Old Time Radio Westerns

Episode: The Marshall Of Redrock with Johnny Mack Brown

Series: All Star Western Theatre (Airdate: 02-02-1947)

Podcast Host: Andrew Rhynes

Release Date: November 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Old Time Radio Westerns transports listeners to the golden era of radio drama with a digitally restored classic Western tale. The featured story, “The Marshall of Redrock,” revolves around lawman Chad Remington and his trusty companion Cherokee O’Bannon, as they unravel a murder mystery in the small frontier town of Dos Rios. The narrative blends rich Western atmospherics, sharp wit, and classic themes of justice, prejudice, and perseverance.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

Opening and Setting the Scene

• Intro to Dos Rios & Main Characters
  • Chad Remington introduces himself as the only lawyer in Dos Rios, a small but prosperous frontier town with an undercurrent of greed and tension.
  • Chad and Cherokee, returning from a horse-related errand, notice a posse led by Marshal Ed Bingham heading toward a local sheep herder’s house.
    • “Out on the frontier, a country that’s rich means a country worth money. Or at least it presents the opportunity of making money. And easy money means trouble.” – Chad Remington (06:25)

The Crime: Banker Murdered

• Herman Sims, Banker, Found Dead
  • Marshal Ed Bingham informs Chad that Sims was shot in the back. The main suspect is Felipe Gomez, a Mexican sheep herder with a reputation for being mild-mannered.
    • "From the little I've seen of Felipe, he's so mild he wouldn't even slap a mosquito if it were bothering him." – Chad Remington (09:44)
• Circumstantial Evidence
  • Gomez was seen arguing with Sims at the bank the day before and allegedly threatened him.

Investigation and Prejudices

• Chad’s Defense and Encounter with Gomez Family

  • Chad interviews Felipe and his tearful wife, Manuela, who insist he was working for neighbor Ruth Babson during the time of the murder.
  • Babson discredits Felipe’s story, expressing overt racial prejudice.
    • "Anybody that knows me'd tell you I never hire Mexicans for anything. The whole kit and caboodle of 'em is too shiftless and lazy." – Ruth Babson (15:52)

• Chad’s Doubt, Contradictions Emerge

  • Manuela and Felipe assert Babson visited in the afternoon, not the morning as Babson claims.
  • Chad resolves to investigate further despite pressure to drop the case.
    • "There's nothing particular in the Bible, Babson, about Mexicans, but it does say something about the truth shall set them free. And believe me, I'm gonna get the truth." – Chad Remington (19:40)

Following the Money & Uncovering Motive

• Cherokee’s Snoop at the Tavern

  • Cherokee gathers intelligence from the bank teller, learning Babson has unexplainable new cash deposits, not tied to livestock sales.
    • “Well, what Dan told me that most of the money Ruth Babson has deposited doesn’t come from the packing houses at all. It’s in cash. And a lot of it. Brand new folding money.” – Cherokee O’Bannon (21:59)

• Travel & Confrontation with Hired Guns

  • Chad and Cherokee are ambushed by gunmen, indicating they are threatening the real killer.
    • “The advice I just give you is worth almost nothing, not much more, because all it's really worth is your life.” – Gunman to Chad Remington (26:51)

The Deeper Mystery: A New Identity

• Journey to Corte Vista: Sly and Babson Connection
  • The local sheriff in Corte Vista suspects Babson may actually be Andy Sly, a bank bandit who vanished after Sims helped identify him during a robbery many years prior.
    • “That fellow you killed on your way here now, he used to be tied up with a bank bandit down this part of the country. Yeah, and except that he had blond hair and wore a mustache, this here Ruth Babson might be Andy Sly.” – Corte Vista Sheriff (31:48)

The Climax: Setting a Trap

• Chad’s Plan: Blackmail to Draw a Confession

  • Chad confronts Babson with a fake blackmail scheme, leveraging his knowledge about the Corte Vista incident and Babson's real identity.
  • Babson, panicked, offers Chad a bribe in newly minted bills linked to a recent bank heist, unwittingly admitting his guilt.
    • “You know, it wouldn’t be too hard to have that sheriff in Corte Vista come up here and identify Andy Sly.” – Chad Remington (36:44)
    • “You’re real slick… Here is 500 and a cop... all brand new bills, too. Aren’t they? Just as if they’d come fresh out of a bank.” – Ruth Babson (37:18)

• Showdown in the Barn

  • Realizing he’s been outmaneuvered, Babson attempts to flee and barricades himself in the barn. Chad and the marshal apprehend him after a tense standoff.
    • “He knocked Chad down. All right, now, the first man that takes a step is gonna get plugged. Now, I mean it. I'll kill anybody that moves!” – Babson, gun drawn (38:11)

Resolution and Reflections

• Gomez Exonerated; Justice Restored
  • Felipe and Manuela express heartfelt gratitude.
    • “Senor Remington never, never will be able to repay you... We kill sheep and give you a big fiesta barbecue.” – Manuela Gomez (40:16)
    • “Well, Mrs. Gomez, that I might accept... They have weak senoritas and strong liquor. And that's for me.” – Cherokee O’Bannon (40:42)
• Closing Mood
  • Chad and Cherokee reflect on the importance of standing up for the truth and enjoying a well-earned celebration.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chad on Motives and Money:
  "Out on the frontier, a country that’s rich means a country worth money. Or at least it presents the opportunity of making money. And easy money means trouble." (06:25)

• Prejudice as a Plot Device:
  "Anybody that knows me'd tell you I never hire Mexicans for anything. The whole kit and caboodle of 'em is too shiftless and lazy." – Ruth Babson (15:52)

• Cherokee’s Style:
  "Wasting my time? Nothing. I was entertaining Dan Symes, the teller at the bank. Not only did I pump him, but I even out Detective Alan Pinkerton. I got some real information." – Cherokee O’Bannon (21:29)

• Chad’s Stand for Justice:
  "There's nothing particular in the Bible, Babson, about Mexicans, but it does say something about the truth shall set them free. And believe me, I'm gonna get the truth." (19:40)

• Babson’s Panic:
  “You’re real slick… Here is 500 and a cop... all brand new bills, too. Aren’t they? Just as if they’d come fresh out of a bank.” – Babson (37:18)
  “Alright, now, the first man that takes a step is gonna get plugged. Now, I mean it. I'll kill anybody that moves!” – Babson (38:11)

• Cherokee on Celebrating:
  "Besides food, they have the two most wonderful things in the world... weak senoritas and strong liquor. And that's for me." – Cherokee O’Bannon (40:42)

Important Timestamps

• 06:25 – Chad frames the central conflict over wealth and trouble in Dos Rios.
• 09:44 – Chad questions the logic of suspecting Felipe Gomez.
• 15:52 – Babson’s overt prejudice and dismissal of Felipe’s alibi.
• 19:40 – Chad’s commitment to defending the wrongly accused.
• 21:59 – Cherokee uncovers the suspicious source of Babson’s wealth.
• 26:51 – Chad and Cherokee threatened by hired gunmen.
• 31:48 – Sheriff in Corte Vista links Babson to outlaw Andy Sly.
• 36:44 – Chad bluffs Babson to extract a confession.
• 37:18 – Babson attempts to bribe Chad, sealing his fate.
• 38:11 – Barn standoff and Babson’s last stand.
• 40:16 – Grateful Gomez family offers a fiesta; Cherokee looks forward to the senoritas and strong drink.

Language & Tone

The episode is steeped in the classic Western radio style, featuring colorful frontier dialect, wry humor, and a strong moral undertone. Storytelling is vivid, with Chad’s narration and Cherokee’s comic relief striking the balance between earnest drama and light-hearted banter.

Summary

“The Marshall Of Redrock” is a shining example of Old Time Radio Westerns at their best—full of suspense, rich characters, and a call for justice in the unruly West. Listeners are treated to a mystery unravelled not just by gunplay, but by wit, courage, and the refusal to yield to the easy path of prejudice or corruption. The restoration of this classic tale only enhances the crackle and charm of its timeless message.