The Noose (21 Sep. 1970)

Ex-con Fred Garth seeks to exactly re-create the hanging death of his father by casting Doc as the father and Matt Dillon as the young Garth (who was shot in the leg and tied to a post ... See full summary »

Director:

Vincent McEveety

Writer:

Arthur Browne Jr.

Stars:

James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake

Cast

Episode cast overview:
James Arness	...	Matt Dillon
Milburn Stone	...	Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams
Amanda Blake	...	Kitty Russell
Ken Curtis	...	Festus Haggen
Buck Taylor	...	Newly O'Brien
Tom Skerritt	...	Fred Garth
William Fawcett	...	Nebs
Glenn Strange	...	Sam Noonan
Ted Jordan	...	Nathan Burke
Woody Chambliss	...	Woody Lathrop
Hank Patterson	...	Hank Miller

Storyline

Ex-con Fred Garth seeks to exactly re-create the hanging death of his father by casting Doc as the father and Matt Dillon as the young Garth (who was shot in the leg and tied to a post while his father swung). Garth kidnaps Matt, Doc, Kitty and Festus and isolates them in a deserted town.

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 September 1970 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Many things odd about this episode.

This plot is more from something out of the 'Twilight Zone' rather than an 'Gunsmoke' episode. I can honestly say that after sixteen season of episodes the writers was dipping into any story that would play for the type of audience that watches. And here we have a dilly of a tale.

Some fifteen years ago in Dodge Town (which is the old town before Dodge moved to near the river and renamed Dodge City), Fred Garth's father was found guilty by a jury and was sentenced to hang. Fred was also found guilty and was sentenced to prison.

While Fred was chained to a post the townsfolk carried out the sentence on Fred's father all in the sight of poor young Fred. And Fred has been brewing in prison for the last 15 years.

He comes back to Dodge Town and is going to carry out the exact same situation he witnessed while chained to the post. He is going to make Matt Dillon ( Matt helped convict his father) go through exactly what he went through some fifteen years ago. He also wants spectators so he ends up kidnapping Doc, Kitty and Festus as part of the people that was in the town when his father was hung.

By the end of the episode Fred is going to hang someone and make the others watch as he reenacts the events of years ago.

Even though this episode seemed to drag as Fred takes his time in gathering the spectators- it does pick up with interest at the end. But at the end there is a big let-down as if the show was for naught. An odd ending for an odd episode. --- Plus---- I never understood why Newly did not think something was amiss and go check on his friends. Much of this show did not add-up.