"Gunsmoke" Smoking Out the Nolans (1955)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Charles Marquis Warren

Writers:

John Meston (story)
Charles Marquis Warren (teleplay)

TV Series:

"Gunsmoke" (1955)

Original Air Date:

5 November 1955 (Season 1, Episode 7)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Plot:

Matt has the unpleasant task of evicting some squatters from a rancher's land, but the squatters claim the rancher sold the land to them legally. |

Plot Keywords:

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

Cast

James Arness	...	Marshal Matt Dillon
Dennis Weaver	...	Chester Goode
Milburn Stone	...	Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams
Amanda Blake	...	Kitty Russell
John Larch	...	Clay Young
Ainslie Pryor	...	Josh Nolan
Jeanne Bates	...	Mrs. Nolan
Edward Platt	...	Mr. Burgess (as Ed Platt)

Series Cast

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

Dabbs Greer

...

Wilbur Jonas

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Quotes:

Clay Young: Marshal... I got bad news for you.
Marshal Matt Dillon: Well, nobody ever comes in here with good news, Clay.
Clay Young: But what I got, it might get you killed.
Marshal Matt Dillon: That so?

So, Who's Lying?

Excellent opening scene that immediately engages the audience. Big rancher Clay (John Larch) and two cowhands have squatters Nolan (Ainsley Pryor) and wife trapped inside their crude sod dugout and won't let them out for food or water. Clay doesn't seem like a bad guy and neither does Nolan who just wants to hang on to what little he has. So what's the problem. Clay finally fetches Matt to enforce a court-order mandating the Nolans' eviction. Clay says one thing and Nolan another. Somebody's lying, but who?

Different kind of story-line, nicely done by director-scriptwriter Charles Marquis Warren who produced and directed these earliest installments. The staging at the sod dugout lends a lot of realistic atmosphere. Also, a well-thought-out and satisfying climax, with good turns by both Pryor and Larch. Notable too, for Kitty's passing innuendo about Matt's intentions toward the lovely saloon owner. Their exact relationship was a touchy one the producers never could resolve. As a result, it was left hanging year-in and year-out, and probably wisely so.