"Gunsmoke" The Twisted Heritage (1969)

Director:

Bernard McEveety

Writers:

Robert Heverly (story)
Arthur Rowe (teleplay)
(more)

TV Series:

"Gunsmoke" (1955)

Original Air Date:

6 January 1969 (Season 14, Episode 15)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Plot:

On her way back to Dodge after a short trip, Kitty shares a stagecoach ride with Blaine Copperton, a...

Plot Keywords:

Marshal | Warrior | Hero | Colt .45 | Tough Guy

Cast

James Arness	...	Matt Dillon
Milburn Stone	...	Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams (credit only)
Amanda Blake	...	Kitty Russell
Ken Curtis	...	Festus Haggen
John Ericson	...	Blaine Copperton
Virginia Gregg	...	Jessie Copperton
David McLean	...	Webb
Nora Marlowe	...	Ma Dagget
Lisa Gerritsen	...	Tracey Copperton
Conlan Carter	...	Logan Dagget
Charles Kuenstle	...	Elan Dagget
Richard O'Brien	...	Simpson
Joshua Bryant	...	Young
Steve Raines	...	Driver #1
James Nusser	...	Louie Pheeters
Robert Luster	...	Cookie
Robert Karnes	...	Driver #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Jeffers	...	Copperton Hand (uncredited)
Bert Madrid	...	Copperton Hand (uncredited)
Chick Sheridan	...	Copperton Hand (uncredited)

Directed by
Bernard McEveety

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Heverly		story
Arthur Rowe		teleplay
Paul Savage		teleplay
Jack Turley		story

Produced by
Joseph Dackow	....	producer
John Mantley	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Leon Klatzkin

Cinematography by
Monroe P. Askins

Film Editing by
Donald W. Ernst

Casting by
Pam Polifroni

Art Direction by
Joseph R. Jennings

Set Decoration by
Herman N. Schoenbrun

Makeup Department
Glen Alden	....	makeup artist
Newton Jones	....	makeup artist
Gertrude Wheeler	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Robert M. Beche	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Shue	....	assistant director (as Robert R. Shue)

Art Department
Clem Widrig	....	property master

Sound Department
Jack A. Finlay	....	sound effects editor
Vernon W. Kramer	....	sound mixer

Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Charles Kuenstle

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alexander Velcoff	....	costumer

Music Department
Gene Feldman	....	music editor
Leon Klatzkin	....	conductor

Other crew
Jim Byrnes	....	assistant story consultant
Ron Honthaner	....	assistant to producer
Paul Savage	....	story consultant
Erika Wernher	....	script supervisor

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

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1969) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

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)

Amanda Blake give a fine performance in this predictable show

This episode is typical 'Gunsmoke' as we get Matt making an appearance right at the best moment to save Ms Kitty from a dire situation. But what happens before Matt makes his life-saving appearance is what makes this episode better than most.

The show starts out with Ms Kitty riding solo on a stagecoach on her way to make a connection to Dodge. Along the way the stage gets stopped by Blaine Copperton holding a saddle. His horse had went lame and he was hitching a ride with the stagecoach.

Later the stagecoach gets stopped again but this time by bandits thinking payroll money was in the strongbox. They shoot the driver and then open the box to find little money. As they take Copperton's wallet his takes the gun from one of the bandits and before getting shot himself he shoots and kills both bandits. Now Ms Kitty must find help for the wounded Copperton.

Ms Kitty drives the stagecoach to a hut where squatters, led by Ma Dagget, are camping. When they see that the wounded man is Copperton they refuse to help. The Coppertons own the land and have been trying to get the Daggets off the land for sometime.

Ms Kitty manages to get to the Copperton's farm house where see tells them the story as mother Jessie Copperton nurses Blaine back to health. During the evening Ms Copperton takes some of her ranch staff to the Nagget's shack and burns it to the ground and shoot one of the Daggets in the leg.

The next day Ms Kitty and Blaine's daughter( that is an outcast to the Copperton family)take a walk and are kidnapped by the Naggets. Ma Nagget tells Ms Copperton that they only way to get the child back is to send Blaine, by himself, to take the same gunshot wound that they gave her son. With the family situation at the Coppertons - does Blaine care enough for his daughter to take the chance.

The episode, rather predictable, is nevertheless a nice story with an interesting plot. NOTE- The Copperton's House is the same set used in "The Big Valley' series. The outside and inside are exactly the same with a few modifications in set layouts.