”, find another character hating his shady uncle. The character of banker Botkin is played by actor Gage Clarke. The cast of the crooked characters consists of a troika: Henry Beckman as uncle Sunday Meachum, Joyce Bulifant as the so-called niece Ellie and Ed Nelson as skirt chaser/cheap hood Burt Cury.

Guest assistants: Chester and Quint.

Returning guest actors: Henry Beckman (the season 8 “Quint Asper Comes Home”), Ed Nelson (the season 7 “The Prisoner”), Gage Clarke (the season 7 “The Boys”), Wallace Rooney (the season 8 “Abe Blocker”), Nora Marlowe (the season 6 “Love Thy Neighbor”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #15
“False Front”
written by John Meston
story by Hal Moffett
directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
no music credits
guests: Andrew Prine, William Windom, Art Lund, Charles Fredericks, Shary Marshall, Wallace Rooney, Robert Fortier, Brett King, K.L. Smith , William Bryant, Roy Thinnes, Michael T. Mikler

It’s a very good fancy episode about a philosophical bet by creating a phony gunman and spreading a rumor about his reputation supervised by two cynical city dwellers (a newspaperman associated to a society gambler) that starts in Kansas City where Dillon meets influential people (a senator and a journalist) because the congress wishes to cut the budget on West of the Mississippi’s law enforcement. Funny how both shady men hire men to play a part. For the anecdote, Dillon wears his light gray tweed jacket. Notice the small part of stuntman Bill Hart playing a blind man who fails to be run over by a carriage—Hart is mostly popular as Red in Stoney Burke—and also witness actor Roy Thinnes as a cowboy at the Bull’s Head saloon and at Boss Billiards. The cast of the con men consists of three actors: William Windom as Harper journalist Paul Hill, Art Lund as gambler Nick Heber, Andrew Prine as shy grocery store employee Clay Tatum posing as a gunman.

Guest assistant: None.

Returning guest actors: Andrew Prine (the season 7 “The Prisoner”), William Windom (the season 7 “Nina’s Revenge”), Charles Fredericks (the season 7 “The Prisoner”), Wallace Rooney (the season 8 “Uncle Sunday”), Brett King (the season 4 “Buffalo Hunter”), K.L. Smith (the season 3 “Hanging Man”), William Bryant (the season 4 “The Constable”), Michael T. Mikler (the season 6 “The Badge”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #16
“Old Comrade”
written by John Dunkel
directed by Harry Harris
no music credits
guests: Frank Sutton, J. Pat O’Malley, Roy Roberts, Ralph Moody, Vitina Marcus, Wayne Heffley, Wayne C. Treadway, John Reed King, Dick Whittinghill, Bill Baucom, Norman Leavitt, Ted Jordan

It’s a light private family assignment entry depicting an old veteran doing an errand for a retired military friend to locate his illegitimate son living like a bum in Dodge City. Any time, half breed Billy Tooker (actor Frank Sutton) tries to please the kids of Dodge City and performs the Indian war dance it triggers trouble and brawls. The main interest of that silly story is the social dilemma of a modest farmer obliged by an old fox to re-join an old unknown foster father. The only pleasant thing is watching actress Vitina Marcus playing the Indian wife of Billy Tooker. Nuff said.

Guest assistant: Chester.

Returning guest actors: Frank Sutton (the season 7 “Catawomper”), J. Pat O’Malley (the season 7 “The Dreamers”), Roy Roberts (the season 7 “The Dealer”), Ralph Moody (the season 5 “The Bobsy Twins”), Vitina Marcus (the season 7 “The Squaw”), Ted Jordan (the season 8 “The Ditch”).

 

[JohnHopper]

¶​

¶ Next on Gunsmoke season 8, the reviews of the fifth disc and starting on Monday 31!​

¶ Load your guns and be ready!​

¶​

​

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #17
“Louis Pheeters”
written by John Meston
directed by Harry Harris
no music credits
guests: John Larkin, Gloria McGehee, James Nusser, Woodrow Parfrey, Larry Ward, Ted Jordan

It’s a rather good adultary Film noir drama that raises the question of loyalty between friends—well played by Larry Ward as the angry farmer who drowns the wrong man and John Larkin as the two-timer pal and lover—coupled with the theme of the scapegoat through a traveling peddler and a wino Louie as a naive eyewitness episode. Actor John Larkin is known as Major General Wiley Crowe in the WWII series 12 O’Clock High. Actor Larry Ward is known as Marshal Frank Ragan in the western series The Dakotas and, oddly enough, he looks like a rough Peter Breck.

Guest assistant: None.

Returning guest actors: Gloria McGehee (the season 2 “Big Girl Lost”), Ted Jordan (the season 8 “Old Comrade”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #18
“The Renegades”
written by John Meston
directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
no music credits
guests: Audrey Dalton, Ben Wright, Jack Lambert, Donald Barry, John Pickard, Ed Faulkner, Linda Hutchins, Bob Steele, Alan Dexter, Joseph Bassett

It’s a good Quint saving a damsel in distress episode that plays like a survival ordeal and a veiled love affair and a decent band of outlaws episode that deals with kidnapping, smuggling, blackmailing paired with a stubborn colonel obsessed to chase Indians. For the anecdote, actress Audrey Dalton as the character of Lavinia pretends to be a squaw to save her neck and, in 1966, she will play an Eastern Indian in a season 2 episode (“The Night of the Golden Cobra”) of The Wild Wild West. The Indian background of Quint is highlit by third parties: the colonel and his daughter, the renegades. The theme of selling women foreshadows the two-parter “Women for Sale” because a band of Indians trades goods with the three outlaws that includes an abducted woman that they use as the cook of the camp. We learn from Chester he has a brother named Magnus. One funny scene to notice: at the marshal’s office, Chester repeats all the sentences of Doc to mock and neutralize him. The cast of the smuggler characters is good: Alan Dexter as the almighty Trask and his three two-timer smugglers are Jack Lambert as Brice, Donald Barry as McIver, John Pickard as Poole.

Guest assistants: Chester and Quint.

Returning guest actors: Ben Wright (the season 7 “Wagon Girls”), Jack Lambert (the season 6 “Stolen Horses”), John Pickard (the season 6 “The Cook”), Ed Faulkner (the season 5 “Unwanted Deputy”), Alan Dexter (the season 3 “The Big Con”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #18
“The Renegades”
written by John Meston
directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
no music credits
guests: Audrey Dalton, Ben Wright, Jack Lambert, Donald Barry, John Pickard, Ed Faulkner, Linda Hutchins, Bob Steele, Alan Dexter, Joseph Bassett

It’s a good Quint saving a damsel in distress episode that plays like a survival ordeal and a veiled love affair and a decent band of outlaws episode that deals with kidnapping, smuggling, blackmailing paired with a stubborn colonel obsessed to chase Indians. For the anecdote, actress Audrey Dalton as the character of Lavinia pretends to be a squaw to save her neck and, in 1966, she will play an Eastern Indian in a season 2 episode (“The Night of the Golden Cobra”) of The Wild Wild West. The Indian background of Quint is highlit by third parties: the colonel and his daughter, the renegades. The theme of selling women foreshadows the two-parter “Women for Sale” because a band of Indians trades goods with the three outlaws that includes an abducted woman that they use as the cook of the camp. We learn from Chester he has a brother named Magnus. One funny scene to notice: at the marshal’s office, Chester repeats all the sentences of Doc to mock and neutralize him. The cast of the smuggler characters is good: Alan Dexter as the almighty Trask and his three two-timer smugglers are Jack Lambert as Brice, Donald Barry as McIver, John Pickard as Poole.

Guest assistants: Chester and Quint.

Returning guest actors: Ben Wright (the season 7 “Wagon Girls”), Jack Lambert (the season 6 “Stolen Horses”), John Pickard (the season 6 “The Cook”), Ed Faulkner (the season 5 “Unwanted Deputy”), Alan Dexter (the season 3 “The Big Con”).

Pictures of Lavinia Pate (actress Audrey Dalton).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #19
“Cotter’s Girl”
written by Kathleen Hite
directed by Harry Harris
music composed and conducted by Fred Steiner
guests: Mariette Hartley, Roy Barcroft, John Clarke, Jesslyn Fax, Sarah Selby

It’s a light and fun Dillon episode about the classical theme of the fish out of water through a wild, recluse, ingenue orphan who has a crush on Dillon and keeps on hugging him and who behaves badly for the city folks which leads to hilarious scenes like the diner incident at Delmonico’s—perfectly played by the spontaneous Mariette Hartley—and it’s the equivalent of Chester’s episode “Root Down”. Even Miss Kitty makes fun of Dillon by hugging him in the rear at the end of the episode! Featuring Ma Smalley.

Guest assistant: Chester.

Returning guest actors: Roy Barcroft (the season 6 “Bad Seed”), John Clarke (the season 5 “Brother Whelp”).

 

[JohnHopper]

¶​

¶ Next on Gunsmoke season 8, the reviews of the sixth disc and starting on Monday 7!​

¶ Load your guns and be ready!​

¶​

​

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #20
“The Bad One”
written by Gwen Bagni Gielgud
directed by Sobey Martin
no music credits
guests: Chris Robinson, Dolores Sutton, Booth Colman, Dabbs Greer, Michael Mikler, Ken Konopka, Gil Lamb, Sue Casey, Glenn Strange, Bob Gravage

It’s a very good criminal study on an unbridled brash young punk thanks to the input of actor Chris Robinson as Willie Jett combined with the theme of forbidden and impossible romance between a frustrated convent young woman and a hoodlum: don’t miss the unexpected stolen kiss at the start of Act 1 when Willie Jets robs a stagecoach! For the record, an embittered and over-protective widower father forces Dillon to marry his young daughter but Dillon refuses for obvious reasons and another significant detail to notice: the young daughter omits to reveal informations to Dillon twice which leads to dramatical consequences. For the anecdote, Willie Jet insults Quint about his origin at the Long Branch and ends up in the drinking trough after a long brawl.

Guest assistant: Quint.

Returning guest actors: Michael Mikler (the season 8 “False Front”), Sue Casey (the season 8 “The Hunger”), Bob Gravage (the season 8 “Quint Asper Comes Home”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #20
“The Bad One”
written by Gwen Bagni Gielgud
directed by Sobey Martin
no music credits
guests: Chris Robinson, Dolores Sutton, Booth Colman, Dabbs Greer, Michael Mikler, Ken Konopka, Gil Lamb, Sue Casey, Glenn Strange, Bob Gravage

It’s a very good criminal study on an unbridled brash young punk thanks to the input of actor Chris Robinson as Willie Jett combined with the theme of forbidden and impossible romance between a frustrated convent young woman and a hoodlum: don’t miss the unexpected stolen kiss at the start of Act 1 when Willie Jets robs a stagecoach! For the record, an embittered and over-protective widower father forces Dillon to marry his young daughter but Dillon refuses for obvious reasons and another significant detail to notice: the young daughter omits to reveal informations to Dillon twice which leads to dramatical consequences. For the anecdote, Willie Jet insults Quint about his origin at the Long Branch and ends up in the drinking trough after a long brawl.

Guest assistant: Quint.

Returning guest actors: Michael Mikler (the season 8 “False Front”), Sue Casey (the season 8 “The Hunger”), Bob Gravage (the season 8 “Quint Asper Comes Home”).

Pictures of punk Willie Jett (actor Chris Robinson).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #21
“The Cousin”
written by Kathleen Hite
story by Marian Clark
directed by Harry Harris
no music credits
guests: Michael Forest, Gloria Talbott, John Anderson, Joseph Perry, Lew Brown, James Nusser, Jackie Blanchard, George Selk, Helen Wallace, James Drake, Glenn Strange

It’s a basic criminal study camouflaged as a decent bandit/ex-con/odd revengist entry—the guest character knows Dillon from his Texas childhood at the ranch and has an old grudge but eventually changes his mindset. We learn that Dodge City has five saloons. The cast of the bandit characters is good: Michael Forest as returning home ex-con Chance Hopper, John Anderson as Cheevers, Joseph Perry as Moran, Gloria Talbott as Hallie. Featuring wino Louie. For the anecdote, the music editor tracks a cue from Bernard Herrmann’s “Where Is Everybody?” during the chase of the buggy scene.

Guest assistant: Chester.

Returning guest actors: Gloria Talbott (the season 7 “Cody’s Code”), John Anderson (the season 5 “Annie Oakley”), Joseph Perry (the season 7 “Wagon Girls”), Lew Brown (the season 7 “Chester’s Indian”), Helen Wallace (the season 7 “Coventry”), James Drake (the season 7 “A Man a Day”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #22
“Shona”
written by John Meston
directed by Ted Post
no music credits
guests: Robert Bray, Miriam Colon, John Crawford, Bart Burns, Boyd Holister, Roy Roberts, Sarah Selby, George Selk

It’s a tough controversial woman Comanche drama well-achieved by Rawhide director Ted Post that firmly involves Quint, an unexpected kidnapper/lover and highlights the resentment of victims of past Indian deeds that degenerates into a lynch mob led by the fanatical bully Torbet (actor John Crawford) that triggers social rejection and boycott and a wild night search party. Quint-wise, his background is called into questions by the lynch mob and we encounter a good friend of his named Gib Dawson and his Comanche wife Shona (actress Miriam Colon). Actor Roy Roberts is known as banker Botkin but, here and for the last time, he is cast as Mr. Dobie, the owner of the Dodge House after “Old Comrade”. Featuring Ma Smalley. Find another barkeep.

Guest assistant: Quint.

Returning guest actors: Miriam Colon (the season 7 “He Learned About Women”), John Crawford (the season 7 “The Summons”), Roy Roberts (the season 8 “Old Comrade”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #23
“Ash”
written by John Meston
directed by Harry Harris
no music credits
guests: John Dehner, Anthony Caruso, Dee Hartford, Adam West, Sheldon Allman, William Fawcett , Robert Bice, Richard Bartell, Michael Mikler, Glenn Strange

It’s a rather good rough and eccentric prairie rats episode dealing with a freight business partnership spiced up by a saloon girl that turns into a Film Noir after a working accident that alters and inverts the personality of one of the two heads. The episode title refers to the fur trader/trapper character. At the marshal’s office, Chester sings the song “Getting Along to Californi-ay” as in “Uncle Sunday”. The cast of the prairie rat characters is very good: John Dehner as Ben Galt with a troubled personality and Anthony Caruso as Ash Farior.

Guest assistant: Chester.

Returning guest actors: John Dehner (the season 8 “Root Down”), Anthony Caruso (the season 7 “Cody’s Code”), Sheldon Allman (the season 4 “The Coward”), William Fawcett (the season 5 “Box O’ Rocks”), Richard Bartell (the season 7 “Cody’s Code”), Michael Mikler (the season 8 “The Bad One”).

 

[JohnHopper]

¶​

¶ Next on Gunsmoke season 8, the reviews of the seventh disc and starting on Monday 14!​

¶ Load your guns and be ready!​

¶​

​

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #24
“Blind Man’s Bluff”
written by John Meston
directed by Ted Post
no music credits
guests: Will Hutchins, John Alderson, Crahan Denton, Judson Pratt, Herbert Lytton, Natalie Norwick , Leonard Stone, Michael Mikler, John Rodney, Gregg Palmer, Darlene Fields, I. Stanford Jolley, Ted Jordan, Hank Ladd

It’s a very good Film Noir entry achieved by Rawhide director Ted Post about a sour looser gambler related to a young man falsely-accused of murder that partly helps Dillon and a solo Dillon ordeal on a criminal errand to the sleazy, crooked, dangerous and lawless town of Elkader episode. Note that Dillon is weakened: ambushed, clubbed twice by three saloon hoods and therefore undergoes dizziness and a blury vision and is incapable of walking straight. Notice the CBS music library (see Nathan Van Cleave’s “Elegy” and Fred Steiner’s “The Passerby” from The Twilight Zone: these cues were over-used in The Fugitive) when Dillon painfully awakes from his beating in a back alley and realizes his fragile physical state. The cast of the three saloon hood characters is very good: British actor John Alderson as leader Canby, Gregg Palmer as Wells, Judson Pratt as Dano. Featuring the local wino named Davey (actor Leonard Stone) who betrays and traps Dillon in a back alley. This is the penultimate episode shot by DP Fleet Southcott.

Guest assistant: Quint.

Returning guest actors: John Alderson (the season 2 “Sweet and Sour”), Crahan Denton (the season 7 “Apprentice Doc”), Judson Pratt (the season 2 “Daddy-O”), Herbert Lytton (the season 3 “Joke’s on Us”), Michael Mikler (the season 8 “Ash”), Gregg Palmer (the season 8 “Phoebe Strunk”), Ted Jordan (the season 8 “Louie Pheeters”).

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 8

Episode #25
“Quint’s Indian”
written by John Meston
story by Marian Clark
directed by Fred Jackman
no music credits
guests: Will Corry, Patrick McVey, James Brown, James Griffith, James Nusser, Michael Hinn, Michael Keep, Mark Murray, Raymond Guth, Ruth Phillips, Roy Engel, Shug Fisher, Glenn Strange, Eddie Little Sky, Mathew McCue

It’s a good saddle bums stiring up trouble and smuggling horses episode paired with a very good violent Quint ordeal that is closely connected to his introduction episode “Quint Asper Comes Home” and his frienship to Dillon, in other words, Quint is depicted as the town scapegoat who undergoes a lynching by eight hangmen (off-camera) and leaves Dodge in a hurry. Featuring wino Louie. Actor Shug Fisher plays the barkeep at the Oasis saloon. The cast of the three troublemakers consists of actor James Griffith as prejudiced white collar Bettis, Will Corry as saddle bum Stope and James Brown as saddle bum Feeney. Note that this is the first episode shot by DP Robert Pittack.

Guest assistant: Quint.

Returning guest actors: Will Corry (the season 7 “Durham Bull”), James Griffith (the season 7 “Milly”), Michael Hinn (the season 7 “The Summons”), Michael Keep (the season 8 “Quint Asper Comes Home”), Raymond Guth (the season 8 “The Search”), Roy Engel (the season 7 “The Do-Badder”), Shug Fisher (the season 7 “The Dreamers”), Eddie Little Sky (the season 7 “Chester’s Indian”), Mathew McCue (the season 8 “Shona”).