"Gunsmoke" P.S. Murry Christmas (1971)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Herb Wallerstein

Writer:

William Kelley (writer)

TV Series:

"Gunsmoke" (1955)

Original Air Date:

27 December 1971 (Season 17, Episode 15)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Plot:

Handyman Titus Spangler rescues seven orphans from an overly stern headmistress, Emma Grundy, and winds up in Dodge City at Christmas time. |

Plot Keywords:

Marshal | Cult TV | Bartender | Town Doctor | Based On Radio Show

Cast

James Arness	...	Marshal Matt Dillon
Milburn Stone	...	Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams
Amanda Blake	...	Kitty Russell
Ken Curtis	...	Festus Haggen
Buck Taylor	...	Newly O'Brien
Jeanette Nolan	...	Emma Grundy
Patti Cohoon	...	Mary
Jodie Foster	...	Patricia
Erin Moran	...	Jenny
Josh Albee	...	Michael
Brian Morrison	...	Owen
Willie Aames	...	Tom
Todd Lookinland	...	Jake
Jack Elam	...	Titus Spangler
Glenn Strange	...	Sam Noonan

Series Cast

These people are regular cast members. Were they in this episode?

Tom Brown	...	Ed O'Connor
Hank Patterson	...	Hank Miller
Roy Roberts	...	Harry Bodkin
Charles Seel	...	Barney Danches

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

The peck on the cheek that Kitty gives to Matt in this episode is as close as the two came to an on- air kiss in the twenty years of Gunsmoke on television.

The Ensemble

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Future Oscar winner Jodie Foster.

Blonde-wigged Erin Moran, who would portray Joanie Cunningham on "Happy Days".

Willie Aames, who would be Tommy Bradford on "Eight is Enough" and lest we forget, his tenure as Bibleman AND his appearing on the Celebrity Weight Loss on VH1 (perhaps not a shining moment for him tho).

Todd Lookinland, who is the younger brother of Mike Lookinland, the Brady Bunch's Bobby.

Todd would also appear on the The Brady Bunch in the 3 musketeers episode with Ken Berry and Brooke Bundy, in an attempted spin off.

Heck, we even have Brian Morrison, George Kennedy and Susan Clark's son in the Airport movies, as well as Brian Morrison was Bea Arthur's grandson, Phillip, on Maude.

Josh Albee seems to be no slouch as well.

Throw in stellar character actor Jack Elam, and also the remarkably underrated Jeanette Nolan, who would later return in a 180 degree reversed performance as Dirty Sally, as well as an appearance by Bewitched schoolteacher Maude Fickett, and how could it get any better? Well, I suppose if Charles Lane, Sean Kelly (II) or Lance Kerwin had appeared, that would have made this Christmas episode a very strange pinnacle in television.

As it is, it does make one stop and look when it comes on.

"That's Jodie Foster! With Erin Moran! And Dirty Sally!" Episode-wise, Miss Kitty isn't at her most Christmasy, and how about those burning candles on the tree?

Tis the season.