The greatest western television series in history makes its debut with this episode designed for the thirty-minute time slot. In 1955, television was still very much in its infancy. Network executives did not think audiences would accept shows that were longer than thirty minutes in length. (There were even fifteen-minute shows during this time.)
Much has been written about the pioneering nature of the Gunsmoke series as an "adult" western. The series "The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp" starring Hugh O'Brien was introduced a few days prior to Gunsmoke's debut, and the two shows ushered in a new era of dramas that were considered more realistic. Earlier westerns portrayed the main characters as invulnerable, squeaky-clean caricatures.
(One could argue the wise, milk-drinking, upright Wyatt Earp character as portrayed in "The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp" very much fit this same profile. Any student of history that has read anything about the real Wyatt Earp would not recognize the version Hugh O'Brien played.)
John Wayne had been offered the Matt Dillon role but turned it down. He recommended his friend James Arness for the role. Wayne appears at the beginning of this episode to provide an introduction and to clearly lend credibility to the series.
In this story, a brazen, fearless gunman named Dan Grat is involved in some shootings in Amarillo, Texas. He killed two men in a fair fight, and he shot another who was not armed. A man named Bird visits Grat to inform him the unarmed, injured man has died. Now Grat is wanted for murder. He is extremely fast on the draw, and he is confident he can outdraw anyone he faces.
(The John Wayne introduction and the opening scene where Bird visits Grat to inform him of the unarmed man's death are sometimes edited out of the broadcasts to allow more commercial time.)
Jim Hill, the sheriff in Amarillo arrives in Dodge City and pays a courtesy visit to Marshal Matt Dillon. Sheriff Hill knows Grat was on his way to Dodge. The Marshal offers his assistance, but Sheriff Hill refuses.
Hill and Grat eventually find one another, and Grat kills the Sheriff. When Matt Dillon tries to arrest Grat, Grat challenges the Marshal to try to outdraw him. Unfortunately, Dillon is no match for Grat, either. Matt is shot and left for dead.
As he would do repeatedly during the twenty-year run of the series, Doc Adams manages to save Matt's life.
Meanwhile, with Matt out of commission, Grat fearlessly terrorizes the people of Dodge. Matt knows the man must be stopped. Doing so will require another showdown between the two, and Grat has already proven to be the superior talent with a gun.
Paul Richards portrays the Dan Grat character in this episode. Richards's acting career was distinguished by playing this primarily emotionless, matter-of-fact character. Dan Grat is one of those amoral characters in which John Meston specialized. (Meston authored this story, although Charles Marquis Warren wrote the screenplay and directed and produced the episode.) Richards would go on to participate in four Gunsmoke episodes.
Robert Anderson had roles in several television westerns over the years, and the parts were usually smaller or uncredited roles. He plays the part of Sheriff Jim Hill in this episode. Anderson returned for another three episodes in the series.
Actor Malcolm Atterbury was just beginning his acting career when this episode was filmed. He has a small part as the character known only as Bird. Over the next several years, Atterbury would return in more substantial roles for another seven episodes of the series.
Howard Culver makes his first appearance as the clerk at the hotel. He is credited only as "Hotel Clerk," as he would be for several episodes. Later in the series, he would become known as Howie. Culver's last appearance in the series was in the Season 20 episode, "The Fourth Victim." In total, Culver appeared in forty-nine Gunsmoke episodes. Several years earlier, Culver portrayed the character Mark Dillon (the original name of the Matt Dillon character) in a pilot for the Gunsmoke radio show.
The central element of this story is pride. Grat, Hill, and Marshal Dillon all allow pride to dictate their actions. One puzzling aspect is why there was no attempt to overwhelm Grat and arrest him. Everyone is content to face Grat on Grat's terms.
Some sixty-five years after this episode was produced, it may be difficult to understand how groundbreaking this episode and the series that followed was. Before this episode aired, the main characters in television westerns were impervious. They never showed any vulnerability. To have the main character nearly killed is daring for the first episode.
It is worth noting this was actually the second episode filmed for the series. The first was the pilot episode "Hack Prine," which would not air until Episode 26 of Season 1. Many of the settings for the pilot were different than the settings in the rest of the first season and the series.
Much has been written about the pioneering nature of the Gunsmoke series as an "adult" western. The series "The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp" starring Hugh O'Brien was introduced a few days prior to Gunsmoke's debut, and the two shows ushered in a new era of dramas that were considered more realistic. Earlier westerns portrayed the main characters as invulnerable, squeaky-clean caricatures.
(One could argue the wise, milk-drinking, upright Wyatt Earp character as portrayed in "The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp" very much fit this same profile. Any student of history that has read anything about the real Wyatt Earp would not recognize the version Hugh O'Brien played.)
John Wayne had been offered the Matt Dillon role but turned it down. He recommended his friend James Arness for the role. Wayne appears at the beginning of this episode to provide an introduction and to clearly lend credibility to the series.
In this story, a brazen, fearless gunman named Dan Grat is involved in some shootings in Amarillo, Texas. He killed two men in a fair fight, and he shot another who was not armed. A man named Bird visits Grat to inform him the unarmed, injured man has died. Now Grat is wanted for murder. He is extremely fast on the draw, and he is confident he can outdraw anyone he faces.
(The John Wayne introduction and the opening scene where Bird visits Grat to inform him of the unarmed man's death are sometimes edited out of the broadcasts to allow more commercial time.)
Jim Hill, the sheriff in Amarillo arrives in Dodge City and pays a courtesy visit to Marshal Matt Dillon. Sheriff Hill knows Grat was on his way to Dodge. The Marshal offers his assistance, but Sheriff Hill refuses.
Hill and Grat eventually find one another, and Grat kills the Sheriff. When Matt Dillon tries to arrest Grat, Grat challenges the Marshal to try to outdraw him. Unfortunately, Dillon is no match for Grat, either. Matt is shot and left for dead.
As he would do repeatedly during the twenty-year run of the series, Doc Adams manages to save Matt's life.
Meanwhile, with Matt out of commission, Grat fearlessly terrorizes the people of Dodge. Matt knows the man must be stopped. Doing so will require another showdown between the two, and Grat has already proven to be the superior talent with a gun.
Paul Richards portrays the Dan Grat character in this episode. Richards's acting career was distinguished by playing this primarily emotionless, matter-of-fact character. Dan Grat is one of those amoral characters in which John Meston specialized. (Meston authored this story, although Charles Marquis Warren wrote the screenplay and directed and produced the episode.) Richards would go on to participate in four Gunsmoke episodes.
Robert Anderson had roles in several television westerns over the years, and the parts were usually smaller or uncredited roles. He plays the part of Sheriff Jim Hill in this episode. Anderson returned for another three episodes in the series.
Actor Malcolm Atterbury was just beginning his acting career when this episode was filmed. He has a small part as the character known only as Bird. Over the next several years, Atterbury would return in more substantial roles for another seven episodes of the series.
Howard Culver makes his first appearance as the clerk at the hotel. He is credited only as "Hotel Clerk," as he would be for several episodes. Later in the series, he would become known as Howie. Culver's last appearance in the series was in the Season 20 episode, "The Fourth Victim." In total, Culver appeared in forty-nine Gunsmoke episodes. Several years earlier, Culver portrayed the character Mark Dillon (the original name of the Matt Dillon character) in a pilot for the Gunsmoke radio show.
The central element of this story is pride. Grat, Hill, and Marshal Dillon all allow pride to dictate their actions. One puzzling aspect is why there was no attempt to overwhelm Grat and arrest him. Everyone is content to face Grat on Grat's terms.
Some sixty-five years after this episode was produced, it may be difficult to understand how groundbreaking this episode and the series that followed was. Before this episode aired, the main characters in television westerns were impervious. They never showed any vulnerability. To have the main character nearly killed is daring for the first episode.
It is worth noting this was actually the second episode filmed for the series. The first was the pilot episode "Hack Prine," which would not air until Episode 26 of Season 1. Many of the settings for the pilot were different than the settings in the rest of the first season and the series.