
Original Air Date: December 11, 1960Host: 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 D...
Loading summary
A
Foreign.
B
Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines, and I'm excited to bring you another episode absolutely free. This is one of over 80 episodes released monthly for your enjoyment. Now, let's get into this episode.
C
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. Starring William Conrad. The story of the violence that moved west with young America. And the story of a man who moved with it.
D
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.
E
Hey, waiter.
D
Waiter.
E
Now, what do you want? Coffee? A pot of it, if you don't mind, Mr. Green.
D
Yeah, Joe.
F
Now, look here, cowboy.
E
Sandy King's the name, Mr. Green.
F
Don't you Mr. Green me.
E
Okay, Hank. What's on your mind?
F
Feeding you is on my mind. You've been eating here a whole week on credit, and you ain't paid a center?
E
Of course not.
F
What do you mean, of course not?
E
When a man eats on credit, he ain't supposed to pay, is he?
F
Now, you look here.
E
I'm broke, Hank.
F
I'm broker than you are.
C
Look at this place.
F
I ain't got enough customers to pay for the water.
E
The food's bad, Hank. That's the whole trouble.
F
You've been eating it a whole week, you buzzard.
E
Now, it ain't that bad, Sandy.
F
You got more nerve than any man I ever met. But nerve ain't money, and I can't afford to feed you no more.
D
So that's that.
E
Well, now, Hank, maybe I have been kind of taking advantage of you.
F
You've got a real easy way of putting things.
E
I'll make up for it.
D
How?
E
Go out there and fire that drunken cook you got. I'll take over for a week. How's that?
F
You take over what, cooking?
E
Yeah.
F
Well, how do I know you're any better than he is?
E
Well, I'm not drunk. That'll be some improvement, won't it?
F
I don't know, but you're right. He is a drunk. That'll do it. But you better be good.
E
Only one way to find out. My, oh, my, that's good. That is good. Oh, Chester. Good food is no excuse for hog manners. Any way man can get it down is fair, the way I see it. Yeah, but you're not the one who has to see it we are. Oh, Doc, let him eat in peace. The first good food we've had in Del Monaco in years.
F
Hello, Miss Kitty. Chester.
D
Doc.
F
How you getting on here?
E
Fine, Hank. I've eaten here three times a day for a week and it's getting better and better. That cook of yours was a real fine, huh?
F
He's a good boy, Sandy is. I'm going to put him on pay after today. And I'm going to pay him well, too.
E
Are you shut? Well, the trail herd starting to arrive. You're going to get rich with him out in the kitchen, Hank. They say the word's gone clean, Detectives already.
F
Things have sure changed around here.
E
I hear you put a leg iron on him at night and chain him to the bed.
F
I think I'll start doing that.
E
Are you ready to leave, Chester? I don't know whether I can move or not. Maybe you better try, Chester. Hank's got other customers waiting.
F
Oh, that's all right, Miss Kitty.
E
We have to go anyway. And we'll be back this evening.
F
Come early, avoid the ride.
E
I'll be here at sundown.
F
Good. Good. Bye now.
E
Bye.
D
Hey, waiter.
F
Oh, no, wait.
E
Come on over here.
F
Hey, Joe.
D
Yes, sir?
F
You better go over and see what that man wants.
E
I was fixing to clean this table off, Mr. Green.
F
Take care of him first.
E
Yes, sir.
F
I'll get somebody else to clean the table.
E
It's about time. What's the trouble? I told you I wanted these eggs turned over.
D
Oh, so you take him back and.
E
You just be quick about it.
D
Ain't going to sit here all day.
E
You know I. Look, what things have we got to eat and you order eggs. Never mind what I ordered. Just take him away and bring them back done right, you hear? All right, all right. And don't take all. I don't have enough work to do you, sir. Andy, the man wants his eggs turned over. I ain't got time. You better. He's pretty mean about it. I don't care how mean he is. What do you order eggs for anyway? We ain't serving breakfast. He's half drunk. Maybe he thinks it's breakfast. All right. Here. There. They're turned over. Take them back to him. Oh, no, no, Sandy. Now you just make him mad. He wanted them cooked more. I turned them over like he asked, didn't I? Yeah, but he won't know. Well, maybe not. But what if he does? Then tell him to go eat someplace else. Okay, Sandy, but I. I don't think that you can fool him, even if he is Half drunk. Where was I? Oh, yeah. One steak, beans, some potatoes.
D
Hey, cook.
E
What do you want?
D
That was awful smart what you done.
E
I told you that make you mad?
D
Nobody fools me like that.
E
Now, you wanted your eggs turned over, didn't you?
D
I'll show you what I think of your egg.
E
You.
D
Sony.
E
Now look what you done. That'll teach him to shove his eggs in my face.
A
I.
E
But you could have killed him with that skillet. Throw some water on him and get him. Now, wait a minute. What? Sandy, he's dead. What? You killed him? Yeah. Look, don't tell nobody about this. Are you crazy? I mean, for a while. Give me a half hour. I've got a horse over at the stable. They'll never catch me. What? Sandy. Say goodbye to Hank Green for me.
C
Over three decades of travel, keen observing, frontline reporting of virtually every world crisis. And a natural born flair for word artistry. These are the prime assets of one of the great veterans of CBS News, Mr. Lowell Thomas. Monday through Friday evenings, Lowell Thomas offers the latest news in detail and depth. Plus his own witty, seasoned comment on each story. There's no substitute for experience. Indeed no substitute for Lowell Thomas when it comes to news. In full sound color on CBS Radio and this station. And come Saturday night, whet your appetite for inside stories on show business. With CBS Radio's Mitch Miller Show. Top names of show business beat a well trodden path every weekend to Mitch Miller's lair. You hear their plans, their dreams, the backstage shop talk that makes this weekly program fascinatingly informative. Remember, on most of these same stations, Saturday, the Mitch Miller Show.
E
I swear, I just can't believe it, Mr. Dillon. Sandy. Killing a man like that.
D
He lost his temper, I guess.
E
Poor old Hank Green. Sure gonna miss him. So's everybody else in Dodge for that matter.
D
Including you, huh?
E
Oh, my goodness, yes. Well, he's the best cook Del Monaco's ever had. Maybe it was just an accident like that waiter said.
D
Even so, Chester, he killed a man. He's got to stand trial for it.
E
Mr. Dun, that sun's getting mighty low. Can you still see the track?
D
Yeah, they lead toward that hill over there. Let's move.
E
What if we don't find him before dark?
D
They'll have to sleep on the prairie and pick up his trail in the morning. Hold up, Justin.
E
My land all right. That's the longest, strongest out bunch of cattle I've saw in quite a spell.
D
Not gonna be much help to us.
E
If it was a river we could swim across.
D
There's nothing to do but wait, Mr. Dillon.
E
Here comes one of the men. Maybe he saw Sandy.
D
Hello.
E
Howdy.
D
And it for Dodge Yat.
E
Hey, you're a lawmaker.
D
Dylan. U.S. marshal.
E
My name's Purdy. I'm trail boss of this outfit. What are you doing out here, Marshall?
D
Looking for a man. But your herd cut right across his trail.
E
Maybe he's seen us, come and done it on purpose.
D
He's smart enough.
E
Well, I always like to see a man get away. Nothing personal, Marshall.
D
I understand.
E
How's the cattle market in Dodge, Marshall, holding up?
D
Holding up fine. Good.
E
Ain't no trail right for the fun of it. Well, I better get on up ahead and tell them to start milling the herd. It'll be dark before long. I don't like to push cattle after dark. I appreciate you not trying to cut.
D
Through them marsh wake and wait.
E
Say, I hear there's a good cook in Dodge for a change. A fellow come down the trail yesterday, told us about it.
D
There was.
E
Ain't he still there?
D
He's the man we're after. Oh.
E
Well, the men were kind of looking forward to a good meal.
D
Marshall, he killed a man.
E
Pretty sorry to hear that. I'll tell the man. But they ain't gonna like it, Marshall.
D
I'll tell them. I don't like it either.
E
Well, so on. You think Sandy King was the only good cook in Kansas?
D
You know a better one?
E
Well, sir, I don't guess I do. Miss. Do you think we lost his trail?
D
If we ever get across there, we might pick it up. We'll have to make camp and wait for daylight.
E
Now, boy, we'll get some feed and rest and be on our way.
A
You come right there. What do you want here? We'll say something.
E
I ain't gonna harm you.
A
How could you? I got a shotgun. Enough.
E
Now, don't be scared, miss. I ain't gonna hurt you.
A
That's close enough.
E
All right.
A
How come you put your horse in our barn?
E
I had to get him out of the sun, didn't I? You don't mind if I rest a minute before moving on?
A
Well, I guess it's all right.
E
You don't need that. Shotgun must be getting kind of heavy.
A
Well, I didn't know who you was.
E
My name's Sandy. What's yours?
A
Effie? Gus Jayhorn's my pa. Guess you've heard of him.
E
Answer is, I have. Is he around someplace?
A
He rode north today. We got a water hole up by Shale Bluff.
E
Oh, and your ma?
A
I never knew my master.
E
Effie, you got any Cold water up the house?
A
Yes, we do.
E
Could I have some, if it's not too much bother. I'm terrible thirsty.
A
I guess it would be all right. There. Need no bother to it. Come on.
E
You know something, Effie?
A
What?
E
I don't really need that drink of water.
A
You don't?
E
I was passing by through the trees there, and I seen you come out of the house. I wanted to say hello, that's all. I wanted to meet you, Effie.
A
What for?
E
Cause you're the prettiest gal I ever seen.
A
You must know lots of gals.
F
No.
E
No, I'm a lonely man, Effie. Mighty lonely man. A drifter, Effie. I guess I never found no reason to settle down.
A
But that's bad for a person. I mean, everybody should have somebody, don't you think?
E
That ain't always easy to find, Effie.
A
No. No, it you ain't.
E
I've heard of it happening, though, just like that, when you least expect it. Right out of a clear blue sky.
A
Tell me about it.
E
All right. All right, I'll tell you about it.
A
Come on in the house, Sandy.
D
All right, mister.
A
Pa, don't shoot him.
E
I heard you cooing in here. Look, Mr. Strayhorn, it's not what you think. I wondered whose horse that was in the barn.
D
How long you known this boy?
A
We just met, Pa.
D
I'd shoot you right here, boy, but I don't want to mess up the place. Now, get outside.
A
Pa, please listen to me.
D
You don't want to watch, you stay in the house.
E
Eppie.
A
Pa, you can't shoot a man for one kid.
E
It's all right, Effie. You can't stop him.
D
Nobody can stop me. Outside.
A
Pa, please listen to me. Pa didn't do anything. Please, Pa, honest.
E
Now, you move right over there, mister. That's far enough, Pa. Oh, look.
D
What's going on here?
A
Well, you won't shoot him now.
D
Pa, you know this man? You're Marshal Dillon, ain't you? That's right. Now, put that gun away. Okay. That don't mean I ain't gonna kill him.
E
He don't know me, Marshall. He don't know nothing about me.
D
You mean he's wanted by the law? A murder?
A
Oh, no.
D
He's a murderer to boot. Gal, you sure can pick him, can't you? Well, Sandy, looks like we got here just in time, doesn't it?
E
To save me for a hanging.
D
A cord will decide that.
E
Where's your horse and the bind?
D
Go get it, Chester. Well, he sure made himself right to home. There's gall for you, ain't it? Let's go. Sandy.
E
Ms. Dylan.
D
Now what?
E
Justin, come here. Look out yonder. They're forming a mob.
D
Looks like those trail hands we ran across on the prairie. Purdies, men.
E
Word sure does get around fast, don't it?
D
When it comes to trouble, it does.
E
He ain't back in town five minutes and there they are and all over Sandy. Just cause he's a good cook, it.
D
Also gives them a chance to show up the law if they can.
E
They're always wanting to do that, ain't they?
D
If they could force me to turn Sandy loose, they'd have a free hand in this town. But they haven't done it yet.
E
What are you gonna do with that shotgun?
D
You stay inside. All right, listen to me.
E
Ryan.
D
Hold it down now. Hold it. Andy King is in jail because he killed a man. And he'll stay there until he gets a trial.
E
Men worn him out, Paul.
D
Now, Bertie. I'm afraid I can't oblige him. Are all these your men?
E
None of them. I reckon most of mine are here, Marshal.
D
I didn't expect to find a man like you taking part in a mob.
E
They tell me some drunk throwed a plate of eggs in that cook's face.
D
Marshal, that's no reason to kill a man.
E
Well, the cook did hit him, but they say he didn't mean to kill him.
D
He'll get a trial and a fair one.
E
I can't help you, Marshal. The men want him out. Marshall, you got yourself 10 minutes. Now, if any king ain't out here in 10 minutes, we're gonna start shooting.
D
And so do I.
E
Now, 10 minutes, man. That's all he's got. Looks bad, don't it, Mr. John? Yeah, well, I locked up our back. Nobody can't get in there without us hearing him good.
D
What are you doing with that shotgun?
E
Well, if there's going to be a shooting, I ain't going to get left out of it.
D
This is a part of the game you don't have to sit in on.
E
Chester. It's all right. I ain't got nothing else to do. You Marshal Dylan?
D
I am.
E
I'm Joe Grizz Marshall, Texas Rangers. Can I come in?
D
Come on in. I just pulled into town. What's a mob for? Trailhead's trying to show up. The law. What can I do for you?
E
Well, I got a warrant here, Marshal. Heard the man was headed toward Dodge.
D
Let me see it. You know him? He's dead, cousin.
E
Dead. What is it, Ms. Dillon?
D
This is an arrest warrant for Ed Fisher. There's a reward. Dead or alive. Ed Fisher.
E
Well, I'll be dog.
D
Who killed him? The man I got locked up in jail for it. Sandy King. Is that what that crowd's all about? Yep.
E
Your prisoner seems to be a popular man, Marshall.
D
He's a good cook. He's a good cook. Chester, go tell Sandy the news and let him out as soon as I break up this mob. Yes, sir. Come with me, Grizzle. All right, man, listen to me. This is Joe Grissom, Texas Ranger. He just brought me a warrant for the arrest of Ed Fisher. That's the man Sandy killed. He was wanted dead or alive.
E
Why you turn him loose, Marshall, he's got no reason to hold him there.
D
All right, all right. I got no choice. I'll turn Sandy loose.
E
Down. First, you break this mob up and.
D
Get out of here.
A
We want him there.
D
Wait a minute. No mob ever ruled me yet, and no mob ever will. You men clear out of here. Start shooting.
E
All right, man, let's go have a drink. You turn and will. Yeah, Marshall. He just better be out in time to cook supper, y'. All. Well, Marshall, you got what you're after. You made him break up.
D
Yeah. Tell me something.
E
How'd this Sandy King kill Ed Fisher anyway?
D
He hit him on the head with an iron skillet, but it was provoked. I think the judge would let him off pretty easy. You were going to a lot of trouble to bring him to trial, weren't you? Wouldn't you have, Grizzle?
E
Yeah.
D
Yeah, I would. I kind of thought so.
E
Here he is, Ms. Jones.
D
Sandy, this is Joe Grissom.
E
Howdy.
D
Howdy.
E
Chester told me all about it. I'm a free man. Huh?
D
Free man? There's a $500 reward.
E
Mr. Fisher was wanted dead or alive. Well, now, I'm mighty broke, it's true. But I'm afraid that kind of money just wouldn't do me any good, Grissom. Thanks just the same.
D
Whatever you say.
E
Well, Marshall, I'll be moving on, I guess. Moving on? Yeah, I've always had a hankering to see California. Chester. I guess this is as good a time as any. Look here, everybody's expecting you back at Delmonico's to cook up a whole batch of fancy victuals. What do you think this whole row is about, anyway? Tell him I'm sorry, Chester. I was just cooking to pay off a debt. I don't want to make a living at it. Besides, I hate cooking. Well, I'll be dog gone. Come on Marshall. Ms. Dylan, ain't you going to stop him? The men are going to be awful mad.
D
He's a free man, Chester. Funny thing is, that's how the men wanted it. Hi, this is Dennis James. Say, remember way back when this melody was popular? There's something very special about a longtime favorite, isn't there? Well, folks feel the same way about one of Kellogg's favorites, Kellogg's all brand. Going on 41 years now, it's been.
E
America's most popular good food.
D
Way to fight irregularity from lack of bulk because it's whole bran, Kellogg's All Brand gentles away irregularity safely and reliably. And because it's deep toasted for extra crispness, it never gets mushy in milk. There's only one All Brand Kellogg's All Brand. That's a double L hyphen. B R A N Kellogg's All Brand.
C
Gun Smoke produced and directed in Hollywood by Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Richard Dylan, US Marshal the story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Meston and adapted for radio by Frank Paris. Featured in the cast were Sam Edwards, Vic Peron, John Dana, Jean Bates, Ben Wright, Harry Bartel and Larry Dobkin. Harley Bear is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc and Georgia Ellis's Kitty. This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week when CBS Radio presents another story on Gun Smoke.
D
CBS News goes double for you every weekday on the CBS Radio Network.
E
Foreign.
B
This has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate this episode within your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to otrwesterns.com Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel by going to otrwesterns.Com.
D
Become one.
B
Of our ranch hands and unlock some exclusive content. We want to thank our most recent ranch hands, Steve and Ron W. Who joined us recently. You too can join by going to otrwesterns.com donate send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com and you can call and leave us a voicemail. 707-986-8739. This episode is copyrighted under the Attribution non Commercial Share alike Copyright. For more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.
E
Sam.
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Airdate: August 31, 2025
Original Broadcast: December 11, 1960
In this classic Gunsmoke episode, “The Cook,” the peaceful flow of Dodge City is disrupted when a drifter-turned-cook, Sandy King, kills a man in self-defense during a heated argument. Marshal Matt Dillon must navigate rising tensions as citizens and cattlemen rally to Sandy’s defense—not for pity, but for his newfound reputation as the best cook in town. The story blends wry humor, poignant character moments, and explores themes of justice, mob law, and the unpredictability of frontier life.
Hank Green, bemoaning his empty restaurant:
“Look at this place. I ain't got enough customers to pay for the water.” (02:31–02:34)
Doc on Sandy’s cooking:
“The first good food we’ve had in Delmonico in years.” (03:29–03:32)
Marshal Dillon’s resolve:
“No mob ever ruled me yet, and no mob ever will. You men clear out of here.” (19:56–20:00)
Sandy on his own fate:
“Tell ‘em I’m sorry, Chester. I was just cooking to pay off a debt. I don’t want to make a living at it. Besides, I hate cooking.” (21:44–21:53)
Old Time Radio Westerns delivers this Gunsmoke classic with the spirit of dry wit, quiet pathos, and straight-shooting prairie justice that made the original beloved. The episode’s humor (from kitchen banter to mob logic), moments of tension, and underlying melancholy in Sandy’s fate are delivered with sharp performances and atmospheric sound.
For New Listeners:
This episode stands out as an example of Gunsmoke’s blend of character-driven storytelling and the rugged unpredictability of Western justice, complete with sharp dialogue and a twist of irony: sometimes, even the best cook in Kansas can’t be tamed.