Originally Aired: April 26, 1952

Billy the Kid: A Marshal’s First Case:

In the very first episode of Gunsmoke, Marshal Matt Dillon faces off against the notorious Clay Richards, a wanted man accused of murder and attempted bank robbery. When Clay’s lifeless body is discovered near the river, the townsfolk of Dodge City quickly assume justice has been served. But Matt isn’t convinced—the evidence doesn’t add up, and the mysterious disappearance of Clay’s gun raises more questions than answers.

As Matt digs deeper, he uncovers a tangled web of deceit, with suspects ranging from Clay’s closest friends to those who stood to gain from his death. But when a runaway boy from Cottonwood turns up with Clay’s missing gun, Matt realizes the case is far from over. In a dramatic showdown, Matt must prevent a lynch mob from taking justice into their own hands while navigating the moral complexities of frontier law.

This inaugural episode introduces audiences to the gritty realism and moral ambiguity that would define Gunsmoke, setting the stage for countless tales of law and order in the Wild West.

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Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, Don Diamond, Harry Bartell, Richard Beals, Paul Dubov, Mary Lansing.