Gunsmoke: "The Professor" (Aired 11-20-60)
Podcast: Gunsmoke | OTRWesterns.com
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Date Published: August 23, 2025
Starring: William Conrad as Matt Dillon
Episode Overview
This episode of Gunsmoke, titled "The Professor," weaves together Western action and the theme of outsiders facing the harsh realities of the frontier. The story spotlights Otis Milford, an earnest but naive academic from the East who arrives in Dodge City to study Native American culture and soon finds himself in deeper trouble than he expects. Marshal Matt Dillon, Chester, and the townsfolk wrestle with how to help or restrain Milford, who remains oblivious to the West’s dangers—both natural and human. The plot thickens as rumors of buried loot attract ruthless men, putting everyone, including the well-meaning professor, at risk.
Key Discussion Points & Storyline
1. Two Outlaws, Buried Gold, and a Plan
- [03:49] Two men, Bricky and Cribb, dig a hole by the creek to bury stolen gold. Bricky insists they shouldn’t spend the loot until things settle in Dodge.
- Notable exchange:
- Bricky: "We’re gonna lay low and dodge and we're gonna act like we never seen more than six bits all together until they forget about that hole."
- Cribb: "I'll come dig up that gold myself."
- Notable exchange:
- They decide to return later, planning to dig it up when the coast is clear.
2. Introducing Otis Milford: The ‘Professor’
- [06:50] Marshal Dillon and Chester encounter a stranded and ill-equipped man studying Native American artifacts.
- Milford admits: "I let [my horse] escape. I'm not accustomed to horses...I came back from the grave; the animal was gone."
- Milford, writing a book on Indian tribes, is depicted as academically sharp but helpless and naive on the prairie.
- Dillon and Chester offer Milford a ride back to Dodge, amused and baffled by his academic outlook.
3. Culture Clash in Dodge City
- [12:11] Milford’s curiosity gets him in trouble at the Dodge House hotel while rifling through old registers for ‘research.’ The hotelier, Mr. Dobey, is furious, seeing this as prying.
- Dobey: "I don't allow prying, Mr. Milford!"
- Milford (innocently): “I was merely going through the back registers...for my book.”
- Dillon mediates, assuring Dobey Milford means no harm and promising to talk to Milford.
4. Milford’s Outsider Status and Frontier Danger
- [14:28] Dr. Adams and Dillon express concern—their guest is "bound to get himself into real trouble."
- Doc: "He just doesn't belong out in this country. I treated him for his limp, you know. Never saw such a pair of raw feet."
- Milford makes no friends by pestering townsfolk with endless questions. He’s later rumored to be heading for an ‘expedition’ into Indian country—alone.
5. Marshal Dillon's Warning
- [17:59] Dillon tries to dissuade Milford from venturing out, warning of real danger:
- Dillon: "A man who doesn't know the prairie stands a good chance of not getting back."
- Milford (undaunted): "A man must pursue his calling...You can't legally argue with that, can you?"
- Dillon reluctantly lets him proceed but warns that he can’t be responsible for Milford’s fate.
6. Suspicion, Shovels, and Eavesdropping
- [22:29] Milford shops for “expedition” supplies, including a shovel—overheard by Cribb, who grows suspicious he’s after their buried loot:
- Milford (to store owner): "You might call it treasure. Yes, it might be treasure."
- Cribb to Bricky: "I seen the fellow who said he was heading out to dig it up...he was buying a shovel."
- The outlaws panic and set off to intercept Milford.
7. A Missing Professor and a Wrecked Wagon
- [26:42] Milford disappears. His overturned wagon is found by the creek, with only his notebook left behind. Dillon and Chester track fresh footprints leading toward the water.
8. Confrontation by the Creek: Danger and Courage
- [29:30] Milford, intent on his "scientific investigation," is ambushed by Bricky and Cribb, who accuse him of hunting for their gold.
- Milford: “I'm carrying on a scientific investigation. Told you, Cribb. He's digging for the loot.”
- Bricky: "You're close to being buried yourself, mister."
- Marshal Dillon and Chester arrive just in time. A violent struggle ensues; Chester is knocked unconscious.
- In a surprising show of resolve, Milford, using his newfound archery skill, wounds one outlaw with an arrow, helping save the day.
- Dillon: “Nice shooting, Mr. Milford. I never aimed an arrow at a human being before. Sorry. I had to.”
- Milford’s bravery contrasts with his earlier helplessness.
9. Reflection: Prejudice and the Dangers of the West
- [31:59] In the aftermath, Milford reflects with Dillon:
- Milford: “It isn’t always the Indians who are dangerous, is it?”
- Dillon: “No, sir. You’re right. It isn’t always the Indians.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “[The professor’s] just doesn’t belong out in this country. I treated him for his limp, you know. Why, he must have walked for miles.” — Doc Adams ([14:35])
- "A man must pursue his calling...You can't legally argue with that, can you?" — Otis Milford ([18:59])
- "You're close to being buried yourself, mister." — Bricky, outlaw ([30:50])
- “It isn’t always the Indians who are dangerous, is it?” — Otis Milford ([31:59])
- “No, sir. You’re right. It isn’t always the Indians.” — Matt Dillon ([32:00])
Important Timestamps
- [03:49] - The outlaws bury their stolen gold
- [06:50] - Dillon and Chester meet Milford on the plains
- [12:11] - Milford caught rifling through hotel records; local backlash
- [14:28] - Doc and Dillon discuss Milford's unsuitability for western life
- [17:59] - Dillon attempts (and fails) to talk Milford out of going “on expedition”
- [22:29] - Store scene; Milford unwittingly alarms the outlaws
- [26:42] - Milford missing; his wagon found overturned
- [29:30] - Confrontation at the creek; Milford and Chester in danger
- [31:59] - Milford’s reflection on the episode’s events and prejudices
Final Thoughts
The Professor stands out as a classic Gunsmoke tale, juxtaposing Eastern idealism and academic detachment against the unforgiving, suspicious, and dangerous realities of the frontier West. Otis Milford’s earnestness and subsequent ordeal offer both comic relief and a deeper message about the perils of ignorance and the unpredictable nature of true danger—a lesson both for outsiders and those living in Dodge.
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