Originally Aired: August 18, 1957

In Gunsmoke #280, “The Peace Officer,” U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon rides to Tascosa to help replace a corrupt sheriff, only to find himself the target of a deadly ambush. Along the way, he encounters Stella Harkney, a saloon girl desperate to escape the clutches of Clegg Rollins—the very man Dillon’s been sent to confront. As the two flee across the prairie, pursued by gunmen and haunted by secrets, they forge a fragile alliance. But back in Dodge, the danger hasn’t passed—and the final showdown is as personal as it is violent. A tale of justice, jealousy, and quiet heroism on the frontier.

Cast: William Conrad, Virginia Christine, Lawrence Dobkin, John Gaynor

Tags:
Western, drama, frontierjustice, WilliamConrad, StellaHarkney, Tascosa, 1950sradio, gunsmoke, oldtimeradio, corruptsheriff, saloongirl, escape, classicradio, lawandorder, westernpodcast, vintageaudio

Originally Aired: August 11, 1957

In Gunsmoke #279, “Jayhawkers,” Marshal Matt Dillon rides out with a Texas trail herd to help ease tensions between Kansans and bitter cattlemen—only to find himself embroiled in a deadly ambush by marauding Jayhawkers. When a trusted drover is murdered and suspicion falls on a newcomer named Studer, Dillon’s instincts prove true. As violence flares and tempers rise, Matt must act fast to deliver frontier justice before Dodge becomes a war zone. A rugged, character-driven tale of vengeance, law, and uneasy truces on the open range.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis

Tags:
Western, cattle drive, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, Jayhawkers, frontierjustice, DodgeCity, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, ambush, betrayal, TexasvsKansas, classicdrama, suspensepodcast, vintageradio, traildrama

Originally Aired: August 4, 1957

In Gunsmoke #278, “Big Hands,” Marshal Matt Dillon encounters a murder mystery when a homesteader’s wife brings her husband’s body into Dodge, claiming he was shot by a stranger with massive shoulders. As Dillon investigates, the description leads him to Bull Logan, a drifter with a criminal past. But when the widow inexplicably denies recognizing the man, the Marshal’s suspicions grow. With the truth buried beneath loneliness and lies, Dillon must uncover a deadly pact forged in desperation. A stark, emotional tale of frontier justice, hard choices, and the burden of survival.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis

Tags:
Western, mystery, frontierjustice, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, BullLogan, 1950sradio, oldtimeradio, classicdrama, loneliness, betrayal, murdermystery, suspensepodcast, DodgeCity, homesteader, vintageaudio

Originally Aired: July 28, 1957

In Gunsmoke #277, “Cow Doctor,” Doc Adams is lured out to the homestead of Ben Pitcher under false pretenses—only to find he's been summoned not for a man, but to treat a cow. Doc does his duty, but the deception proves costly when his absence leads to a woman’s death back in Dodge. Enraged, Pitcher turns violent and stabs Doc, who barely survives. But when Pitcher himself falls gravely ill, it's the same Doc who risks his life again to save him. A powerful tale of stubborn pride, moral duty, and unexpected redemption on the frontier.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis

Tags:
Western, medicaldrama, WilliamConrad, HowardMcNear, forgiveness, frontier, betrayal, redemption, gunsmoke, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicwestern, morality, cowdoctor, stubbornpride

Originally Aired: July 21, 1957

In Gunsmoke #276, “Kitty Caught,” a routine morning turns to horror when Kitty is taken hostage during a bank robbery by the infamous Carp brothers. With her life hanging in the balance, Marshal Dillon and Chester set out on a desperate and agonizingly cautious pursuit—knowing one wrong move could get Kitty killed. A tense standoff unfolds at a remote prairie cabin, culminating in a deadly rescue. A taut, emotionally charged episode that tests the limits of courage, patience, and marksmanship.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis

Tags:
Western, hostage, suspense, WilliamConrad, GeorgiaEllis, rescue, bankrobbery, outlaw, prairie, survival, gunsmoke, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicwestern, tension, sharpshooting, frontierjustice

Originally Aired: July 14, 1957

In Gunsmoke #275, “Bloody Hands,” Marshal Matt Dillon brings in notorious outlaw Jack Brand, killing three of his gang in a brutal shootout. But the bloodshed haunts him, and when another killer, Joe Stanger, provokes him to a showdown, Dillon hesitates—and resigns. For a brief moment, he tries to live a peaceful life, free from violence. But when Stanger murders a woman and another innocent man, Dillon faces the truth: some men are born to fight the darkness, whether they like it or not. A powerful tale of duty, fatigue, and reluctant heroism.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin

Tags:
Western, redemption, burnout, WilliamConrad, reluctanthero, justice, JoeStanger, bloodshed, marshal, resignation, gunsmoke, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicwestern, morality, gunslinger

Originally Aired: July 7, 1957

In Gunsmoke #274, “Word of Honor,” Doc Adams returns to Dodge after disappearing for two days—summoned by outlaws to save a dying boy. But when the boy dies, Doc finds himself sworn to secrecy under threat of death. The victim turns out to be Hank Worth, the son of a powerful rancher, and Marshal Dillon is under pressure to find the killer fast. As vengeance looms and tensions rise, Doc must weigh the value of his promise against the need for justice. A gripping story of loyalty, integrity, and peril on the frontier.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Lawrence Dobkin, Vic Perrin, Harry Bartell, Georgia Ellis

Tags:
Western, moralconflict, oath, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, justice, integrity, honor, secrecy, frontierlaw, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicwestern, doctor, gunsmoke

Originally Aired: June 30, 1957

In Gunsmoke #273, “The Buffalo Hunter,” Marshal Matt Dillon investigates the suspicious death of a buffalo skinner who suffered a horrifying accident—being doused in molten lead. As Dillon digs deeper, he uncovers the greed and cruelty of the man responsible: the ruthless hunter Gatliff. But justice is a long ride across the prairie, and when Gatliff descends into madness, his brutal end is delivered not by the law—but by the land he helped desolate. A haunting frontier tale of murder, guilt, and retribution amid the dying herds of the American West.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Lawrence Dobkin, Vic Perrin, Richard Deacon, Harry Bartell, Jack Moyles

Tags:
Western, buffalo, frontierjustice, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, greed, madness, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicwestern, tragedy, buffalohunter, moltenlead, revenge, nativejustice, gunsmoke

Originally Aired: June 23, 1957

In Gunsmoke #272, “Home Surgery,” Marshal Matt Dillon and Chester come across a desperate teenage girl named Tara Hortree whose father lies dying from blood poisoning after a horse accident. With no doctor for miles and the only man who promised help suspiciously missing, Dillon is forced to attempt a brutal, risky operation himself—amputating the man’s infected leg. As the truth about Ben Walling’s betrayal comes to light, the stakes rise, and justice takes on a deeply personal meaning. A harrowing tale of courage, isolation, and frontier justice.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear

Tags:
Western, frontiermedicine, survival, suspense, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, homesurgery, justice, betrayal, bloodpoisoning, isolation, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicwestern, drama, mattdillon

Originally Aired: June 16, 1957

In Gunsmoke #271, “Summer Night,” the dusty trails of Dodge are left in silence as a wagon train rolls west—leaving behind something unexpected: a newborn baby. When Marshal Dillon finds the infant abandoned at Doc’s office, a quiet search begins for the mother. But the woman who returns may not be who she claims to be. As truths unravel in the heat of the prairie night, an unexpected act of compassion leads to a second chance for love, family, and redemption. A delicate tale of loss, longing, and human connection under the wide Kansas sky.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear

Tags:
Western, drama, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, 1950sradio, classicradio, abandonedbaby, compassion, motherhood, redemption, DodgeCity, babyadoption, emotionaldrama, summernight, oldtimeradio, moralitytale, heartwarming, frontierlife