Originally Aired: December 18, 1955

In Gunsmoke #193, “Scared Kid,” a young cowboy named Gil Barden is pushed to the brink after a public run-in with a notorious bully, Henry Gant. When Gant is found shot in the back, all eyes turn to Gil, who flees Dodge in terror—triggering a desperate manhunt across the prairie. As Marshal Matt Dillon tracks the frightened boy, a trail of unintended tragedy follows. But the shocking truth behind Gant’s killing reveals a desperate act of self-defense by another, and the terrible price of panic. A somber tale of fear, rumor, and consequences on the frontier.

Cast: William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Sam Edwards, Eleanor Tanin, John Dehner, Ann Morrison

Tags:
western, drama, tragedy, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, MattDillon, comingofage, wrongfulaccusation, selfdefense, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, prairie, chase, morality, youth, fear, classicradio, loss, innocence, justice, vintagepodcast