The Hunger (17 Nov. 1962)
"Gunsmoke" The Hunger (original title)

Matt and Doc come to the rescue of a farm wife and daughter who essentially are kept as prisoners by the farmer and his son.

Director:

Harry Harris

Writer:

Jack Curtis

Stars:

James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
James Arness	...	Matt Dillon
Milburn Stone	...	Doc
Amanda Blake	...	Kitty
Elen Willard	...	Althea
Robert Middleton	...	Dorf
Joe Flynn	...	Drummer
Linda Watkins	...	Mrs. Dorf
Sarah Selby	...	Ma Smalley
Dabbs Greer	...	Mr. Jonas
Hampton Fancher	...	Clem
Byron Foulger	...	Dooley
Kelton Garwood	...	Fred
Henrietta Moore	...	Dolly
Robert McQuain	...	Cowboy
Sue Casey	...	Martha

Storyline

A farmer and his grown son bully his wife and grown daughter. When the farmer locks his daughter in the cellar, his wife sends word to Dodge for help. Matt and Doc arrive to free her, and Doc takes in the underfed, abused girl as his patient. While recovering her strength, dressing in pretty clothes for the first time, and reading romantic books brought to her by Kitty, the girl begins to see Doc as her knight in shining armor.

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 November 1962 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arness Production Company, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

This episode sweeps the scale when it comes to emotions

Here is a captivating tale of a young abused woman named Althea Dorf and her life as a young girl being raised by a brute of a father named Claude.

In this family Claude believes that women should be seen very little and never heard from in their life. He is hard on his poor wife and even harder on his daughter. When Althea was caught reading a book she is disciplined by being placed in a lock cellar for days. But it just so happens that Mrs Dorf gets word to Marshal to come out to the farm that something is wrong.

When Matt and Doc get to the Dorf farm they have to break in the cellar door in order to rescue the near-death Althea. They take her to Ma Smalley's place where Doc nurses her back to health. And being the first male that has ever help her, Althea begins falling in love with the much older Doc Adams.

It is not long until Pa Dorf and his son come to take Althea back to the farm. By force Claude takes his daughter back to the farm rips her new dress off of her and places her back into the cellar.

When Matt and Doc arrives at the farm a gunfight breaks out. The Dorf's son is killed with Claude vowing that the Marshal will never get off his property alive.

The script was wonderful written and the actors were top notched. From beginning till end this episode was entertaining. Sometime funny, sometimes heartbreaking this episode went everywhere on the entertainment scale. Good Watch