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

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #22
“The Returning”
written by James Landis
directed by Marc Daniels
music supervision by Morton Stevens
guests: Lois Nettleton, Michael Ansara, Jonathan Lippe, Kenneth Mars, Roy Barcroft, Ted Jordan, Roy Roberts, Billy Halop, Troy Melton, Steve Sanders, Johnny Whitaker, Richard Webb

A poor farmer named Luke Stone (actor Michael Ansara) joins back a band of robbers to pay his debts (bank, general store) and meets a troublesome new member named Billy Judd (actor Jonathan Lippe). At night, they raid the freight company at Dodge City during a storm. The majority of the outlaws get killed but Luke Stone returns home on the sly and hides the loot in his wife’s bedroom closet and leaves to avoid Matt Dillon and Thad. Amy Tod (actress Lois Nettleton) and her two children must face the daily routine, alone and broke. Amy pretends to get a loan from a mysterious aunt living in Saint Louis to pay the bills. Matt Dillon reveals that the freight company offers amnesty against the money.

It’s a good poor family drama that loosely reminds John Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath because of actress Lois Nettleton’s input. It’s the companion piece to this season “The Wrong Man” and “Whispering Tree”. Two scenes are noteworthy: the night holdup at the freight company and the intrusion of robber member Billy Judd (actor Jonathan Lippe) into the farm willing to get the loot by using violence. The cast of robber characters is good (Richard Webb as Will Hays, Kenneth Mars as Clyde Hayes, Troy Melton as Harry Barton, Michael Ansara as Luke Stone, Jonathan Lippe as Billy Judd).

Actor Michael Ansara (“Honor Before Justice”), Jonathan Lippe (“Killer at Large”, “Prime of Life”) and Richard Webb (“Treasure of John Walking Fox”) all return from season 11, Troy Melton from this season “Champion of the World” and Lois Nettleton from the season 7 “Nina’s Revenge”.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #23
“The Lure”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Marc Daniels
cinematography by Charles F. Wheeler
music by Philip Springer
guests: Stephen McNally, Kim Darby, John Pickard, Paul Picerni, Warren Vanders, Martin E. Brooks, Val Avery, Len Wayland, Fred Coby, Troy Melton, Michael Jeffers, Woody Chambliss, Ted Jordan

Riding on a stagecoach from Saint Louis to Dodge City, two Wellington lawmen named John Vanner (actor John Pickard) and McGee (actor Paul Picerni) use the young daughter named Carrie (actress Kim Darby) of a wanted criminal named Dal Neely (actor Stephen McNally) and abducts Miss Kitty to trap him and hide in the Swiger trading post. Miss Kitty leaves her cameo on the seat of the stagecoach as a means of identification for Matt Dillon. Dal Neely poses as a skin trader and infiltrates the hideout to neutralize the lawmen. Meanwhile Matt Dillon and Festus go after Miss Kitty. Later on, Neely’s gang rob a bank. Dillon follows the trail of Neely …

It’s just a compromised family drama disguised as a bandit adventure. The gang of Neely consists of Boles (actor Warren Vanders), Trent (actor Val Avery) and Young (actor Martin E. Brooks). The character of Miss Kitty is constantly abused during the episode: by the Wellington lawmen and the robbers gang that calls her Red and keeps on slapping her because of her brutal honesty: also see Young who has a crush on her and Trent who orders her. After “The Jailer”, it’s the second abducted Miss Kitty entry. This is composer Philip Springer’s first television credits and the next one is for an episode (“Who Will Dig the Graves?”) of Mannix during season 2—it’s a partial score that is so subdued. Anyway it contains mostly stock music by Leon Klatzkin. Notice the second replacement DP after Neal Beckner this season: Charles F. Wheeler.

Actors Troy Melton (“Champion of the World” and “The Returning”), John Pickard (“The Newcomers”), Warren Vanders (“Quaker Girl”) all return from this season 12. Val Avery (“Twenty Miles from Dodge”) and Len Wayland (“He Who Steals”) all return from season 10.


End credits for CBS composer Philip Springer.

End credits for CBS cinematographer Charles F. Wheeler.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #24
“Noose of Gold”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Irving J. Moore
music by Jack Pleis
guests: Steve Ihnat, Jan Shepard, Harry Basch, Robert B. Williams, Michael Preece, Sam Gilman, Vincent Gardenia, Barton MacLane, Ted Jordan, Charles Wagenheim, Jack Bailey

After a deer hunt, five outlaws led by John Farron (actor Steve Ihnat) stop at a farm to get a lunch but the old owner Ben Leary (actor Jack Bailey) betrays them and let them shoot down by lawmen. Farron gets hit in the belly and they all run and split into two sides. Edna Farron (actress Jan Shepard) goes asking Matt Dillon a concession concerning the murder charges of her husband so after a smart political meeting with the general attorney Willard Kerner (actor Barton MacLane), Matt Dillon obtains it for his once good friend and, later on, meets John Farron who eventually refuses to surrender and avoid prison. Charles Shepherd (actor Vincent Gardenia), an ambitious assistant of Kerner, takes the case and pretends to drop the murder charges to pick up Farron at Cimarron. Learning the con, Matt Dillon tries to undo it.

It’s a decent and touching story about frienship and betrayal against political ambition that is served by the performances of two actors: Steve Ihnat and Vincent Gardenia. The cast of outlaw characters consist of actors Steve Ihnat as John Farron and Sam Gilman as his friend Jim Gunther and also Michael Preece as Harry Barnes, Harry Basch as Milt Agnew, Jerry Brown. After Richard Shores, Morton Stevens, Fred Steiner and Harry Geller, find the fifth composer working on The Wild Wild West but from season 2 to season 4. His score sounds like “The Night of the Tartar” and starts mid episode from the camp fire scene. Anyway, the vast majority of music is stock from Leon Klatzkin’s “The Goldtakers”.

Actor Sam Gilman (“Snap Decision”) and Steve Ihnat (“The Mission”) all return from this season 12. Jan Shepard returns from the season 9 “Friend”.


End credits for CBS composer Jack Pleis.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #25
“The Favor”
written by Don Ingalls
directed by Marc Daniels
music supervision by Morton Stevens
guests: James Daly, Fred J. Scollay, William Bramley, Lew Gallo, Diane Ladd, Troy Melton, Shirley Wilson

Traveling on a stagecoach, Miss Kitty gets along well with a passenger named John Crowley (actor James Daly) when the wheel leaves the axle. The couple rides to the nearest station when they are attacked by two Indians but succeeds in neutralizing them. Later on at Dodge City, outlaws Morgan Haley (actor Fred J. Scollay) and Kelly Bates (actor Lew Gallo) meet Matt Dillon who warns them about the release of their accomplice Adam Haley. At night, John Crowley follows Kelly Bates, kills him in a back alley and gets wounded, leaves a wanted poster on his body, takes refuge at the Long Branch and Miss Kitty hides him in her bedroom. The next day, hardened criminal Adam Haley (actor William Bramley) arrives at Dodge City and joins his wife Bonnie Mae (actress Diane Ladd) and pretends to have changed. Miss Kitty makes a confession to Matt Dillon and Thad about Crowley. Meanwhile Adam Haley heads to the marshal’s office to kill Dillon but Crowley intercepts him and forces him to go to the livery stable … One gunshot is heard!

It’s an interesting revengist and vigilante episode paired with Miss Kitty’s moral dilemma and Crowley’s secret love affair thanks to the sincere performance of actor James Daly. The stagecoach wheel insert from the prologue will be recycled in the season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West entitled “The Night of the Firebrand”.

Actors Troy Melton (“The Lure”) and William Bramley (“The Goldtakers”) all return from this season 12. Actors Fred J. Scollay (“The Reward”), Lew Gallo (“Wishbone”), Diane Ladd (“Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs”) return from season 11.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #26
“Mistaken Identity”
written by ‘story consultant’ Paul Savage and Les Crutchfield
directed by Robert Totten
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Albert Salmi, Hal Lynch, Ken Mayer, Sam Melville, Ted Jordan

In a clearing, Mel Gates (actor Hal Lynch) goes washing his face when a rattle snake bites his cheek. Another rider named Ed Carstairs (actor Albert Salmi) stops by, steals the unconscious man, kicks him in the face and switches identifications. The next day at Dodge City, crooked Carstairs posing as Gates gets along well with the key members of the town. Dillon and Thad bring back the body of the real Gates to Doc. At night, the phony Gates fails to kill the real one with a cushon. Two sleazy and doubtful deputy sheriffs from Crawville named Jeff Timmons (actor Ken Mayer) and Carl Dunster (actor Sam Melville) ask about wanted murderer Ed Carstairs to Miss Kitty and Matt Dillon. The phony Gates sells the real one to the two deputies. But the outcome provides some real surprises …

It’s a good imposter plot and the companion piece to “Quaker Girl” thanks to the mean and crooked performance of actor Albert Salmi. Musician-wise, as a diversion, Ed Carstairs grabs the fiddle of Sam and walks on the counter so that Mel Gates escapes from the Long Branch.

Actors Albert Salmi (“Death Watch”) and Hal Lynch (“The Bounty Hunter”) both return from season 11.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #27
“Ladies from St. Louis”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Irving J. Moore
music by Morton Stevens
guests: Claude Akins, Henry Darrow, John Carter, Vic Tayback, Ralph Roberts, Lew Brown, Lois Roberts, Venita Wolf, Ted Jordan, Josephine Hutchinson, Aneta Corsaut, Kelly Jean Peters

On their way to escape from criminal leader Ross Segurra (actor Henry Darrow) and his second Doyle (actor John Carter), bank robber Worth Sweeney (actor Claude Akins) shoots his injured horse while his two accomplices Ike Gaines (actor Vic Tayback) and Williams (actor Ralph Roberts) give him one and then run away with a loot of $30,000 but pass by a group of nuns to get some supplies. Ike and Gaines rush to beat up and steal the nuns and Sweeney stops them (off screen)! Later on, the nuns bury two robbers and, as a reward for saving them, bring Sweeney to the Long Branch so that Doc treats him. Festus becomes their servant and they settle in an abandoned house to take care of Sweeney. Meanwhile and looking for his loot, Ross Segurra questions and guns down the brother (actor Lew Brown) of Gaines. Sweeney gets better and better. One day, Segurra and Doyle stop at Dodge City!

It’s an average and optimistic nuns adventure with a bandit backdrop and the theme of redemption. The episode should be re-titled “Nuns from St. Louis”. After the quaker community in “Quaker Girl”, find the second religious people entry. As in “Gunfighter RIP”, find women devoted to a deceiving tough guy.

Actors Claude Akins (“Snap Decision”), Henry Darrow (“The Hanging”), Lew Brown (“Old Friend”) all return from this season 12.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #28
“Nitro! Part I”
written by Preston Wood
directed by Robert Totten
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: David Canary, Tom Reese, Eddie Firestone, Robert Rothwell, James Nusser, Dub Taylor, Gene O’Donnell, Pete Kellett, Carl Pitti, John Breen, Bonnie Beecher

At a remote distance, demolition expert Red Bailey (actor Eddie Firestone) playing with a coin and whistling, businessman-negociator Ben Stearman (actor Tom Reese), cowboy Joe Keller (actor Robert Rothwell) stare at a country shack and wait for when an explosion occurs. Dodge City is shaken up! Poor young man George McClaney (actor David Canary) is attracted by saloon girl Anne Gilchrist (actress Bonnie Beecher) who rejects him so he gets drunk with Dodge wino Louie Pheeters (actor James Nusser), runs amok at The Long Branch and gets arrested by Matt Dillon. The day after, Ben Stearman questions, tests, hires George to do some nitro from sticks of dynamite in a country shack. At a remote distance, the three men stare at the place as previously twice. George gets paid $100 per bottle of nitro but, for the second bottle, he asks Ben $500 to get a life. After spending the night with Anne at Delmonico’s and quiting his nitro job, George meets and makes a deal with Byron Feiffer Farnum (actor Dub Taylor), head of the Kansas Petroleum Development Company at Bellefont. The three men are actually bank robbers and force George to produce nitro and threatens to kill his girlfriend!

It’s a very good and unusual sophisticated bank robbers intrigue paired with the fate of a poor man on the way to become a wealthy man. The closed scenes in the shack where George is performing his risky trade reminds the outlaws melting gold at the blacksmith’s shop in “The Goldtakers”. Composer Leon Klatzkin’s score sustains the suspense. The episode ends with a dramatical freeze frame in the line of Mission: Impossible! Part of that story (making nitro out of sticks of dynamite) will be done in a season 4 episode of Mission: Impossible entitled “Terror”. Note this is the only season 12 entry featuring the episode title at the start of the prologue but keep in mind the season 11 “The Raid” also got that special mention.

Actors Dub Taylor (“Saturday Night” and “Mad Dog”) and Tom Reese (“Quaker Girl”) both return from this season 12. Actor Eddie Firestone returns from the season 11 “The Brothers”. For the record, actress Bonnie Beecher will also guest as a saloon girl in the western entry from Star Trek entitled “Spectre of the Gun” that features many Gunsmoke guest actors (Sam Gilman, Rex Holman, Charles Seel, Charles Maxwell, Bill Zuckert).

Star Trek - Finding Love In the Wild West

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #29
“Nitro! Part II”
written by Preston Wood
directed by Robert Totten
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: same cast as Part I

It starts out with a 5 minutes 17 seconds recap of the previous part I and an extended scene showing the making of nitro by George and the final accident of Part I. At night, the robbers raid the bank of Bellefont and Joe Keller guns down an innocent bystander. The next day, Byron Feiffer Farnum reveals to George that the money of his oil company was stolen by nitro experts. George tells the robbers that he knows their business. At the country shack, George asks $5,000 to Ben Stearman and tries to help wino Louie Pheeters and learns him how to prepare nitro and then orders him to go out and forget the whole thing. Later on, Louie denounces the three robbers to Matt Dillon who rides fast to arrest George back at the shack.

It’s still very good, is eventually a sad disappointed love affair and a romantic tragedy about the theme of second chance in the line of “Muley” with another maverick in love with a saloon girl. The lethal outcome is fabulous thanks to the fillm editor that intercuts quick shots of Matt Dillon riding fast, George pouring the nitro, close-up of worrying Anne, insert of George’s eyes, inserts of Matt’s horse legs and horse face, close-up of drinking Louie, subjective pow of Matt watching the neck of the horse. For the record, the quick shot of Matt Dillon riding fast will become the season 14’s opening sequence. The character of George is an optimist who only enjoys the company of poor people (Anne and Louie) and tries to save them from social determinism. Above all, what is fascinating is the behavior of the three bank robbers acting like stone cold spies and applying the rule of secrecy.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12

Episode #29
“Nitro! Part II”
written by Preston Wood
directed by Robert Totten
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: same cast as Part I

It starts out with a 5 minutes 17 seconds recap of the previous part I and an extended scene showing the making of nitro by George and the final accident of Part I. At night, the robbers raid the bank of Bellefont and Joe Keller guns down an innocent bystander. The next day, Byron Feiffer Farnum reveals to George that the money of his oil company was stolen by nitro experts. George tells the robbers that he knows their business. At the country shack, George asks $5,000 to Ben Stearman and tries to help wino Louie Pheeters and learns him how to prepare nitro and then orders him to go out and forget the whole thing. Later on, Louie denounces the three robbers to Matt Dillon who rides fast to arrest George back at the shack.

It’s still very good, is eventually a sad disappointed love affair and a romantic tragedy about the theme of second chance in the line of “Muley” with another maverick in love with a saloon girl. The lethal outcome is fabulous thanks to the fillm editor that intercuts quick shots of Matt Dillon riding fast, George pouring the nitro, close-up of worrying Anne, insert of George’s eyes, inserts of Matt’s horse legs and horse face, close-up of drinking Louie, subjective pow of Matt watching the neck of the horse. For the record, the quick shot of Matt Dillon riding fast will become the season 14’s opening sequence. The character of George is an optimist who only enjoys the company of poor people (Anne and Louie) and tries to save them from social determinism. Above all, what is fascinating is the behavior of the three bank robbers acting like stone cold spies and applying the rule of secrecy.

 

[JohnHopper]

TOP GUNSMOKE SEASON 12 EPISODES
“The Goldtakers”
“Nitro!”
“The Jailer”
“The Mission”
“Whispering Tree”
“Stage Stop”
“Quaker Girl”
“The Hanging”
“Saturday Night”
“Muley”
“Old Friend”
“Noose of Gold”
“The Favor”
“Mistaken Identity”

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 12 • THE SCORES

INDEX OF COMPOSERS ONSCREEN CREDITS

Harry Geller
“Mad Dog”

Ernest Gold
“Gunfighter R.I.P”

Jerry Goldsmith
“Whispering Tree”

Leigh Harline
“Quaker Girl”

Leon Klatzkin (8)
“The Goldtakers”
“The Well”
“Stage Stop”
“Champion of the World”
“Saturday Night”
“Old Friend”
“Mistaken Identity”
“Nitro, Part 1”

Irwin Kostal
“The Wrong Man”

Jack Pleis
“Noose of Gold”

Richard Shores
“Snap Decision”

Philip Springer
“The Lure”

Fred Steiner
“The Mission”

Morton Stevens (4)
“The Jailer”
“Moonstone”
“Muley”
“Ladies from St. Louis”

Notes
As the previous season 11, we see the generic credits of music supervision by Morton Stevens.
As in season 11 and despite his huge list of onscreen credits, Leon Klatzkin just writes a handful of original scores.

music supervision Morton Stevens (7)
“The Good People”
“The Newcomers”
“The Hanging”
“Mail Drop”
“Fandango”
“The Returning”
“The Favor”

 

[JohnHopper]

Well, let’s continue our exploration of Gunsmoke! I come out of The Long Branch and walk down the streets of Dodge City and my next stop is… season 13 and as Matt Dillon used to say to his opponents: “Hold it right there”. The series is rescued from cancellation owing to low ratings by the wife of CBS’ president who gives it a second chance. You’re watching now the reboot of Gunsmoke! The same year, a brand new western series with a marshal starts on CBS: Cimarron Strip, done by former Gunsmoke crew members and similar actors. Cimarron Strip was so big that you find some crumbs (sets and music) in The Wild Wild West.

GUNSMOKE • SEASON 13 (1967-1968) (25 episodes • 50 mins • color)
This season is the template for the remaining seasons. The show moves forward and the texture is grittier than previously and, now, the episode title—set in a white ornamental slab serif with median spurs—appears at the end of the provocative prologue which is a novelty. Moreover, a lot of stories focus on the outraged townspeople. The producers supervise less episodes than previously: 25 instead of 29. Fashion-wise, actor James Arness tends to wear a light grey tweed jacket for great events: see “The Wreckers”, “Vengeance”, “Baker’s Dozen”, “The Jackals”.

Find some interesting directors like Vincent McEveety and his brother Bernard McEveety, Irving J. Moore, Richard Sarafian and, even, Swedish-born actor Gunnar Hellström, also working on The Wild Wild West. For the record and during the same time period, Bernard McEveety takes care of Cimarron Strip as a full-time producer.

The same year on The Wild Wild West, you can see recycled sets from Gunsmoke: Matt Dillon’s exterior office and the exterior of the Long Branch saloon are recycled during the prologue of “The Night Dr. Loveless Died”, the exterior of the Long Branch saloon during the prologue and the Dodge House that is re-decorated and turned into the Academy of Kenjitsu in “The Night of the Samurai” (directed by Gunnar Hellström), the interior set of the Dodge House recycled in “The Night of the Death-Maker” for the Jubilee hotel. Basically, the third season of The Wild Wild West resembles the thirteenth season of Gunsmoke because of its realistic and violent stamp: see “The Night of the Hangman”, “The Night of the Cut-Throats”, “The Night of the Iron Fist” (with Mark Lenard and Bo Hopkins), “The Night of the Running Death” (directed by Gunnar Hellström), “The Night of the Headless Woman”, “The Night of the Vipers”, “The Night of the Amnesiac”. In short and at that stage, Gunsmoke is a good tool to understand the making of The Wild Wild West.

Even tough the showdown title sequence is the same as season 12, the opening and end theme music are renewed. I especially like the grim, short, minimalistic cue with a dry guitar and kettledrums used for the beginning of the showdown. Composer Morton Stevens continues to contribute with three scores: “Cattle Barons”, “Major Glory”, “Wonder”. The score “Major Glory” is heavily tracked on a season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West entitled “The Night of the Vipers” as well as in “The Night of Montezuma’s Hordes”. Apart from Morton Stevens, this season features two Wild Wild West composers: Harry Geller and newcomer Johnny Parker who will remain until the end of the series in 1975. As usual, the most tracked scores are by Leon Klatzkin who receives a total of fifteen onscreen credits but it doesn’t mean that all these scores are original and he may have written a handful and the rest is stock music from his own scores. Furthermore, Leon Klatzkin provides the season 3 stock music for The Wild Wild West. During that same time, Geller, Klatzkin, Stevens participate at the short-lived Cimarron Strip.

PRODUCTION TEAM
producer: John Mantley
associate producer: Joseph Dackow
story consultant: Paul Savage
director of photography: Monroe Askins

The team is partly renewed and Leacock is replaced by Joseph Dackow and Harry Stradling, Jr. by Monroe Askins—nevertheless, Harry Stradling, Jr. just shot one episode (“The Prodigal”) because he was too busy working on Cimarron Strip along with Philip Leacock. For the record, Monroe Askins shot two episodes of Cimarron Strip back-to-back with Gunsmoke.

Associate producer Joseph Dackow will work until season 14 and then will switch to the producer status until season 16 when he dies. He used to participate at two western series: Outlaws as a producer and The Iron Horse as a production executive.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Regular cast: James Arness (Matt Dillon), Ken Curtis (Festus), Milburn Stone (Doc), Amanda Blake (Kitty), Buck Taylor (Newly).

supporting cast: Glenn Strange (Bartender/Fiddle player “Sam” Noonan), Ted Jordan (Freight agent “Nathan” Burke), Woodrow Chambliss (Woody Lathrop), James Nusser (wino “Louie” Pheeters).

A new semi regular pops-up this season named Newly O’Brien played by Buck Taylor—son of actor Dub Taylor—and replaces Thad (actor Roger Ewing) and starts from episode 9 “The Pillagers” and will remain until the end of the series in 1975. The character of gunsmith Newly is a rework of blacksmith Quint Asper. Newly doesn’t get his picture medallion credits during the opening titles along with the four leads. Anyway, Thad appears in just one episode: “The Prodigal”.

As usual, the strength of season 13 is the colorful guest actors that add weight to the story: see R.G. Armstrong, John Astin, Ralph Bellamy, Jim Davis, John Dehner, Jack Elam, Gene Evans (2), Victor French (3), James Gregory, Bo Hopkins, John Ireland, Mark Lenard, Warren Oates, Carroll O’Connor, Nehemiah Persoff, Paul Richards, Peter Mark Richman, Pernell Roberts, John Saxon, Jon Voight, Morgan Woodward (2), Dana Wynter, Anthony Zerbe. For the record, three actors are part of director Sam Peckinpah’s team: R.G. Armstrong, Bo Hopkins, Warren Oates.

THE DVD SETS
The prints are restored and look wonderful. In each episode and at the end of the first set of end credits, a voice-over announcer introduces the next week trailer. It features a selection of separated from the episodes and unrestored next week trailers and, also, English subtitles.

 

[JohnHopper]

PRODUCTION TEAM
producer: John Mantley
associate producer: Joseph Dackow
story consultant: Paul Savage
director of photography: Monroe Askins

The team is partly renewed and Leacock is replaced by Joseph Dackow and Harry Stradling, Jr. by Monroe Askins—nevertheless, Harry Stradling, Jr. just shot one episode (“The Prodigal”) because he was too busy working on Cimarron Strip along with Philip Leacock. For the record, Monroe Askins shot two episodes of Cimarron Strip back-to-back with Gunsmoke.

Associate producer Joseph Dackow will work until season 14 and then will switch to the producer status until season 16 when he dies. He used to participate at two western series: Outlaws as a producer and The Iron Horse as a production executive.

SEASON 13

The episode title that is set in a white ornamental slab serif with median spurs.

End credits for producer John Mantley.

End credits for the new associate producer Joseph Dackow.

End credits for story consultant Paul Savage.

End credits for the new director of photography Monroe Askins.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE • SEASON 13 (1967-1968) (25 episodes • 50 mins • color)
This season is the template for the remaining seasons. The show moves forward and the texture is grittier than previously and, now, the episode title—set in a white ornamental slab serif with median spurs—appears at the end of the provocative prologue which is a novelty. Moreover, a lot of stories focus on the outraged townspeople. The producers supervise less episodes than previously: 25 instead of 29. Fashion-wise, actor James Arness tends to wear a light grey tweed jacket for great events: see “The Wreckers”, “Vengeance”, “Baker’s Dozen”, “The Jackals”.

The grey tweed jacket of Marshal Matt Dillon.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 13

Episode #1
“The Wreckers”
written by Hal Sitowitz
directed by Robert Totten
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Warren Oates, Warren Vanders, Trevor Bardette, Rex Holman, James Almanzar, Gene Rutherford, Charles Kuenstle, Edmund Hashim, Charles Seel, James Nusser, Lew Brown, Charles Wagenheim, Joe Haworth, Bobby Clark, Jerry Brown, Joe Yrigoyen, Bob Duggan

A band of outlaws led by Tate Crocker (actor Warren Oates) rides along the hill when the station manager fixes the horses of a stagecoach and a friendly Indian (actor James Almanzar) switches the cotter pin of the vehicle because he is a member of the gang. Matt Dillon pushes sentenced to death prisoner Monk Wiley (actor Edmund Hashim) into the carriage enroute to Dodge City and Miss Kitty follows. Later on and as the journey progresses, the pin is removed by the vibrations and the stagecoach is separated into two parts. The conductors jump and the carriage falls down into the ditch. Awaking inside the upsidedown carriage, shocked, scared and wounded Miss Kitty switches the identity of Dillon and dying Wiley while the conductors are gunned down by outlaws Reb (actor Warren Vanders) and Frankie (actor Rex Holman). The gang takes the money from the cashbox and leaves with the three passangers and stops at a farm whose owner Eli (actor Charles Seel) is on their payroll. Leader Crocker plan to send Miss Kitty to Dodge City to obtain a $15,000 ransom against the lawman. Meanwhile one gang member named Jud (actor Gene Rutherford) is problematic, is interested in Miss Kitty and has an argument with Dillon posing as Wiley. But things take another turn when the real Wiley awakes …

It’s a touching solo Matt Dillon/Miss Kitty adventure in the line of the season 12 abduction episode “The Jailer” (also written by Hal Sitowitz) and a slick and gritty change of identy entry that paves the way for the realistic leaning. Matt Dillon is beaten up by Crocker (off screen). As in season 10 with the emblematic “Help Me, Kitty” and season 12 with “The Lure”, the bandits mistreat Miss Kitty, call her Red and slap her. The departure of Thad is never mentioned, by the way. The good cast of outlaw characters consist of: the Crocker brothers (actors Warren Oates and Charles Kuenstle), Reb (actor Warren Vanders), Frankie (actor Rex Holman), Indio (actor James Almanzar), Jud (actor Gene Rutherford). The same year, actor Edmund Hashim appears in one season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West entitled “The Night of Montezuma’s Hordes” (directed by Irving J. Moore).

Actor Warren Oates returns from the season 12 “The Mission” and this is his last and tenth part for the series and, the same year, he appears in two episodes of Cimarron Strip entitled “The Battleground” and “Nobody”. Actors James Almanzar (“Saturday Night”), Lew Brown (“Old Friend”, “Ladies from St. Louis”), Edmund Hashim (“The Hanging”), Rex Holman (“Whispering Tree”), Charles Kuenstle (“The Wrong Man”), Warren Vanders (“Quaker Girl” and “The Lure”) all return from season 12. For the anecdote and the same year, semi regular whino Louie played by James Nusser appears as a shady lawyer in a season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West entitled “The Night of the Legion of Death”.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 13

Episode #1
“The Wreckers”
written by Hal Sitowitz
directed by Robert Totten
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Warren Oates, Warren Vanders, Trevor Bardette, Rex Holman, James Almanzar, Gene Rutherford, Charles Kuenstle, Edmund Hashim, Charles Seel, James Nusser, Lew Brown, Charles Wagenheim, Joe Haworth, Bobby Clark, Jerry Brown, Joe Yrigoyen, Bob Duggan

A band of outlaws led by Tate Crocker (actor Warren Oates) rides along the hill when the station manager fixes the horses of a stagecoach and a friendly Indian (actor James Almanzar) switches the cotter pin of the vehicle because he is a member of the gang. Matt Dillon pushes sentenced to death prisoner Monk Wiley (actor Edmund Hashim) into the carriage enroute to Dodge City and Miss Kitty follows. Later on and as the journey progresses, the pin is removed by the vibrations and the stagecoach is separated into two parts. The conductors jump and the carriage falls down into the ditch. Awaking inside the upsidedown carriage, shocked, scared and wounded Miss Kitty switches the identity of Dillon and dying Wiley while the conductors are gunned down by outlaws Reb (actor Warren Vanders) and Frankie (actor Rex Holman). The gang takes the money from the cashbox and leaves with the three passangers and stops at a farm whose owner Eli (actor Charles Seel) is on their payroll. Leader Crocker plan to send Miss Kitty to Dodge City to obtain a $15,000 ransom against the lawman. Meanwhile one gang member named Jud (actor Gene Rutherford) is problematic, is interested in Miss Kitty and has an argument with Dillon posing as Wiley. But things take another turn when the real Wiley awakes …

It’s a touching solo Matt Dillon/Miss Kitty adventure in the line of the season 12 abduction episode “The Jailer” (also written by Hal Sitowitz) and a slick and gritty change of identy entry that paves the way for the realistic leaning. Matt Dillon is beaten up by Crocker (off screen). As in season 10 with the emblematic “Help Me, Kitty” and season 12 with “The Lure”, the bandits mistreat Miss Kitty, call her Red and slap her. The departure of Thad is never mentioned, by the way. The good cast of outlaw characters consist of: the Crocker brothers (actors Warren Oates and Charles Kuenstle), Reb (actor Warren Vanders), Frankie (actor Rex Holman), Indio (actor James Almanzar), Jud (actor Gene Rutherford). The same year, actor Edmund Hashim appears in one season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West entitled “The Night of Montezuma’s Hordes” (directed by Irving J. Moore).

Actor Warren Oates returns from the season 12 “The Mission” and this is his last and tenth part for the series and, the same year, he appears in two episodes of Cimarron Strip entitled “The Battleground” and “Nobody”. Actors James Almanzar (“Saturday Night”), Lew Brown (“Old Friend”, “Ladies from St. Louis”), Edmund Hashim (“The Hanging”), Rex Holman (“Whispering Tree”), Charles Kuenstle (“The Wrong Man”), Warren Vanders (“Quaker Girl” and “The Lure”) all return from season 12. For the anecdote and the same year, semi regular whino Louie played by James Nusser appears as a shady lawyer in a season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West entitled “The Night of the Legion of Death”.

Actor Warren Oates as gang leader Tate Crocker.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 13

Episode #2
“Cattle Barons”
written by Clyde Ware
directed by Gunnar Hellström
music by Morton Stevens
guests: Forrest Tucker, Robert J. Wilke, John Milford, Lew Brown, Robert Sampson, Brad Johnson, Fred Coby, James Nusser, Stephen Liss, Mike Howden, Clyde Howdy, Hank Wise

Empty-handed Texas trail boss John Charron (actor Forrest Tucker) and his foreman Frank Holtz (actor Lew Brown) stop at the top of a hill to see a giant herd and decide to pay a visit to rival trail boss Luke Cumberledge (actor Robert J. Wilke) and his ramrod McKenny (actor Robert Sampson). Four gunfighters led by Blair Smith (actor John Milford) stop at Dodge City when John Charron and his drovers go drinking at the Long Branch and meet his old friend Matt Dillon. Festus leads a group of townspeople on their way to work as cow hands for Cumberledge and to deliver a message concerning the management of the herd to Dodge City. Dillon worries about Smith who offers his services to Charron and has to kill him to avoid the death of a farmer. Charron shows Dillon a legal document to claim the herd of Cumberledge. At night, both trail bosses face each other …

It’s just a minor and light trail boss’ legal drama with a good cast of characters: Forrest Tucker, Robert J. Wilke, John Milford. The fistfight scene until the end credits have a strong color issue on the DVD, meaning the restoration wasn’t achieved. The dynamic score that includes a fox hunting passage during the prologue by Morton Stevens is the sherry on top but it also contains stock music from Stevens’ “Major Glory”.

Actors Lew Brown returns from this season “The Wreckers”, John Milford from the season 10 “Winner Take All”—the same year, he appears in two episodes of Cimarron Strip entitled “The Battleground” and “The Sound of a Drum”—, Forrest Tucker from the season 11 “The Storm”, Robert J. Wilke from the season 9 “The Bassops” and the same year, Robert J. Wilke appears in one season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West entitled “The Night of the Arrow” and two Cimarron Strip entitled “The Battleground” and “The Last Wolf”.


End Credits for composer Morton Stevens.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 13

Episode #2
“Cattle Barons”

The fistfight scene until the end credits have a strong color issue on the DVD, meaning the restoration wasn’t achieved.

Strange, strange!

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 13

Episode #3
“The Prodigal”
written by Calvin Clements, Sr.
directed by Bernard McEveety
cinematography by Harry Stradling, Jr.
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Lew Ayres, Charles Robinson, Richard Evans, Lee Krieger, Lamont Johnson, Kelly Thordsen, Ted Gehring, James Nusser


“Amos, I keep getting a funny feeling like we’re walking through some kind of a graveyard.”
—William Cole (actor Richard Evans).


In a small town, loud mouth loafer Lemuel (actor Ted Gehring) bets to launch a knife towards the beam of a saloon’s porch when Amos (actor Charles Robinson) and William (actor Richard Evans), the young Cole brothers, pop-up to water their horses. A petty argument between Amos—carrying his father’s antique handgun (Paterson 40)—and Lemuel occurs followed by insults and provocations and ends up in a street showdown in which Amos scares Lemuel and his sidekick Regal (actor Kelly Thordsen).
Festus and Doc argue about a buggy when the Cole brothers ride into Dodge City to look for the killer of their late father known as a wanted criminal and stop at Dillon’s office, at the Long Branch and at their grandfather’s farm Jonathan (actor Lew Ayres).
Arrogant newspaperman Stoner (actor Lamont Johnson) arrives in town and meets the Cole brothers at the Dodge House to tip them off. Clerk Eli (actor Lee Krieger) from the Dodge House reveals to the Cole’s and Stoner that Matt Dillon used to kill their father. Things are not what it appears to be …

It’s a good existential episode and a family drama that calls into question the reputation of Matt Dillon. The sherry on top is the performance of actor Lew Ayres as the troubled man with uncanny flashes of memory about his son Frank Cole enhanced by Leon Klatzkin’s weird cue. That episode looks like a leftover from the previous season. The episode title implies the prodigal son from the Bible. It’s one of the rare season 13 episodes shot by DP Harry Stradling, Jr and you can see a trick-shot using the scale of shots when Amos Cole talks to Matt Dillon: distorted head of Amos in the foreground owing to the wide angle lens. Thad is present during two brief scenes. As in season 11 with “Death Watch” and “By Line”, the newspaperman is considered as dubious! As in the previous episode “Cattle Barons”, a color issue from the Studio occurs but this time at the end of the prologue when the two saloon loafers run away.

Actors Richard Evans (“The Storm”, “Death Watch”) and Kelly Thordsen (“The Storm”) both return from season 11.
Actor Ted Gehring returns from the season 12 “The Well” and he seems typecasted as the ideal bum.
Actor Lamont Johnson is mostly known as a television director and people remember him for his Twilight Zone input.


End Credits for composer Leon Klatzkin.

 

[JohnHopper]

GUNSMOKE SEASON 13

Episode #3
“The Prodigal”
written by Calvin Clements, Sr.
directed by Bernard McEveety
cinematography by Harry Stradling, Jr.
music by Leon Klatzkin
guests: Lew Ayres, Charles Robinson, Richard Evans, Lee Krieger, Lamont Johnson, Kelly Thordsen, Ted Gehring, James Nusser


“Amos, I keep getting a funny feeling like we’re walking through some kind of a graveyard.”
—William Cole (actor Richard Evans).


In a small town, loud mouth loafer Lemuel (actor Ted Gehring) bets to launch a knife towards the beam of a saloon’s porch when Amos (actor Charles Robinson) and William (actor Richard Evans), the young Cole brothers, pop-up to water their horses. A petty argument between Amos—carrying his father’s antique handgun (Paterson 40)—and Lemuel occurs followed by insults and provocations and ends up in a street showdown in which Amos scares Lemuel and his sidekick Regal (actor Kelly Thordsen).
Festus and Doc argue about a buggy when the Cole brothers ride into Dodge City to look for the killer of their late father known as a wanted criminal and stop at Dillon’s office, at the Long Branch and at their grandfather’s farm Jonathan (actor Lew Ayres).
Arrogant newspaperman Stoner (actor Lamont Johnson) arrives in town and meets the Cole brothers at the Dodge House to tip them off. Clerk Eli (actor Lee Krieger) from the Dodge House reveals to the Cole’s and Stoner that Matt Dillon used to kill their father. Things are not what it appears to be …

It’s a good existential episode and a family drama that calls into question the reputation of Matt Dillon. The sherry on top is the performance of actor Lew Ayres as the troubled man with uncanny flashes of memory about his son Frank Cole enhanced by Leon Klatzkin’s weird cue. That episode looks like a leftover from the previous season. The episode title implies the prodigal son from the Bible. It’s one of the rare season 13 episodes shot by DP Harry Stradling, Jr and you can see a trick-shot using the scale of shots when Amos Cole talks to Matt Dillon: distorted head of Amos in the foreground owing to the wide angle lens. Thad is present during two brief scenes. As in season 11 with “Death Watch” and “By Line”, the newspaperman is considered as dubious! As in the previous episode “Cattle Barons”, a color issue from the Studio occurs but this time at the end of the prologue when the two saloon loafers run away.

Actors Richard Evans (“The Storm”, “Death Watch”) and Kelly Thordsen (“The Storm”) both return from season 11.
Actor Ted Gehring returns from the season 12 “The Well” and he seems typecasted as the ideal bum.
Actor Lamont Johnson is mostly known as a television director and people remember him for his Twilight Zone input.


End Credits for composer Leon Klatzkin.
View attachment 59133

The antique handgun Paterson 40 carried by Amos Cole.

Amos Cole feuds with two loafers. In the background, you see William, the brother Amos.

The showdown between Amos Cole and the two loafers.

The Cole brothers have a serious talk at the marshal's office: notice the vivid scale of shots.

Meet Jonathan Cole, the haunted grandfather with a heavy conscience.

Meet the arrogant newspaperman Stoner.

William Cole unwinds complete and fires his gun outside the Long Branch.

Marshal Matt Dillon faces disturbed Amos Cole.

Amos is on the verge of shooting down Dillon to avenge his father: notice the vivid scale of shots.

Jonathan Cole has a flash of memory when witnessing the showdown.