Abe and Morgan Curry are two friendly, devoted brothers who own a ranch near Dodge City. They have recently spent some time in town drinking and gambling. After they spend their money and have their fill of whiskey, they return to their ranch. When they arrive, they find a stranger helping himself to hay and water.
Abe does not take kindly to seeing a stranger taking such liberties on their property. Angry words are exchanged, and the stranger challenges Abe to a gunfight. Morgan tries to warn Abe not to draw, but Abe foolishly indulges the stranger and is killed. The stranger then tries to goad Morgan into a gunfight, but the wiser brother refuses. The stranger mentions he will be in Dodge if Morgan changes his mind.
Morgan is heartbroken over his brother's death. He follows the stranger - who we soon learn is a gunfighter named Tom Clegg - back to Dodge. Morgan knows he is no match for Clegg in a gunfight. He begins following the gunfighter around Dodge. Clegg soon becomes frustrated with Morgan's constant surveillance. Matt Dillon and the other residents of Dodge take notice of the situation.
Liam Sullivan makes the first of two appearances in the series with this performance as Tom Clegg. Sullivan was a talented actor who would provide several memorable performances on television shows such as The Twilight Zone and Star Trek, but he is miscast as the Tom Clegg character. He never seems as menacing as the character should be.
Devoted Gunsmoke fans may remember Michael Hinn from the earlier Season 2 episode "The Round Up." In that episode he plays an old friend of Marshal Dillon's who Matt accidentally kills. In this story, Hinn plays Morgan Curry.
Robert Keys makes his only Gunsmoke appearance as Abe Curry. Keys frequented numerous television dramas in the 1950s and early 1960s.
"Executioner" is one of those sad, tragic stories where none of the main players emerge unscathed. Stories where a character intentionally annoys another to the point the second character takes drastic action are not that uncommon. The viewer can see where this story is headed from the time Morgan arrives in Dodge.
Abe does not take kindly to seeing a stranger taking such liberties on their property. Angry words are exchanged, and the stranger challenges Abe to a gunfight. Morgan tries to warn Abe not to draw, but Abe foolishly indulges the stranger and is killed. The stranger then tries to goad Morgan into a gunfight, but the wiser brother refuses. The stranger mentions he will be in Dodge if Morgan changes his mind.
Morgan is heartbroken over his brother's death. He follows the stranger - who we soon learn is a gunfighter named Tom Clegg - back to Dodge. Morgan knows he is no match for Clegg in a gunfight. He begins following the gunfighter around Dodge. Clegg soon becomes frustrated with Morgan's constant surveillance. Matt Dillon and the other residents of Dodge take notice of the situation.
Liam Sullivan makes the first of two appearances in the series with this performance as Tom Clegg. Sullivan was a talented actor who would provide several memorable performances on television shows such as The Twilight Zone and Star Trek, but he is miscast as the Tom Clegg character. He never seems as menacing as the character should be.
Devoted Gunsmoke fans may remember Michael Hinn from the earlier Season 2 episode "The Round Up." In that episode he plays an old friend of Marshal Dillon's who Matt accidentally kills. In this story, Hinn plays Morgan Curry.
Robert Keys makes his only Gunsmoke appearance as Abe Curry. Keys frequented numerous television dramas in the 1950s and early 1960s.
"Executioner" is one of those sad, tragic stories where none of the main players emerge unscathed. Stories where a character intentionally annoys another to the point the second character takes drastic action are not that uncommon. The viewer can see where this story is headed from the time Morgan arrives in Dodge.