Originally Aired: April 29, 1956

In Gunsmoke #212, “Doc’s Reward,” the aftermath of a deadly shooting puts Doc Adams at the center of Dodge City’s suspicion and the crosshairs of a vengeful stranger. After Doc kills an outlaw named Miles Brando in self-defense, rumors swirl and Brando’s brother Nate arrives in Dodge, intent on revenge and convinced Doc acted only for the bounty on his brother’s head. As Marshal Dillon and Kitty try to keep Doc safe, a tense showdown looms. But when the truth—and Doc’s compassion—finally come to light, Doc makes a powerful gesture, using the very reward that caused all the trouble to bring a measure of grace to a grieving family. A story of conscience, community, and the unexpected ways mercy can change even the hardest hearts.

Cast:
William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, John Dehner, Vic Perrin

Tags:
western, mercy, revenge, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, docsreward, oldtimeradio, bounty, classicdrama, DodgeCity, 1950sradio, compassion, outlaw, redemption, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: April 22, 1956

In Gunsmoke #211, “Indian Crazy,” a terrified couple new to the frontier seeks Marshal Matt Dillon’s assurance that Comanche raids are just rumors. When violence does strike, only Mrs. Jallop is found dead—scalped and hastily buried—while her husband vanishes, and suspicion falls on the surrounding tribes. But as Matt follows the tracks, he uncovers a much darker truth: driven mad by terror and guilt, Will Jallop turns on his neighbor, Bob Oren, and finally seeks out Matt for a final act of vengeance. In a tense standoff by the river, Jallop confesses to a shattering choice—ending his wife’s life himself to save her from the horrors he feared, and spiraling into a madness that leaves no one untouched. A stark, haunting tale of fear, moral collapse, and the terrible price of frontier life.

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

Tags:
western, tragedy, frontier, psychological, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, indiancrazy, oldtimeradio, guilt, Comanche, 1950sradio, classicdrama, madness, domestictragedy, scalp, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: April 15, 1956

In Gunsmoke #210, “The Executioner,” Marshal Matt Dillon faces the moral cost of frontier justice when a notorious gunman named Tom Clegg rides into Dodge, bringing a trail of dead men and a reputation built on quick draws and provoked duels. After Clegg kills Abe Curry in a “fair” fight, Abe’s brother Morgan refuses to carry a gun for revenge—choosing instead to shame and unsettle Clegg with relentless, silent pursuit. But when Morgan is finally goaded into a fatal confrontation, unarmed and desperate, it falls to Matt Dillon to end Clegg’s reign of fear with his own gun. In the aftermath, Matt must reckon with being made an unwilling executioner—forced into violence by the very men he’s sworn to protect. A tense meditation on justice, reputation, and the terrible burdens lawmen bear.

Cast:
William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Sam Edwards, Vic Perron, John Dehner

Tags:
western, morality, gunfighter, justice, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, theexecutioner, oldtimeradio, vengeance, classicdrama, DodgeCity, 1950sradio, brotherhood, deathwish, lawman, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: April 8, 1956

In Gunsmoke #209, “Widow’s Mite,” Marshal Matt Dillon is drawn into the tragic aftermath of a robbery gone wrong, where suspicion and greed linger long after the gunfire. When outlaw Zach Morton is killed, Dodge City’s gossip mill insists his grieving widow Ada knows the whereabouts of the stolen money. As Matt investigates, he crosses paths with the genteel but unsettling Leach Fields—an old acquaintance of Ada’s who seems too eager to comfort her, and perhaps even marry her, just weeks after her husband’s death. But when Ada disappears and is found starved and tied up, Matt realizes the depths of Fields’ deception. A tense hunt for missing money leads to a desperate confrontation in the dark, and a final revelation that not every crime leaves behind the evidence—or the closure—people expect. “Widow’s Mite” explores the high price of suspicion and the quiet strength of a woman wronged by everyone around her.

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

Tags:
western, mystery, suspense, robbery, DodgeCity, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, HowardMcNear, widowsmite, oldtimeradio, betrayal, vintagecrime, 1950sradio, classicdrama, falseaccusation, frontierjustice, suspensepodcast

Originally Aired: April 1, 1956

In Gunsmoke #208, “How to Sell a Ranch,” Matt Dillon tries to protect an eccentric old rancher, Tup Claver, from being swindled out of his land by a slick city buyer. When a too-generous offer is made, the deal spins into a battle of wits, bluff, and frontier ingenuity. As money, deeds, and tempers fly, Tup proves he’s no easy mark—thanks to a clever scheme involving a relay of borrowed horses. In the end, the city slicker learns just how sharp a so-called simple countryman can be, and Dodge gets a party to remember. A lighthearted episode of double-cross, hustle, and western justice.

Cast:
William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, Ralph Moody, Harry Bartell, Joe Duval, Kathy Marlowe

Tags:
Western, DodgeCity, ranch, scam, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, GeorgiaEllis, RalphMoody, HarryBartell, JoeDuval, KathyMarlowe, oldtimeradio, classicradio, 1950sdrama, hustle, comedy, landdeal, Gunsmoke, frontier, vintagewestern

Originally Aired: March 25, 1956

In Gunsmoke #207, “Hanging Man,” the apparent suicide of a respected businessman soon points to murder, and Marshal Matt Dillon’s suspicions fall on a desperate love triangle. When gambler Mel Tucker becomes the prime suspect—and his lover, Cora Bell, seems tangled in the case—Matt is forced to let Tucker go for lack of evidence. But when a second hanging shocks Dodge, Matt’s patience and cunning set the stage for a dramatic confrontation. With jealousy, betrayal, and greed driving even the most unlikely to violence, Matt must rely on both Kitty’s courage and his own instincts to bring the guilty to justice. A chilling tale of manipulation, passion, and the price of loving the wrong person.

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

Tags:
Western, DodgeCity, murder, hanging, jealousy, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, GeorgiaEllis, LawrenceDobkin, VirginiaGregg, JohnDehner, oldtimeradio, classicradio, 1950sdrama, love, betrayal, crime, Gunsmoke, whodunit, vintagewestern

Originally Aired: March 18, 1956

In Gunsmoke #206, “The Man Who Would Be Marshal,” Emmett Egan, a former Union officer turned cattleman, arrives in Dodge City determined to take Matt Dillon’s job as Marshal—believing law work is just another kind of command. Dillon, weary of the constant danger, gives Egan a week to see the truth for himself. What starts as an exercise in authority quickly turns deadly, as Egan’s lack of experience with violence and gunslingers is exposed in a brutal confrontation. The episode explores the difference between command and survival on the frontier, and the steep price paid by those who wear the badge.

Cast:
William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, John Dehner, James Nusser, Harry Bartell

Tags:
Western, lawman, DodgeCity, ambition, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, GeorgiaEllis, JohnDehner, JamesNusser, HarryBartell, oldtimeradio, classicradio, 1950sdrama, identity, authority, gunslinger, ambition, Gunsmoke, badge, vintagewestern

Originally Aired: March 11, 1956

In Gunsmoke #205, “Bringing Down Father,” Dodge City is rocked by murder and betrayal when a young cattleman named Andy Gilden accuses trail boss Harley Burke of shooting an unarmed man. As Matt Dillon investigates, the truth behind the killing and a $20,000 cattle sale is tangled in pride, hate, and a son’s desperate need to prove himself. With suspicion falling on everyone, Matt must unravel a web of lies, loyalty, and family secrets—before more blood is spilled. In a story where friendship and duty collide, even the best intentions can have tragic consequences.

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

Tags:
Western, cattle, DodgeCity, betrayal, murder, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, GeorgiaEllis, WilliamIdelson, LawrenceDobkin, VicPerrin, oldtimeradio, classicradio, 1950sdrama, fatherandson, loyalty, suspense, Gunsmoke, traildrive, vintagewestern

Originally Aired: March 4, 1956

In Gunsmoke #204, “The Hunter,” legendary frontiersman Jace Murdock—known as “Longarm”—returns to Dodge City, a relic of the buffalo-hunting days, hardened and reckless as ever. Ignoring warnings and driven by pride, Murdock sets out for a forbidden buffalo hunt in Indian territory, taking a young Blackfoot skinner called Golden Calf with him. Marshal Matt Dillon, haunted by an old grudge, must follow Murdock into the snowy wilds—where a deadly, long-range game unfolds. Trapped and outgunned, Matt’s fate turns on the courage and conscience of Golden Calf, who faces a final, tragic choice between his people and the violent legacy of the man he calls father. A tense, wintry tale of the old frontier’s passing and the price of living by the gun.

Cast:
William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Nestor Paiva, Sam Edwards, Harry Bartell

Tags:
Western, buffalo, DodgeCity, Indianterritory, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, GeorgiaEllis, NestorPaiva, SamEdwards, HarryBartell, oldtimeradio, classicradio, 1950sdrama, suspense, fatherandson, legacy, redemption, frontier, Gunsmoke, longarm, vintagewestern

Originally Aired: February 26, 1956

In Gunsmoke #203, “Who Lives by the Sword,” Dodge City is shaken by the arrival of notorious gunman Joe Delk—a man who kills for reputation and whose swagger turns deadly when a young man tries to stand up to him. Marshal Matt Dillon faces Delk not with a gun, but with his fists, shaking the outlaw’s nerve and setting him on a path of self-destruction. As Delk’s confidence crumbles and the town closes in, Matt must reckon with the hard truth that those who live by violence are doomed to fall by it. A stark, psychological episode about pride, fear, and the heavy cost of a life lived on the draw.

Cast:
William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, John Dehner, Sam Edwards, Clayton Post

Tags:
Western, gunman, DodgeCity, pride, downfall, WilliamConrad, ParleyBaer, HowardMcNear, GeorgiaEllis, JohnDehner, SamEdwards, ClaytonPost, oldtimeradio, classicradio, 1950sdrama, suspense, morality, redemption, Gunsmoke, livebythesword, vintagewestern