An aging con-man arrives in Dodge with a desire to pull one last con before his health fails.An aging con-man arrives in Dodge with a desire to pull one last con before his health fails.An aging con-man arrives in Dodge with a desire to pull one last con before his health fails.
Photos
Buck Taylor
- Newly
- (credit only)
Kelton Garwood
- Percy Crump
- (as Jonathan Harper)
Stephen Burnette
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Ted Christy
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Storyline
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Featured review
Strong Performance from Jack Albertson
Danny Wilson is a pathetic confidence man. He is a lousy pickpocket, and most of his failed schemes involve attempting to trick someone into giving up some money. He is so inept at his "craft" that he tries to pick the pocket of a fellow stage passenger, gets caught, and is thrown off the stage.
Kitty Russell is an old friend of Danny and feels sorry for him. When Danny has some kind of medical episode, Doc Adams examines him. Doc tells Danny his heart is failing, and he does not have much time left to live.
With the knowledge of his pending death, Danny visits Percy Crump, the Dodge City undertaker, and arranges an elaborate funeral and burial with a price tag over $1,400. To pay for it, Danny concocts a scheme to swindle the money from a contemptible Dodge City saloon owner who harbors a grudge against Matt Dillon.
Jack Albertson was a Tony and Oscar Award winner when this episode was made. He eventually won an Emmy for his performance in the series Chico and the Man in the 1970s. He fills the Danny Wilson role here. Albertson often played swindlers and con men in his television appearances. His performance here is one of the biggest highlights of this story.
Veteran actor Scott Brady makes the first of his three Gunsmoke appearances as Heenan, the saloon owner. Brady would have a small recurring role as the character Joe Foley on All In the Family. He was originally offered the Archie Bunker role on that show and turned it down before Carroll O'Connor was cast in the part.
Other notable actors involved in this story include Vito Scotti as Danny's drinking pal Indiana, and Frank Marth and Rayford Barnes as a couple of hired killers.
Several Gunsmoke recurring roles are featured in this episode. Woody Chambliss, Tom Brown, Glenn Strange, and Steve Raines as yet another stage driver all can be seen during the story. Kelton Garwood (who often appeared in the credits as John or Jonathan Harper) has one of his most prominent parts in a Gunsmoke episode as Percy Crump.
Although James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, and Ken Curtis all make appearances in this story, most of their scenes are brief and on the periphery of the story.
The episode is built around Albertson's Danny Wilson character. Albertson was great at playing this type of character. Unfortunately, there is nothing truly compelling or mysterious about the story.
Kitty Russell is an old friend of Danny and feels sorry for him. When Danny has some kind of medical episode, Doc Adams examines him. Doc tells Danny his heart is failing, and he does not have much time left to live.
With the knowledge of his pending death, Danny visits Percy Crump, the Dodge City undertaker, and arranges an elaborate funeral and burial with a price tag over $1,400. To pay for it, Danny concocts a scheme to swindle the money from a contemptible Dodge City saloon owner who harbors a grudge against Matt Dillon.
Jack Albertson was a Tony and Oscar Award winner when this episode was made. He eventually won an Emmy for his performance in the series Chico and the Man in the 1970s. He fills the Danny Wilson role here. Albertson often played swindlers and con men in his television appearances. His performance here is one of the biggest highlights of this story.
Veteran actor Scott Brady makes the first of his three Gunsmoke appearances as Heenan, the saloon owner. Brady would have a small recurring role as the character Joe Foley on All In the Family. He was originally offered the Archie Bunker role on that show and turned it down before Carroll O'Connor was cast in the part.
Other notable actors involved in this story include Vito Scotti as Danny's drinking pal Indiana, and Frank Marth and Rayford Barnes as a couple of hired killers.
Several Gunsmoke recurring roles are featured in this episode. Woody Chambliss, Tom Brown, Glenn Strange, and Steve Raines as yet another stage driver all can be seen during the story. Kelton Garwood (who often appeared in the credits as John or Jonathan Harper) has one of his most prominent parts in a Gunsmoke episode as Percy Crump.
Although James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, and Ken Curtis all make appearances in this story, most of their scenes are brief and on the periphery of the story.
The episode is built around Albertson's Danny Wilson character. Albertson was great at playing this type of character. Unfortunately, there is nothing truly compelling or mysterious about the story.
helpful•62
- wdavidreynolds
- Jun 7, 2021
Details
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3
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