
Original Air Date: April 15, 1956Host: Andrew RhynesShow: GunsmokePhone: (707) 98 OTRDW (6-8739) Stars:• William Conrad (Matt Dillion)• Parley Baer (Chester)• Georgia Ellis (Kitty)• Howard McNear (Doc) Special Guests:• Sam Edwards• Vic Perrin• John Deh...
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Morgan Curry
Foreign.
Andrew Rines
Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host Andrew Rines. And before we get into this episode, I wanted to do a little PSA and remind you that I put out multiple shows a week of Old Time Radio Westerns. You can check them out by going to otrwesterns.com or looking up OTR Westerns on your podcast application of choice. We're releasing over 10 episodes a week so far, about a hundred a month. So definitely want you to check that out again otrwesterns.com and check it out. I also wanted to invite you to check out my sister podcast site, otnetcast. And that's N E T C A s t. So ot n e t c a s t netcast otnetcast.com we're currently releasing mystery genre shows and this is shows like the Shadow Escape, Suspense and the Whistler. And we have plans on bringing other shows to the network for you guys to listen to. So it's my non western old time radio channel that I can kind of do other genres that not only I like, but hopefully you would like too. You can check us out by going to otnetcast.com or searching T N E T C A S T on your podcast app of choice. Now let's get into this episode. This episode is going to be Gunsmoke original air dates April 15, 1956 and the title is the Executioner.
William Conrad
Gun Smoke brought to you by Chesterfield. Chesterfield packs more pleasure because it's more perfectly packed. Thanks to Accuray, they satisfy the most around Dodge City and in the territory on west. There's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with a U.S. marshal and the smell of gun smoke. Gun Smoke Starring William Conrad. The France fraud story of the violence that moved west with young America and the story of a man who moved with it.
Matt Dillon
I'm that man. Matt Dillon, United States Marshal. The first man they look for and the last they want to meet. It's a chancy job and it makes a man watchful and a little lone.
Morgan Curry
You know this fellow riding in Morgan? He's a stranger for sure. Abe. That brand on his horse, I can't even read it.
William Conrad
Good horse, though.
Morgan Curry
Joe. Get down, stranger.
Tom Clegg
Who are you men?
Morgan Curry
We're the Curry brothers. We own this ranch.
Tom Clegg
How far is it to dodge?
Morgan Curry
60 mile if you're riding a straight line.
Tom Clegg
I want some grain for my horse.
Morgan Curry
Where is it? Look, stranger, we got no grain. We're fresh out. Now, Abe, if he wants a little Grain. Then he can act more polite about it.
Tom Clegg
Oh, ain't I been polite enough for you? Maybe I oughta change my ways just for you.
Morgan Curry
What are you, anyway? Some kid who thinks he's a man.
William Conrad
Just cause he's wearing a gun for the first time?
Tom Clegg
Mister, I've been wearing a gun eight years, ever since I was 16.
Morgan Curry
That makes you 24 and still a kid. That ought to be taken out to the shed.
Tom Clegg
You aim to take me out, mister?
William Conrad
Somebody oughta.
Tom Clegg
A lot of men have tried. I guess it's your turn now. Go ahead. You're wearing a gun. Oh, now we won't have any fighting.
Morgan Curry
You watch your temper, Abe. The kid don't mean nothing.
Tom Clegg
The name's Tom Clegg. I ain't a kid.
Morgan Curry
All right, Clegg. Forget it.
Tom Clegg
You too, Abe.
Morgan Curry
Well.
Tom Clegg
Say you're sorry, mister.
Morgan Curry
Say what?
Tom Clegg
You heard me. You crazy. Maybe this will help you. Now draw.
Morgan Curry
No, Abe.
Tom Clegg
Abe. Don't move, mister.
Morgan Curry
You killed him. You killed my brother. Well, you hardly got his hand on his gun.
Tom Clegg
Why don't you try me?
Morgan Curry
Abe wasn't no gunfighter. Neither am I then.
Tom Clegg
I tell you what. You practice a little, I'll be in dodge for a spell. Come see me.
Morgan Curry
Well, now. Say, there is a good looking horse, Mr. Dillon. I'll.
Matt Dillon
Which one, Chester?
Morgan Curry
That big baby. That young fella's just getting off of there, huh, Wellaney?
Matt Dillon
Well, I wasn't looking at the horse, Justin.
Morgan Curry
Oh, you know that fella?
Matt Dillon
Yeah, maybe.
Tom Clegg
What are you people staring at?
Matt Dillon
Aren't you Tom Craig?
Tom Clegg
Matt Dylan?
Matt Dillon
At Las Cruces? About eight years ago, wasn't it?
Tom Clegg
Exactly eight years ago. I've changed some since then. Marshal Dillon?
Matt Dillon
Yeah, I'm a marshal. This Chester Proudfoot Clay.
Morgan Curry
How do you do.
Tom Clegg
Marshall, I suppose you're remembering how I didn't dare draw on that fella in Las Cruces.
Matt Dillon
You were smart not to. He'd have killed you.
Tom Clegg
Sure, I left there. I went out by myself. I practiced for two years every day. I got pretty good with a gun. Marshall, that fellow's dead now. I went back and I killed him.
Matt Dillon
Wasn't much of a quarrel.
Tom Clegg
I don't need much, Marshall. Oh, I killed a lot of men since then. But don't you worry about me. They always draw first.
Matt Dillon
You're telling me you turn gunman, huh?
Tom Clegg
I've got me a pretty fair reputation in New Mexico.
Matt Dillon
Now you want to be known in Kansas. That's why you came here.
Tom Clegg
I didn't say that.
Matt Dillon
I know you're kind Clegg, I ought to. I've killed enough of them.
Tom Clegg
Not me, Marshall. You ain't gonna kill me. I'm too fast for you and I'm too smart. I'll show you.
William Conrad
That whistling. Man, Bobby Haggart really started something tonight. The Calypso boys join in. Ready, Amig.
Kitty
Packs more pleasure, Packs more pleasure Chesterfield packs more pleasure Because Chesterfield's.
William Conrad
More perfectly packed it stands to reason A cigarette made better and packed better Smokes better, tastes better and Chesterfield is more perfectly packed by accuray this electronic miracle Removes human error in cigarette manufacture so Accuray Chesterfield is firm and pleasing to the lips Mild, yet deeply satisfying yes, Chesterfield gives you something no other cigarette can give you Chesterfield packs more.
Kitty
Pleasure Because Chesterfield's more perfectly packed to.
William Conrad
The touch, to the taste Chesterfield packs more pleasure because it's more perfectly packed by Chesterfield Mild, yet they satisfy the most.
Morgan Curry
Sam.
Matt Dillon
Oh, Chester.
Morgan Curry
Chester. I'm coming, Mr. Dillon. What was it you wanted?
Matt Dillon
You all throughout, sir.
William Conrad
Well, I'm through to one.
Morgan Curry
I was. Tries to open that back door again. I guess it won't never get fixed. Proper lesson. You just build us in, Morgan Curry. All right.
Matt Dillon
Come on in, Morgan.
Morgan Curry
Hello, Chester. Where's Abe at? About Abe, I come see the marshal.
Matt Dillon
Something wrong, Morgan?
Morgan Curry
Marshall, you've known me and Abe a long time.
Matt Dillon
I sure have.
Morgan Curry
Would you say I'm a man who tells lies?
Matt Dillon
You know the answer to that, Morgan.
Morgan Curry
And I'll say it short. A fellow rode up to the ranch day before yesterday and him and Abe got into a little argument. But Abe was about willing to call it off when this fellow slapped him.
Matt Dillon
And Abe went for his gun.
Morgan Curry
Never had a chance. Marshal. This fellow was the fastest man I ever seen.
Matt Dillon
You say his name, Morgan?
Morgan Curry
Tom Clegg.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, I thought so.
Morgan Curry
He's a killer, Marshall. He made Abe draw.
Matt Dillon
That's what he means about being smart.
Morgan Curry
No man can take being slapped. That ain't self defense, Marshall, and he can't claim it is.
Matt Dillon
The law says he can.
Morgan Curry
Look, Marshal, I ain't a coward, you know that. But there's no use my facing him. He'd kill me easy as he did Abe. Now, what good would that do?
Matt Dillon
I wish I could help you, Morgan.
Morgan Curry
Well, it ain't just me, Marshall. It's all the men he's going to kill before he's through. Somebody's got to stop him.
Matt Dillon
Somebody will. Someday.
Morgan Curry
Now, before he kills any more men. It's like poisoning a wolf. Don't you see that, Morgan?
Matt Dillon
I'm a lawman. When Tom Clegg breaks the law, I'll go after him.
Morgan Curry
But in.
Matt Dillon
Until he does, there's nothing I can do.
Morgan Curry
I don't know if you're fast enough for him, Marshall. You're the only man I do know who might be.
Matt Dillon
I'm not hired to gun men down, Morgan.
Morgan Curry
He's got to be killed.
Matt Dillon
And I'll admit the world would be.
Morgan Curry
Better off without him. You said something about his being smart. Now, he claimed that, and we'll see how smart he is. Marshall, Tom Clay's going to die. No matter what, he's going to die.
Kitty
You want another beer, Matt?
Matt Dillon
No, one's my limit, Kitty.
Kitty
One.
Morgan Curry
Oh, you're expecting trouble?
Matt Dillon
I didn't say that.
Kitty
One beer said it.
Matt Dillon
You know me too well, Kitty. But you're right about my expecting trouble.
Kitty
Well, I already knew about that. I've watched Morgan Curry following Clegg in and out of here for two days now.
Matt Dillon
I don't know what Morgan has in mind, Kitty, but I'm sure he doesn't plan to shoot Clegg in the back or anything like that.
Kitty
He isn't even carrying a gun.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, I know.
Kitty
He just stands around at a distance and sort of keeps an eye on Clegg. It's driving him crazy.
Matt Dillon
But Morgan's not carrying a gun. It's made Clegg helpless to do anything about it.
Kitty
Maybe he's trying to get him into a fist fight, Matt.
Matt Dillon
Ah, Clegg wouldn't fight him, Kitty. He knows he'd get torn apart.
Kitty
It beats me what he's up to.
Matt Dillon
I wish Morgan would go home and forget about it.
Kitty
Maybe it's you he's trying to shame, Matt.
Morgan Curry
Me?
William Conrad
What for?
Kitty
For not doing anything about Clegg murdering his brother.
Matt Dillon
It wasn't murder, Kitty. Abe drew first.
Kitty
The way I heard it, Clegg made him draw. And I don't care what the law calls self defense.
Matt Dillon
Well, I have to, Kitty. I have to care.
Kitty
Yeah, I know, Matt.
Morgan Curry
Well, there they are.
Matt Dillon
What?
Kitty
Clegg. He just went to the bar. Morgan will be along directly.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, well, you keep an eye on him, Kitty.
Kitty
Me keep an eye on him?
Matt Dillon
I got a ride out into the country tomorrow. I'm leaving before dawn so as I can get back early in the afternoon.
Kitty
Well, then you better get to bed. Good night, Matt.
Matt Dillon
I'll see you tomorrow, Kitty.
Kitty
Sure.
Tom Clegg
Marshall, I want to talk to you.
Matt Dillon
Go ahead, Clegg, talk.
Tom Clegg
It's about him.
William Conrad
Oh, Morgan.
Tom Clegg
Hey, Morgan, what are you calling him for?
Morgan Curry
You want me, Marshall?
Matt Dillon
Yeah. Clegg here wanted to talk to me about you, Morgan. I thought maybe you ought to hear it, too.
Tom Clegg
Sure, he can hear it. I want him to stop following me around, that's all.
Matt Dillon
Why tell me that, Clegg?
Tom Clegg
Cause you've got to stop him.
Matt Dillon
Me stop him? He isn't breaking any law.
Tom Clegg
He ain't wearing a gun. A dirty coward.
Matt Dillon
There's no law that a man has to wear a gun.
Tom Clegg
It's making me jumpy. I don't like being stared at all the time.
Morgan Curry
You got a guilty conscience about something, Clay?
Tom Clegg
You shut up.
Morgan Curry
Why don't you take your gun off and shut me up, Clay?
Tom Clegg
You hear him, Marshall? You see what a coward he is?
Matt Dillon
I can't help you, Clay.
Tom Clegg
Lock him up, Marshall. Go on, lock him up. You heard me?
Matt Dillon
Yeah, I heard you.
Tom Clegg
Then do it.
Matt Dillon
Not very likely.
Morgan Curry
All right.
Tom Clegg
You're wearing a gun. Are you a coward, too, Marshall?
Matt Dillon
Morgan, come outside. I want to talk to you.
Morgan Curry
Okay, Marshall.
Tom Clegg
You're both cowards. That's what you are. Cowards.
Morgan Curry
Why didn't you kill him in there, Marshall? That was your chance.
Matt Dillon
I'm not a gunman, Morgan. I'm a law man. Won't you ever understand that?
Morgan Curry
Maybe I'm beginning to.
Matt Dillon
Look, Morgan, it's no use. I'm not gonna fight, Clay. Now, you can't use the law for your own revenge. That's not what it's for. Now, why don't you forget this and go back home, Marshall?
Morgan Curry
Do you think I'm a coward because I won't put on a gun and let him kill me?
Matt Dillon
I don't know what to think, Morgan. You seem to be doing all the thinking these days.
Morgan Curry
My brother Abe was murdered, Marshall. He was murdered.
Matt Dillon
I'm sorry, Morgan, but there's nothing I can do. Now, good night.
William Conrad
Where are you? Listening to gun smoke in your favorite easy chair or out driving. Oh, there you are in the kitchen. Say you want to make whatever you're doing more enjoyable. Have a chesterfield. Enjoy Chesterfield's better taste and mildness. You see, Chesterfield packs more pleasure because it's more perfectly packed. A more perfectly packed cigarette gives you an open, easy draw that unlocks all the better taste and mildness of fine tobaccos. And Chesterfield, made by exclusive accuray is more perfectly packed with an even distribution of tobacco from one end of your chesterfield to the other. Firm and pleasing to the lips. Mild, yet deeply satisfying. Remember to the touch, to the taste.
Kitty
Chesterfield packs more pleasure because chesterfield's more.
William Conrad
Perfectly packed by chesterfield. Mild, yet they satisfy the most.
Morgan Curry
Hello, Mr. Dillon.
Matt Dillon
Oh, where Is everybody Chester? Why is the town so quiet this afternoon?
Morgan Curry
Everybody seen you riding in again, all right. They've been waiting for you to get back.
Matt Dillon
Waiting for me?
Morgan Curry
Why? I told them you'd be back early afternoon. There's trouble here this morning, Mr. Dillon.
Matt Dillon
You mean a shooting?
Morgan Curry
Yes, sir.
Matt Dillon
Morgan?
Morgan Curry
Yes, sir. It was Morgan. Yeah.
Matt Dillon
So he put on a gun after all, huh?
Morgan Curry
No, sir. He was unarmed. What? He ain't dead, though. At least not yet. He's up at dark. Where's Clegg? Clegg must have saw you ride in too. He's standing across the street now, behind you, there. Ah.
Matt Dillon
Well, I won't keep him waiting. I hear you shot another man, Craig.
Tom Clegg
He deserved it.
William Conrad
Did he?
Tom Clegg
I warned him about following me around. It drove me half crazy.
Matt Dillon
So you stopped him?
Tom Clegg
He slapped me. No man can take that.
Matt Dillon
No, not even his brother Abe could.
Tom Clegg
Say I plumb forgot about that.
Matt Dillon
You told me once how smart you are, Clegg. I guess you forgot about that too.
Tom Clegg
What do you mean?
Matt Dillon
Morgan was unarmed.
Tom Clegg
You gonna try to put me in jail, Marshall?
Morgan Curry
Mm.
Matt Dillon
I'm gonna try.
Tom Clegg
Now, you're forgetting I also told you.
William Conrad
I'm too fast for you.
Morgan Curry
Maybe you are.
Matt Dillon
I'm arresting you, Clegg.
Tom Clegg
Keep your eyes on mine, Marshall. I want to see the look in them when it hits you. That's the best part. Now.
Morgan Curry
Hello, Matt. Doc. I heard the shots Met. I see Clegg still lying there.
Matt Dillon
And if he's got any friends, they can move it.
Morgan Curry
I doubt if he has, man like that.
Matt Dillon
I guess not, Doc.
Morgan Curry
You did it the only way possible.
Matt Dillon
I was trying to arrest him, Doc. I didn't walk out there to shoot him down. How's Morgan?
Morgan Curry
With two bullets in him? He's doing as well as might be expected. I don't mean any of what he's dying, man. Now.
Matt Dillon
Now let's go see him.
Morgan Curry
Matter of fact, there's no reason at all he should have lived this long. I can't understand it. Most men would have died on the spot, shot up the way he was.
Matt Dillon
Morgan.
Morgan Curry
Marshall. I heard some shooting, didn't I?
Tom Clegg
Yeah.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, you did.
Morgan Curry
Was you in it? I was in plague. Steady.
Matt Dillon
That's how you wanted it, wasn't it?
Morgan Curry
That's how I wanted it. It's what I've been hanging on for. Morgan.
Matt Dillon
You knew he'd shoot you when you slapped him, didn't you?
Morgan Curry
I had him on edge, Marshall. I planned it that way.
Matt Dillon
I thought so. And you were willing to die just to get me to face him.
Morgan Curry
Huh? There wasn't no other way. I couldn't kill him myself.
Matt Dillon
Well, I can't say I admire your thinking, but you're sure not a coward.
Morgan Curry
He murdered my brother and murdered me the same way. But we got him anyway, didn't we? Didn't we, Mother? Well, he was right. He won. Even if they had to die to do it. Yeah.
Matt Dillon
But you know something, Doc? I feel like a hangman. He made an executioner out of me, and I don't like it.
Morgan Curry
I understand that matter, but you'll forget it. You'll forget it in time.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, sure. One more thing to forget.
William Conrad
In a moment, our star, William Conrad.
Kitty
Chesterfield packs more pleasure because Chesterfield's more perfectly packed.
William Conrad
A cigarette made better and packed better smokes better, tastes better and Chesterfield is more perfectly packed by accuray. This electronic miracle removes human error in cigarette manufacture. So accurate. Chesterfield is firm and pleasing to the lips. Chesterfield mild. Yet they satisfy the most.
Matt Dillon
On the frontier, bands of marauding Indians weren't too uncommon. And next week, during an attack, three people are killed, but not by the Indians. And that was the West. Good night.
William Conrad
Gunsmoke, produced and Directed by Norman McDonald. Stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. marshal. Our story was specially written for Gun Smoke by John Meston with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey, sound patterned by Ray Kemper and Bill James. Featured in the cast were Sam Edwards, Vic Paran and John Dana. Harley Bear as Chester. Howard McMir is Doc and Georgia Ellis is kidding. Take a tip from the L and M people, the people who have put the pleasure back into cigarette smoking. Take the L and M miracle tip, the tip that lets all the flavor of superior tobaccos come rich, come clean, come easy. Once you light up an lm, you'll understand why we say they're so good to your taste, so quick on the draw. It's the pure white miracle tip that adds so much to your enjoyment. So make today your big red letter day change to L and M. Join us again next week for another specially transcribed story on gun smoke.
Andrew Rines
This has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate our shows in your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to otrwesterns.com Facebook subscribe to our YouTube channel by going to otrwesterns.Com YouTube and send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com you can call and leave us a voicemail. 707986, 8739. This episode is copyright under the Attribution Non Commercial Share Like Copyright for more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.
Podcast Summary: Gunsmoke | OTRWesterns.com
Episode: "The Executioner"
Original Air Date: April 15, 1956
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Host: Andrew Rines
"The Executioner," an episode from the iconic Western drama Gunsmoke, delves into themes of justice, revenge, and the moral dilemmas faced by lawmen in the untamed American West. Set in Dodge City, Kansas, this episode, originally aired on April 15, 1956, features intense character interactions and a gripping narrative that explores the fine line between upholding the law and seeking personal vengeance.
The episode begins with Morgan Curry expressing concern over a stranger, Tom Clegg, who arrives at his ranch. Tensions escalate as Clegg confronts Morgan and Abe, Morgan's brother, leading to a heated altercation. Clegg's aggressive demeanor and penchant for violence soon reveal his true nature as a seasoned gunman seeking to challenge Matt Dillon.
Morgan Curry [05:04]: "Well, now. Say, there is a good looking horse, Mr. Dillon. I'll."
Tom Clegg [05:20]: "Why don't you try me?"
As the story unfolds, it's revealed that Clegg and Dillon share a tumultuous history dating back to Las Cruces eight years prior. Clegg admits to killing a man from Las Cruces, emphasizing his transformation into a lethal gunman over the years.
Tom Clegg [06:36]: "I went back and I killed him."
Matt Dillon [07:04]: "You're telling me you turned gunman, huh?"
Morgan Curry approaches Marshal Dillon, seeking justice for his brother Abe's death at the hands of Clegg. He challenges Dillon's adherence to the law, arguing that legal avenues are insufficient when faced with a relentless killer.
Morgan Curry [09:52]: "Marshall, you've known me and Abe a long time."
Matt Dillon [10:14]: "The law says he can."
Morgan Curry [10:38]: "Look, Marshal, I ain't a coward, you know that. But there's no use my facing him. He'd kill me easy as he did Abe. Now, what good would that do?"
Clegg's continued provocations force Dillon into a moral quandary. While bound by duty, Dillon grapples with the desire to protect his town and honor his friends. The tension culminates in a confrontation where Clegg directly challenges Dillon's principles.
Tom Clegg [14:10]: "It's making me jumpy. I don't like being stared at all the time."
Morgan Curry [15:17]: "I don't know if you're fast enough for him, Marshall. You're the only man I do know who might be."
The inevitable showdown occurs when Clegg, fueled by vengeance, confronts Dillon. Despite Dillon's reluctance to engage in personal retribution, the situation forces him to act decisively. The altercation results in Clegg's death, but not without significant personal cost.
Tom Clegg [19:27]: "Keep your eyes on mine, Marshall. I want to see the look in them when it hits you."
Morgan Curry [21:58]: "He murdered my brother and murdered me the same way. But we got him anyway, didn't we?"
In the aftermath, both Dillon and Morgan reflect on the heavy toll of their actions. Dillon feels conflicted about becoming an executioner, while Morgan grapples with the loss and the justice served. The episode closes on a somber note, highlighting the perpetual struggle between law and personal vendetta in the Wild West.
Matt Dillon [22:36]: "But you know something, Doc? I feel like a hangman. He made an executioner out of me, and I don't like it."
Morgan Curry [21:58]: "He was right. He won. Even if they had to die to do it. Yeah."
Justice vs. Vengeance: The episode masterfully juxtaposes the principles of law enforcement against personal retribution, questioning the effectiveness and morality of each.
Moral Dilemmas: Matt Dillon's internal conflict showcases the emotional burdens carried by those tasked with maintaining order in chaotic environments.
Transformation and Identity: Tom Clegg's evolution from a hesitant individual to a feared gunman underscores the impact of circumstance and trauma on personal identity.
Community and Responsibility: Morgan Curry's plea highlights the community's reliance on its leaders and the desperation that can arise in the face of relentless threat.
Morgan Curry [10:38]: "Look, Marshal, I ain't a coward, you know that. But there's no use my facing him. He'd kill me easy as he did Abe. Now, what good would that do?"
Matt Dillon [07:04]: "You're telling me you turned gunman, huh?"
Tom Clegg [14:10]: "It's making me jumpy. I don't like being stared at all the time."
Matt Dillon [22:36]: "But you know something, Doc? I feel like a hangman. He made an executioner out of me, and I don't like it."
"The Executioner" is a quintessential Gunsmoke episode that delves deep into the complexities of justice in the American frontier. Through its rich character development and morally charged narrative, it offers listeners a poignant exploration of duty, loss, and the human condition. Matt Dillon's unwavering commitment to the law, juxtaposed with the personal anguish of losing loved ones, encapsulates the enduring struggle between upholding societal norms and addressing personal grief.
For fans and newcomers alike, "The Executioner" stands as a testament to Gunsmoke's ability to blend action, emotion, and philosophical inquiry, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of Western storytelling.