Gunsmoke (1955) s01e01 Episode Script

Good evening.
My name's wayne.
Some of you may have seen me before.
I hope so.
I've been kicking around hollywood A long time.
I've made a lot of pictures out here.
All kinds.
And some of them have been westerns.
And that's what I'm here to tell you about tonight, A western.
A new television show called gunsmoke.
No, I'm not in it.
I wish I were, though.
Because I think it's the best thing of it's kind That's come along.
And I hope you'll agree with me.
It's honest, It's adult, It's realistic.
When I first heard about the show gunsmoke, I knew there was only one man to play in it, James arness.
He's a young fella and maybe new to some of you, But I've worked with him, And I predict he'll be a big star.
So you might as well get used to him, Like you've had to get used to me.
And now I'm proud to present My friend jim arness in gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke Starring james arness as matt dillon.
I try to remember that if they'd argued a little, They might not be here.
Arguing doesn't fill any graves.
Take me, I'm a u.
S.
Marshal.
How many times I'd rather have argued Than gone for guns.
Take dodge city over there.
"gomorrah of the plains" they call it.
Jump-off spot.
People coming and going all the time, Good, bad and worse.
Tempers high.
A man'll draw his gun quicker to prove a point Than he'll draw on his logic.
That's where I come in, Whether they like it or not.
When they draw their guns, somebody's gotta be around.
Somebody on the law side.
And lord knows they hate that.
Dan.
It's me, bird.
dan grat.
Dan.
Open up.
It's unlocked.
Dan.
You Been ridin' pretty hard, bird.
You won't like what I come to tell ya.
Wanna drink? He died, dan.
Lay there and bled to death.
A man deals crooked cards to me, Don't matter how hard he dies.
Gave him a chance to draw.
That's not it.
What you're not gonna like is What? He wasn't armed, dan.
Hello, mr.
Chester.
Hello there, miss jessica.
Welcome back, After all the time you shouldn't have taken.
Well I'm sorry I'm so kinda late.
It's five miles to fort dodge, And five miles back.
I'm figurin' the time you were gone, You musta traveled about two miles an hour.
Well, major hokum kept me waitin' For close to three hours.
Why didn't you leave the wanted posters With the first sergeant? Well, you told me to leave 'em With the major.
I should've explained.
Aw, that's all right, mr.
Dillon.
Me and the first sergeant Spent close to three hours Enjoyin' a couple of beers at the suttlers.
Oh, I trust when it came to it, The major didn't mind waiting? Huh? No, it was me That was waitin', mr.
Dillon.
me and the first sergeant.
You see, when I got there- Never mind, chester.
It doesn't matter.
After all, it's been a pretty hot day.
Oh, hot.
That ain't the word for it.
Comin' back from fort dodge, My horse's neck was so- Marshal dillon? Here.
Jim hill, marshal.
From amarillo.
How do you do? This is chester goode.
Pull up a chair.
What can I do for you? I'm lookin' for a man, marshal.
Fellow called dan grat.
Do you know him? No.
Well, he's comin' here.
He told one of his girls in amarillo he was.
I'll wait for him.
You're waitin' for any special reason? Mm, kinda special.
Murder.
Murder? This man's about as ruthless a killer as there is.
I don't know how many killin's he's done outside o' texas, But he shot three men in amarillo.
Two of 'em in a fair fight.
But he made a mistake on the last one.
You see, grat didn't know it at the time, But the man wasn't even armed.
Was the murdered man a friend of yours? No, I didn't know him.
Some gambler.
Why are you takin' it on yourself to chase this grat? I thought maybe you'd heard of me, marshal.
I'm sheriff of amarillo.
Oh.
Well, it's been some time since I was in amarillo.
Now, you say this grat didn't know the man wasn't armed, Then what's he running for, then? Well, he found out after he'd shot him.
That's a fine time.
They say it shamed him, Shooting an unarmed man, There's one thing about grat, marshal.
He's no coward.
He's not one small part Of a coward.
He just likes to go after a man, And gun him down.
Uh, let me tell you somethin', marshal.
Dan grat's not very well-known, But he's as 'bout as handy with a gun As anybody in the state of texas.
Men that have seen him say He's the fastest they ever saw, Bar none.
That'll make you pretty good If you can outplay him, then.
Won't it, sheriff? That's not the point.
Isn't it? I'll help you take him, sheriff.
No, you won't.
I only came here to tell you What I was doin' in dodge, marshal.
I don't need your help.
Why take a chance? Well, I'm pretty good myself.
I'm not afraid of him.
All right.
And If you run into him first, Save him for me? I'd hate to have made the ride up here for nothin'.
Well, I don't quite make him out, mr.
Dillon.
Well, sheriff hill is like a lot of people, chester.
He's too proud.
Too confident in himself.
It will get him into a lot of trouble someday.
Maybe sooner than that.
You can buy another, Then come on over.
Sure, I'll buy anotherOn you.
Uh, you wanna pay me for these beers Now or later? Now.
What do you want, matt? Do you know? Oh, maybe fishing.
I'd like to fish more than I do.
It's about what I figured.
At least you could take me along, Once in a while.
Oh, I did take you.
Sure, Two or three months ago.
I like fishing, matt.
Next time I get a day off, we'll fish.
Good.
That'll give me plenty of time to get ready.
They tell me over at the bar That you're marshal dillon.
That's right.
Well, I just rode into town, marshal.
You're the first man I want to see.
Any particular reason? Well, it- It's like this.
I'm kind of free and easy in my ways, and Well, sometimes people just don't understand.
Don't understand what? That they shouldn't try to stop me.
Nobody tryin' to stop ya, mister.
You can do anything you want, short of breakin' the law.
Well, it's the law I'm talkin' about, marshal.
Well, then say it plain, stranger.
Sure.
I get into a fight.
And I kill somebody.
I don't want no trouble about it, Is that plain enough? Where are you from? Texas.
Amarillo? Yeah, how'd you know? The sheriff, jim hill.
He's here waitin' for you, grat.
Where is he? Well, he'd probably be in here after a while.
Why don't you wait for him? Well, I'll find him myself, and then After I do, we'll talk some more, marshal.
Grat.
What is it, marshal? About breakin' the law here.
That includes resisting arrest.
Oh, yeah, well, y-you explain that to me later, ButOver a drink.
Um, for your sake.
You see, I'm kinda ever so good with a gun, and I'm sure sheriff hill must've mentioned it to you.
Friend of yours, mr.
Dillon? It was dan grat.
I don't think I ever heard you men- It was? Go find sheriff hill and tell him grat's in town.
Try the dodge house and hurry.
Yes, sir.
What are you gonna do about it, matt? Well, I've been asked out of it.
There's not much I can do.
Not yet.
He's a killer, isn't he? Yeah.
Well, I guess I'd better sit down And finish that beer with you.
You don't like not being able To do anything about it, do you? Outside, mr.
Dillon.
Grat found the sheriff.
They're down the street.
Stay here.
All of you.
Matt, it's not your worry.
Stay inside.
I keep tellin' ya, sheriff.
You want me, You come take me.
I'm takin' you, grat.
You have to walk right up to me.
Not comin' to you.
Mr.
Dillon? The sheriff's play, chester.
Well, closer than that, sheriff.
A lot closer.
If ya want me.
I'm comin' right up to you.
Now, either you turn around And throw down your gun, Or I'm comin' right up to you.
You come up, sheriff.
You Reckon Now, sheriff? I reckon Now.
Kept tellin' ya.
Keep tellin' everybody.
No, mr.
Dillon.
He's faster than you even.
Don't do it.
Been expectin' you.
Come closer if you wanna talk to me, marshal.
I warned you about resisting arrest.
He drew first.
But he ain't the second or third man I've killed, What drew first.
Jim hill was a lawman.
He was here to arrest you For murdering an unarmed man in amarillo.
I didn't know that man was unarmed.
Your mistake.
I'd have killed him even if he had a gun on me.
I-I can kill anybody.
Like you.
Right now.
There, you see, marshal? See how easy it is? Well One more of these can'tHurt.
Probably won't help, but it can't hurt.
How is he now, doc? Well, how can I tell, I- Here.
I can't tell yet, chester.
Can you tell me? Kitty, if I could tell you, I could I could tell me.
I see.
Doc, can't ya do somethin'? Something? Chester- I mean somethin' better Than what you've been doin'.
He was hit in the chest, And it creased along the forehead.
Now, we'll know what damage it did when he comes to And not before.
I'm doin' everything I can for him.
I know, but couldn't you do just a little bit more? Another fraction of an inch, and he'd be dead.
Now, as it is, he may be all right in ten days or Well, who knows? I-I don't.
You want us outta here, don't ya, doc? Thank you, kitty.
Thank you.
Come on, chester.
Doc? Yes? Yes, yes?! I wanted to kill grat.
I still do.
Well, that wouldn't help a thing.
It's a terrible thing to see a man like mr.
Dillon Get shot that way.
I'll buy you a drink, chester.
If mr.
Dillon dies, I-I'll get me a shotgun, I'll kill grat.
I'll blow him in half.
Then we'll see how fast he is.
Chester, will you get-? Kitty, take him out of here.
Come on, chester.
I'll go.
I just Hate to think of grat Standin' at some bar, braggin' How he shot down a u.
S.
Marshal.
Well, come in.
How is he, doc? Fine.
Nice of you to stop by.
There's your answer.
Well, I- I was gonna make you Some soup or something, But I thought I'd come by And see what you wanted first.
Well, I was hopin' somebody'd come by And save me from doc's cookin'.
Doc's cookin's kept you alive for more than a week.
Killin' me, but it kept him alive.
He's beginning to look human.
How much longer will he be in bed? Oh, about five days.
Tomorrow'll do it.
Hmph.
Keep resting, matt.
You shouldn't dare go out until doc says.
I hear grat killed frank scarth.
Yes, he He slapped him and then shot him down, like that.
Slapped him? Grat was that close to him? As close as I am to you.
And that herd boss, The one who came to town to see if his outfit should stay here, Same thing.
He walked up to him, Pushed him in the chest to make him draw, And then killed him when he did.
Kitty, get outta here.
Go away.
Why? I gotta get up.
I gotta start walkin' around.
Now, just you wait a minute.
Matt, you're not thinking of facing dan grat again? Now, don't worry.
I'll- I'll handle him.
You're not goin' anywhere.
Matt, I never thought I'd have to say this to you, But you're a dead man if you try him again.
He's faster than you.
Well, you head what she said.
And she's right.
You just get me walkin', doc.
That's all I ask.
Where? Up the street, so he can see you? I wanna walk a mile a day, Two tomorrow, and three the next day.
By the end of a week, I'll be off your hands.
Mm.
Whether you walk with me, or you don't.
All right.
Somebody's gotta walk with ya.
Might as well be me.
Where's your gun, marshal? Leave it at home, OrYou just rememberin' That I don't shoot unarmed men.
I've I hope you get well real soon, marshal.
Eh, you and me, we- We shouldn't have no more trouble.
Uh, I don't want anything except to be left alone, ToDo whatever I feel like doin'.
Don't do it, matt.
Don't do it.
I know you're stronger now than you were a week ago, ButYou're still not ready to go out and- Chester oughta be back by this time.
You were no match for dan grat when you were completely well.
Well, I figure things'll even up this time.
Eh? After the autopsy.
It's all pride with you, isn't it? Just pride.
Somebody came into town who's faster than you are, And you just gotta try to prove he isn't.
Only you're not gonna prove it 'cause he is.
Now wait a minute, doc- I won't wait a minute.
You're goin' down there and get yourself killed.
And just because of your pride.
He's a gunman, doc.
He has to be eliminated.
Oh.
All right! All right, go on.
Just go on down there and meet him.
He blasted ya last time, and you were lucky.
You lived.
This time he'll do- Mr.
Dillon! Clerk over at the dodge house Said dan grat's still in his room.
Mr.
Dillon, Can I just sorta follow? I'll see ya later.
Marshal.
Which room is dan grat's? Up there, At the end of the balcony.
Come out of your room, grat.
It's me, marshal dillon.
I've got a gun on.
I've come for you, grat.
Come here, marshal.
Comin' down to talk to ya.
Just stay there.
That's right.
Now turn around and drop your gun belt.
And then come down.
Now, marshal, Ain't no reason why I can't come down there And talk things over with you.
I told you to stay right there.
And I told you, I like to be left alone.
I said stop and turn around And drop your gun belt And then come down.
I gotta hand it to you, grat.
You're the fastest I've ever seen.
But you gotta be close, So close you can't miss.
You don't take time To aim and shoot straight.
Well, you're wrong.
You know it.
All right, marshal.
I give up.
I told you- Now, marshal, Wouldn't shoot a man with his hands up, would you? Just comin' down there, Surrender.
That's close enough.
Aw, marshal, Givin' myself up.
You take one more step, and I draw.
Don't matter.
I'm close enough now.
You don't know whether you are or not.
I say you're not.
Well, I say I am.