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

Originally Aired: June 9, 1957

In Gunsmoke #270, “Dodge Podge,” a troubled father’s rage blinds him to the truth. Leif Sutter is determined to mold his son Packy into a hardened cattleman, forbidding him from fraternizing with the gentle, educated sheepherder Jason Roe. When Packy disappears, Sutter’s obsession spirals into deadly vengeance. Despite Marshal Dillon’s warnings, the elder Sutter mistakes violence for justice—and kills the one person he never meant to hurt. A tragic tale of pride, projection, and the peril of letting fear masquerade as strength.

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

Tags:
Western, drama, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, 1950sradio, classicradio, fatherandson, tragedy, JasonRoe, LeifSutter, sheepherder, DodgeCity, mistakenidentity, comingofage, emotionaldrama, frontierjustice, oldtimeradio, moralitytale, toxicmasculinity

Originally Aired: June 2, 1957

In Gunsmoke #269, “Ben Tolliver’s Stud,” a drifting horseman’s pride—and a stolen stud—ignite a deadly conflict. When Ben Tolliver flees his abusive employer, Jake Creed, with a horse he believes he's earned, Creed vows revenge. Marshal Dillon tries to keep the peace, but pride and cruelty escalate matters. As tensions build and a beloved animal suffers, justice hangs in the balance. What begins as a wage dispute ends in death, with a brutal twist of irony that leaves even vengeance hollow.

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

Tags:
Western, drama, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, 1950sradio, classicradio, horsetheft, justice, cowboydrama, pride, revenge, BenTolliver, JakeCreed, Mustang, moralitytale, DodgeCity, oldtimeradio, frontierjustice, suspense

Originally Aired: May 26, 1957

In Gunsmoke #268, “Pal,” a stray dog poisoned and half-dead sets off a chain of chaos in Dodge City. When Chester rescues the animal—dubbed Pal—he unwittingly becomes entangled in the twisted marriage of Spiny Murphy and his brutal wife, Mal. As the dog recovers, tensions rise, secrets surface, and violence looms on the horizon. Marshal Matt Dillon must confront not just domestic abuse but the bitter consequences of pride, alcohol, and misplaced loyalty. A darkly humorous yet sobering tale of man, beast, and the boundaries of ownership.

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

Tags:
Western, drama, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, 1950sradio, classicradio, dogstory, domesticabuse, ChesterProudfoot, darkcomedy, Pal, oldtimeradio, moralitytale, DodgeCity, vintageaudio, frontierjustice, emotionaldrama, twistedrelationships

Originally Aired: May 19, 1957

In Gunsmoke #267, “One Night Stand,” a smooth-talking stranger named Ben Argo arrives in Dodge City with a heavy pair of saddlebags and a tale of gold struck at the Gold Hill diggings. But Marshal Matt Dillon isn’t convinced. As Argo insists on securing his fortune in the local storekeeper’s safe, two shady men from Gold Hill turn up asking questions—men Argo claims are outlaws on his tail. When one of them ends up dead in the street, it sets off a chain of events that leads Dillon to uncover Argo’s real plan: a bold and deadly con to rob a visiting gold buyer of $25,000 in one night. A tense standoff in a locked store vault brings justice to Dodge once again.

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

Tags:
Western, crime, deception, heist, conman, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, GeorgiaEllis, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, marshal, goldrush, Gunsmoke, 1950sradio, audiotheater, suspense, frontierjustice

Originally Aired: May 12, 1957

In Gunsmoke #266, “Sheep Dog,” a poker game turns deadly when young Orland Barkas shoots an unarmed man in cold blood. As Marshal Matt Dillon struggles to find the boy and bring him in for trial, he faces pressure from all sides—townsfolk hungry for mob justice, a father blinded by loyalty, and a community ready to take the law into its own hands. But when Orland’s true nature emerges, even his own family can no longer defend him. A heartbreaking tale of misguided protection, hard choices, and the high cost of justice on the frontier.

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

Tags:
Western, frontierjustice, murder, loyalty, fatherandson, mobjustice, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, GeorgiaEllis, oldtimeradio, classicwestern, marshal, 1950sradio, audiotheater, tragedy, smalltowndrama

Originally Aired: May 5, 1957

In Gunsmoke #265, “How to Kill a Friend,” Marshal Matt Dillon faces more than just another hired gun—he faces a ghost from his own past. When two crooked gamblers return to Dodge with a gunman in tow, Dillon is stunned to discover it’s Tope Marlin, a man he once rode the range with, now soured by betrayal and hate. Tope has one job: kill Dillon. But as old memories resurface and the line between law and loyalty blurs, both men are forced to confront what they’ve become. A tense and emotional standoff follows, ending in a tragic, inevitable duel between old friends.

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

Tags:
Western, drama, suspense, oldtimeradio, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, 1950sradio, gunfighter, betrayal, DodgeCity, classicwestern, emotionaldrama, TopeMarlin, hiredgun, revenge, vintageaudio, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: April 28, 1957

In Gunsmoke #264, “Medicine Man,” Hart Finney rolls into Dodge City with his wife and a wagon full of “muscle, bone, blood, and nerve tonic,” hoping to make a few sales before heading out. But when saloon-owner Grant Medford suddenly claims the land Finney’s using, Marshal Dillon finds himself caught in a legal tangle—and a moral one. As Medford pushes harder, tension builds, leading to a public showdown that puts law, pride, and fists to the test. An episode that questions justice, dignity, and what it means to stand your ground.

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, Virginia Gregg, Vic Perrin

Tags:
Western, drama, oldtimeradio, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, 1950sradio, medicine show, DodgeCity, frontierjustice, classicwestern, legaldrama, GrantMedford, HartFinney, snakeoil, vintageaudio, landdispute, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: May 12, 1957

In Gunsmoke #266, “Sheep Dog,” Marshal Matt Dillon is caught between justice and heartbreak when Orlin Barker, the son of an old friend, shoots an unarmed man during a drunken poker game. As the boy disappears into the prairie, rumors and resentment swell in Dodge, spurred on by mob leader Riff Kelso. While Matt tries to keep law and order, Jeb Barker must confront a harrowing truth about his son—and ultimately make the hardest decision of his life. A powerful tale of loyalty, moral reckoning, and the deep cost of doing what’s right.

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

Tags:
Western, drama, moralconflict, oldtimeradio, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, 1950sradio, familytragedy, justice, DodgeCity, classicwestern, vigilante, SheepDog, mobjustice, fatherandson, vintageaudio, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: April 21, 1957

In Gunsmoke #263, “Bear Trap,” Dodge City's aging liveryman Andy Weaver is known for his tall tales—but when ex-convict Hod Logan returns with a grudge, Andy’s life is suddenly in real danger. As Marshal Matt Dillon tries to anticipate Logan’s next move, a more sinister plot unfolds: a nighttime robbery with murder on the agenda. What follows is a suspenseful standoff and a surprising moment of courage from the man no one ever believed. This episode blends character depth with tension and redemption, offering a heartfelt tribute to unexpected bravery.

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

Tags:
Western, drama, suspense, oldtimeradio, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, 1950sradio, redemption, beartrap, gunfight, DodgeCity, classicwestern, heroism, HodLogan, AndyWeaver, vintageaudio, frontierdrama, suspensepodcast