Gunsmoke: Old West Stories

Originally Aired: February 17, 1957 In Gunsmoke #254, “Doubtful Zone,” Marshal Matt Dillon is drawn into a case that's more heartache than crime when a store break-in leads him to a runaway girl named Willie Beeper. Fleeing a brutal home life and dry farm drudgery, Willie wants only a fresh start—with a stolen pistol, a stolen shirt, and a bottle of Paris perfume she couldn’t resist. As her reckless choices close in around her, the law catches up—but so does tragedy. A poignant story of youth, desperation, and the quiet cruelties that drive a child too far. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear Tags:western, comingofage, tragedy, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, 1950sradio, runaway, hardship, dryfarm, girlpower, bittersweet, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: February 10, 1957 In Gunsmoke #253, “Hellbent Harriet,” a woman’s grief sharpens into something more fierce when her husband, Jim Morney, is found dead—his injuries blamed on a fall from his horse. But Harriet Morney, as strong and unyielding as the Kansas land she works, is certain it was murder. Suspecting a neighbor with motives of greed and lust, Harriet trusts not only her instincts but the earth itself to deliver the truth. What follows is a riveting tale of deception, desperate gambits, and a reckoning forged in storm and soil. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear Tags:western, revenge, frontierjustice, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, 1950sradio, mystery, femalepower, intuition, dramaticreveal, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: February 3, 1957 In Gunsmoke #252, “Cold Fire,” Marshal Matt Dillon investigates a baffling case of embezzlement and death when $20,000 in gold vanishes from the Dodge City bank vault. All clues point to Marvin Gross, a mild-mannered teller living under the strict eye of his mother. When Marvin dies resisting arrest, it seems like a tragic open-and-shut case—until a last-minute realization sends Dillon racing to the train depot, uncovering a truth more chilling than the crime itself. A poignant and haunting tale of manipulation, guilt, and maternal obsession. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear Tags:western, betrayal, suspense, crime, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, 1950sradio, moraldrama, familytragedy, greed, psychologicaldrama, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: January 27, 1957 In Gunsmoke #251, “A Woman Called Mary,” Marshal Matt Dillon confronts a case that demands more than just the law—it calls for justice of the heart. When Red Sutter cons a lonely woman, Buffalo Mary, out of her savings, a prison sentence seems certain. But Dillon proposes an alternative: let Red work off his debt through hard labor, hauling water and chopping wood for Mary. As the days turn into months, Red's punishment becomes his redemption. A quietly powerful tale of conscience, dignity, and the slow road to forgiveness. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear Tags:western, redemption, justice, frontierlife, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, 1950sradio, characterdrama, secondchances, smalltownstories, lawandorder, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: January 20, 1957 In Gunsmoke #250, “Categorical Imperative,” Marshal Dillon defies a raging snowstorm to recapture Clay Macklin, an unrepentant cattle rustler who’s almost certain to walk free due to lack of evidence. As the elements test their endurance, a near-fatal accident on the ice forces Dillon to rescue the very man he pursued—sparking an unexpected shift in Macklin’s hardened perspective. A philosophical tale of duty and principle, this episode reflects on the essence of justice and why a man upholds the law even when the outcome is all but predetermined. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, John Dehner, Ben Wright Tags:drama, justice, escape, snowstorm, duty, philosophy, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, redemption, cattlerustling, oldtimeradio, classicdrama, 1950sradio, prisonerescape, LesCrutchfield, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: January 13, 1957 In Gunsmoke #249, “Ozymandias,” Marshal Dillon is tasked with serving an eviction notice that could uproot homesteader Sloat Carson from the only land he’s ever known. The order comes from Burke Cragar, a domineering rancher obsessed with owning every inch of Blue Sage Valley—soon to be renamed after himself. But when Cragar’s embittered son Crowdy steps forward to challenge his father's ruthless ambition, long-buried family tensions ignite. The episode’s title echoes Percy Shelley’s poem—a warning about pride, legacy, and the futility of empire. A powerful meditation on justice, resentment, and the cost of one man’s obsession. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis Tags:drama, eviction, landdispute, familyconflict, western, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, legacy, fatherandson, justice, 1950sradio, classicdrama, oldtimeradio, pride, obsession, suspensepodcast, Ozymandias

Originally Aired: January 6, 1957 In Gunsmoke #248, “Devil’s Hindmost,” Marshal Dillon finds himself trying to avert tragedy when a jealous farmer, Buck Webber, becomes convinced his estranged wife Rancy is being wooed by a suave gambler named Frisco Bates. As Rancy seeks independence and respect, Buck's anger boils into deadly intent. But when three shots ring out in the night, it’s not the gambler who lies dead—it’s Rancy, killed by her own husband in a tragic mistake. A powerful tale of pride, misunderstanding, and the devastating cost of impulsive violence. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis Tags:drama, jealousy, murder, mistakenidentity, western, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, betrayal, tragedy, domesticviolence, 1950sradio, classicdrama, oldtimeradio, fatalmistake, suspensepodcast, LesCrutchfield

Originally Aired: December 30, 1956 In Gunsmoke #247, “Hound Dog,” Marshal Dillon finds himself mediating an unlikely and emotional conflict when a reclusive trapper’s beloved old dog is shot and killed. At first, suspicion and resentment fall on a nearby homesteader—but the truth is far more complicated, involving a frightened boy, a mistaken shot, and the deep loneliness of a man who had only his dog for company. As tensions rise and tempers flare, Dillon must defuse a situation that could easily turn deadly. A tender and surprisingly hopeful story about redemption, friendship, and healing in the unforgiving West. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis Tags:drama, redemption, dog, friendship, forgiveness, western, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, loneliness, comingofage, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicdrama, boyanddog, suspensepodcast, LesCrutchfield

Originally Aired: December 23, 1956 In Gunsmoke #246, “Beeker’s Barn,” a bitter snowstorm forces estranged couple Will and Harmony Ross to take shelter in the barn of Harmony’s father, Jethro Beeker—a man who disowned her two years prior. As tensions rise and old wounds reopen, Harmony goes into labor, setting the stage for an emotional reckoning between father and daughter. With Marshal Dillon and Doc on hand, the night becomes a crucible of forgiveness, new beginnings, and the fragile threads that bind family together. A holiday episode that weaves heartache and hope with Gunsmoke’s signature grit. Cast: William Conrad, Ralph Moody, Vic Perrin, Virginia Gregg, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis Tags:drama, family, snowstorm, reconciliation, childbirth, western, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, VirginiaGregg, holidayepisode, 1950sradio, classicdrama, oldtimeradio, emotionaldrama, fatherdaughter, redemption, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: December 16, 1956 In Gunsmoke #245, “Cherry Red,” fiery widow Cherry Odell is still clinging to hope that her long-absent husband Slim will return—until a handsome stranger named Red Larned rides into Dodge with a shocking revelation. Claiming to be Slim’s former partner, Red tells Cherry her husband is dead—killed by Indians. But Marshal Dillon has reason to believe Red is lying, especially when a Wells Fargo bulletin paints a darker truth. As lies unravel and loyalties are tested, a secret guest at Cherry’s ranch might prove deadly. A suspenseful tale of betrayal, identity, and a woman caught between grief and vengeance. Cast: William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Parley Baer, Sammy Hill, Vic Perrin, Bill Lally Tags:western, betrayal, widow, outlaw, stagecoachrobbery, WilliamConrad, GeorgiaEllis, Gunsmoke, 1950sradio, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, suspense, deception, lescrutchfield, revenge, frontierjustice, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: December 9, 1956 In Gunsmoke #244, “Braggart’s Boy,” the son of frontier loudmouth Cleave Cleveland arrives in Dodge dressed like a dime-novel cowboy, fresh from Philadelphia. While Cleave has spent years crafting a reputation as a fast gun, the reality is far less impressive. When his son Tom tries to live up to the legend, he provokes a deadly encounter with notorious gunfighter Brawley Starr. Marshal Matt Dillon must intervene before a legacy of lies ends in bloodshed. A poignant story of fathers, sons, and the damage done by pride and false bravado. Cast: William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Parley Baer, Lawrence Dobkin, Sam Edwards, John Dehner Tags:western, family, fatherandson, pride, deception, comingofage, WilliamConrad, GeorgiaEllis, Gunsmoke, 1950sradio, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, gunfighter, lescrutchfield, moralconflict, identity, frontierdrama, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: December 2, 1956 In Gunsmoke #243, “Speak to Me Fair,” a young Kiowa boy stumbles into Dodge, gravely wounded and unable to speak—his tongue brutally cut out. Marshal Matt Dillon, outraged by the boy’s mutilation, begins a tense investigation that points toward a ruthless cattleman, Silas Trach, whose own livestock has been disappearing. As Matt unravels the twisted motives behind the attack, he uncovers not only cattle rustlers exploiting the nearby Kiowa tribe, but a violent hatred lurking under Trach’s calm frontier veneer. A harrowing story of cruelty, justice, and the cost of silence. Cast: William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Parley Baer, Harry Bartell, Vic Perrin, John Dehner Tags:western, injustice, nativeamerican, childabuse, cattletheft, WilliamConrad, GeorgiaEllis, Gunsmoke, 1950sradio, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, marshalldillon, frontiercrime, lescrutchfield, suspensepodcast, silence, mutilation, kiowa

Originally Aired: November 25, 1956 In Gunsmoke #242, “Tail to the Wind,” mild-mannered homesteader Pessy Neller refuses to be bullied, even when the ruthless Burke Reese and his son Spike escalate their campaign of intimidation—burning property, sabotaging wagons, and terrorizing his wife. Marshal Matt Dillon steps in to confront the cowards in public, determined to shame them into retreat. But when the Reeses end up mysteriously hanged in Neller’s chicken yard—victims of a conveniently taut clothesline—the line between justice and accident grows humorously thin. A darkly comic tale of frontier comeuppance and quiet revenge. Cast: William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Parley Baer, Ralph Moody, John Dehner, Helen Kleeb Tags:western, justice, retribution, darkcomedy, accidentalhanging, homesteader, WilliamConrad, GeorgiaEllis, Gunsmoke, 1950sradio, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, lescrutchfield, marshalldillon, vengeance, frontierdrama, suspensepodcast  

Originally Aired: November 18, 1956 In Gunsmoke #241, “Brother Whelp,” the return of outlaw Stead Rudger stirs old tensions and buried betrayals in Dodge City. Stead’s discovery that his former fiancée married his younger brother during his long absence sets off a slow-burning fuse of vengeance. But with the lives of his brother Tom, his old flame Tessie, and a six-month-old child hanging in the balance, Marshal Matt Dillon must play his own high-stakes hand to prevent a deadly family reckoning. A tense and emotional showdown, where the past haunts the present and love is tested by blood. Cast: William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Vic Perrin, John Dehner Tags:Western, family, vengeance, emotional, forgiveness, WilliamConrad, GeorgiaEllis, BrotherWhelp, oldtimeradio, drama, gunfighters, familydrama, 1950sradio, classicwestern, estrangedsiblings, moralchoices, redemptionarc

Originally Aired: November 11, 1956 In Gunsmoke #240, “Pretty Mama,” Marshal Matt Dillon is called to a remote ranch where Hank Marvel has been mysteriously shot dead. His young son, Beanie, claims to have seen a suspect—but Matt’s instincts tell him there’s more beneath the surface. As the investigation leads to a volatile cowhand, Jack Teague, and the alluring young widow, June Marvel, Matt must untangle a web of lies, suppressed emotions, and tragic misunderstandings. What begins as a straightforward murder inquiry becomes a haunting portrait of misplaced love, maternal desperation, and a child's misguided sense of justice. Cast: William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Parley Baer, Gene Bates, Butch Bernard, John Dehner Tags:western, drama, tragedy, familysecrets, childcrime, moralconflict, WilliamConrad, GeorgiaEllis, Gunsmoke, 1950sradio, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, frontierjustice, suspensepodcast, lescrutchfield, psychologicaldrama, mattdillon