Helping Hand (17 Mar. 1956)
"Gunsmoke" Helping Hand (original title)

Matt saves suspected 18 year old cattle thief Steve Elser, from a would be lynch group, and tries to help him find a job, but discovers he might be a hopeless case.

Director:

Charles Marquis Warren

Writers:

David Victor (screenplay), Herbert Little Jr. (screenplay),

Stars:

James Arness, Dennis Weaver, Milburn Stone

Cast

Episode cast overview:
James Arness	...	Matt Dillon
Dennis Weaver	...	Chester
Milburn Stone	...	Doc
Amanda Blake	...	Kitty
Brett Halsey	...	Elser
K.L. Smith	...	Pence (as Ken L. Smith)
Russell Thorson	...	Bowers (as Russ Thorson)
Michael Granger	...	Hander

Storyline

Matt saves suspected 18 year old cattle thief Steve Elser, from a would be lynch group, and tries to help him find a job, but discovers he might be a hopeless case.

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 March 1956 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

James Nusser makes his first appearance on Gunsmoke as a wounded clerk. He will make seven guest appearances before being cast as the regular town drunk Louie Pheeters.

User Reviews

Matt wants to help a misguided young man

At the beginning of the episode a young man enters the Long Branch in somewhat of a rush. Kitty talks to the young man and discovers that a group of cattle hands are on his trail and want to lynch him. Kitty befriends him and locks him in her room. She then goes after Marshal Dillon to tells the cattle hands that they would be no lynching in Dodge and that the young man, Steve Elser, would get a trial if a complaint is filed.

This does not set well with the cattlemen but they know it will only be a matter of time before Elser makes another false move so they wait for him. In the meantime, due to Matt being helped when he was younger, decides to befriend the young Elser and hope he changes his lifestyle. But when he teams up with a local criminal Bill Hander, Matt knows that there is no place in Dodge for the young man. Elser has this chip on his shoulder against the entire world.

There is nothing really remarkable about this story other than the kindness shown by Matt. Elser was a person that you wanted to like but he would not give you a chance. Not a blockbuster episode by any means but it did mildly hold the viewer's interest.