Gunsmoke - Single Episodes


(4.8 stars; 258 reviews)

Gunsmoke is one of those long-running classic Old-Time Radio shows that everyone knows and remembers. It's also one that is still respected for its high values, in all aspects. Gunsmoke first aired on the CBS network on April 26, 1952, billed as the first adult western. It was set in Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870's.

The main character, Matt Dillon, was played by William Conrad. On August 6, 1951, William Conrad played the lead in a show entitled "Pagosa" in the series Romance, where he played the part of a reluctant sheriff in a tough Western town. Although not a true audition, Conrad's character role is very close the that of Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. It was one of the "stepping stones" toward the production of Gunsmoke.

Other regular characters were Chester Proudfoot, played by Parley Baer; Kitty, played by Georgia Ellis; and Doc Adams, played by Howard McNear.

The series featured top-notch acting and well-developed scripts that set it apart from many other shows, not only Westerns; however, it was the sound effects that stood out the most. Listen carefully and one can hear many levels of sound that really helps transport the listener back to the old west.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

License

Chapters

Billy the Kid 29:04
Ben Thompson 7:43
Jaliscoe 29:19
Ben Slade's Saloon 28:45
Carmen 30:17
Buffalo Killers 29:45
Never Pester Chester (Paul Dubov) 29:51
The Boughten Bride 29:32
Doc Holiday 30:28
Gentleman's Disagreement 30:40
Renegade White 30:32
The Kentucky Tolmans 29:59
The Lynching 28:59
Shakespeare 30:14
The Juniper Tree 29:34
The Brothers 29:20
Home Surgery 29:40
Drop Dead 29:42
The Railroad (pre-cut, not final version) 26:24
Cain 29:47
Hinka-Do 29:19
Lochinvar 29:37
The Mortgage 29:50
Overland Express 29:59
Tara 29:59
The Square Triangle 29:53
Fingered 30:09
Kitty 29:51
I Don't Know 30:07
Post Martin 29:59
Xmas Story 29:56
The Cabin 29:59
Westbound 29:29
Word of Honor 29:59
Paid Killer 29:56
The Old Lady 29:54
Cavalcade 29:53
Cain (reused script) 30:22
The Round-Up 29:28
Meshougah 30:03
Trojan War 29:38
Absalom 30:01
Cyclone 29:34
Pussy Cats 29:05
Quarter Horse 29:27
Jayhawkers 29:37
Gonif 29:45
Bum's Rush 29:08
The Soldier 29:01
Tacetta 30:28
The Buffalo Hunter 29:51
The Big Con 29:54
Print Asper 29:43
Fall Semester 29:56
Sundown 30:00
Spring Term 29:50
Wind 29:22
Flashback 29:58
Dirt 29:58
Grass 29:58
Wild West 28:34
Hickock 28:50
Hickok 29:18
Boy 29:51
Sky 27:36
Moon 27:25
Gone Straight 29:29
Jesse 30:01
The Sutler 29:56
Prairie Happy 30:07
There Was Never a Horse 30:04
Fawn 30:12
How to Kill a Friend 3:34
How to Die for Nothing 29:03
Yorky 7:47
The Buffalo Hunter (reused script) 24:54
How to Kill a Woman 25:20
Stolen Horses 25:10
Professor Lute Bone 25:25
Custer 25:00
Kick Me 25:13
The Lamb 25:56
The Cast 25:13
Big Girl Lost 24:56
The Guitar 24:47
Stage Holdup 24:49
Joke's on Us 24:58
The Bear 22:36
Nina 24:56
Gunsmuggler 24:58
Big Broad 24:53
The Killer 25:00
Last Fling 24:52
Bad Boy 25:01
The Gentleman 24:47
Confederate Money 24:41
Old Friend 24:59
Blood Money (Sam Edwards) 24:58
Mr. and Mrs. Amber (Helen Kleeb) 24:46
Greater Love (John Dehner) 24:55
What the Whisky Drummer Heard 24:26
Murder Warrant 24:50
Cara 24:22
The Constable 24:51
The Indian Horse 24:00
Monopoly 24:40
Feud 24:49
The Blacksmith 25:17
The Cover Up 24:49
Going Bad 24:54
Claustrophobia 25:10
Word of Honor 24:32
Hack Prine 30:26
Texas Cowboys 29:21
The Queue 29:27
Matt for Murder 29:37
No Indians 29:41
Joe Phy 29:44
Mavis McCloud (Eleanor Tannin) 29:44
Young Man with a Gun 29:53
Obie Tater 29:54
The Promise aka The Handcuffs 29:58
The Promise aka The Handcuffs 29:37
Dooley Surrenders 29:13
The F.U. 29:41
Helping Hand 29:36
Matt Gets It 29:36
Love of a Good Woman 28:54
Kitty Caught (Lawrence Dobkin) 28:47
Ma Tennis 29:39
The Patsy 29:00
Smoking Out the Beedles 28:58
Wrong Man 28:52
How to Kill a Woman 29:47
Cooter (John Dehner) 28:56
Cholera 28:54
Bone Hunters 29:26
Magnus 25:48
Kitty Lost 29:48
The Bottle Man 29:49
Robin Hood 29:15
Chester's Murder 29:36
Sins Of The Fathers 29:34
Young Love 29:54
Cheyennes 29:55
Chester's Hanging 29:31
Poor Pearl 29:03
Crack-Up (John Dehner) 28:56
Kite's Reward 29:01
The Trial 30:32
The Mistake 30:10
Horse Deal 29:47
Bloody Hands (Alafraganza) 29:40
Skid Row 28:45
Gypsum Hills Feud 29:37
Born to Hang (Joseph Kearns) 29:25
Reward for Matt 29:01
Potato Road 29:41
Robber Bridegroom 29:56
The Liar from Blackhawk 29:55
Cow Doctor (Tom Hanley) 29:53
Jealousy 29:55
Trust 29:50
The Reed Survives (Michael Ann Barrett) 30:17
The Army Trial 30:06
General Parsley Smith 29:59
Uncle Oliver 29:59
20/20 29:53
Ben Tolliver's Stud (Norman Macdonnell) 29:50
Tap Day for Kitty 29:59
Innocent Broad 29:49
Johnny Red (Virginia Gregg) 29:57
Indian Scout 29:45
Doc Quits 29:47
Change of Heart 29:18
Alarm at Pleasant Valley 29:46
Thoroughbreds 29:48
Indian White 29:49
Barton Boy 29:55
Good Girl - Bad Company 24:52
The Coward (Vic Perrin) 24:48
Trouble in Kansas 24:48
Brush at Elkader (James Nusser) 24:59
The Choice (Lawrence Dobkin) 24:58
The Second Choice 24:48
The Preacher 24:49
Dutch George 24:50
Amy's Good Deed 24:49
Sunny Afternoon 24:56
Land Deal 24:50
Scared Kid 24:51
Twelfth Night (Helen Kleeb)(reused script) 24:52
Pucket's New Year (James Nusser) 24:48
Doc's Revenge 24:48
How to Cure a Friend 24:57
Romeo 24:47
Bureaucrat 24:49
Legal Revenge 24:50
Kitty's Outlaw 24:51
The New Hotel 24:48
Who Lives by the Sword 24:45
The Hunter 24:46
Bringing Down Father 25:55
The Man Who Would Be Marshal 24:52
Hanging Man 24:52
How to Sell a Ranch 24:50
Widow's Mite 24:49
The Executioner 24:52
Indian Crazy 24:52
Doc's Reward 24:24
The Photographer 24:40
Cows and Cribs (Jeanette Nolan) 24:48
Buffalo Man 24:51
Man Hunter 24:50
The Pacifist 24:50
Daddy-O (John McIntire) 24:50
Cheap Labor 24:49
Sunday Supplement 24:50
Gun for Chester 24:50
Passive Resistance 24:50
Letter of the Law (Joseph Kearns) 25:03
Lynching Man 25:01
Lost Rifle 24:58
Sweet and Sour (Harry Bartell) 24:57
Snakebite 24:56
Annie Oakley 24:59
No Sale 24:48
Old Pal 24:51
Belle's Back 24:46
Thick 'n' Thin 24:11
Box O' Rocks 24:10
The Brothers (different story than 52-09-06) 24:53
The Gambler 24:46
Gunshot Wound 24:49
'Til Death Do Us 24:50
Dirty Bill's Girl 24:49
Crowbait Bob (Nov 4th broadcast preempted) 24:50
Pretty Mama 24:49
Brother Whelp 24:50
Tail to the Wind 24:52
Speak to Me Fair 24:50
Braggart's Boy 24:51
Cherry Red 24:40
Beeker's Barn (Ralph Moody) 24:48
Hound Dog 23:37
Devil's Hindmost 23:49
Ozymandias 24:38
Categorical Imperative 24:58
Woman Called Mary 20:30
Cold Fire 21:36
Hellbent Harriet 19:32
Doubtful Zone 19:58
Impact 19:31
Colleen So Green 22:59
Grebb Hassle 20:02
Spring Freshet 17:51
Spring Freshet 19:15
Saddle Sore Sal 24:53
Chicken Smith 21:39
Rock Bottom 21:01
Saludos 24:40
Bear Trap 24:41
Medicine Man 22:06
How to Kill a Friend (reused script) 22:45
Sheep Dog 25:00
One Night Stand 24:25
Pal 23:05
Ben Tolliver's Stud (Les Crutchfield)(reused script) 26:03
Dodge Podge 23:00
Summer Night 23:33
Home Surgery (reused script) 23:04
The Buffalo Hunter 21:23
Word of Honor (reused script) 20:35
Bloody Hands (Long Branch)(reused script) 24:52
Kitty Caught (James Nusser)(reused script) 21:58
Kitty Caught 20:32
Cow Doctor 24:32
Big Hands 24:33
Jayhawkers 24:02
The Peace Officer 19:51
Grass 24:23
Jobe's Son 23:36
Looney McCluny 22:26
Child Labor 22:25
Custer 24:52
Another Man's Poison 23:02
The Rooks 19:20
The Margin 19:44
Professor Lute Bone (reused script) 23:43
Man and Boy 20:03
Bull 24:14
Gun Shy 23:47
The Queue (Ben Wright)(reused script) 23:57
Odd Man Out 24:36
Jud's Woman 25:30
Long as I Live 25:08
Ugly 24:56
Twelfth Night (December 22 broadcast pre-empted) (Virginia Gregg)(reused script) 25:07
Where'd They Go? 19:00
Pucket's New Year (reused script) 19:35
Second Son 24:33
Moo Moo Raid 24:56
One for Lee 25:06
Kitty's Killing 25:03
The Joke's on Us (reused script) 18:17
Bruger's Folly 24:59
The Surgery 24:13
The Guitar (reused script) 18:55
Laughing Gas 23:39
Real Sent Sonny 24:35
Indian 24:44
Why Not 22:01
Yorky (reused script) 21:24
Livvie's Loss 23:25
The Partners 22:52
The Squaw 23:37
How to Die for Nothing (May 4th broadcast preempted)(reused script) 19:05
Little Bird 20:54
The Stallion 24:12
Blue Horse 24:55
Quarter Horse (reused script) 24:07
Hot Horse Hyatt 25:05
Old Flame 23:29
Target 25:27
What the Whiskey Drummer Heard (James Nusser)(reused script) 25:20
Chester's Choice 23:53
The Proving Kid 20:39
Marshal Proudfoot 24:21
The Cast (reused script) 24:15
Miguel's Daughter 19:34
A House Ain't a Home 24:57
The Piano 23:45
The Blacksmith (Barney Phillips)(reused script) 25:01
I Thee Wed 22:19
Tried It - Didn't Like It 21:41
False Witness 20:09
Big Girl Lost (reused script) 20:33
Kitty's Rebellion 19:07
Tag, You're It 19:50
Doc's Showdown 19:36
Kick Me (reused script) 19:56
The Tragedian 25:05
Old Man's Gold 20:09
Target - Chester 19:29
Brush at Elkader (James Westerfield)(reused script) 20:10
The Correspondent 18:25
Burning Wagon 19:30
The Grass Asp 19:22
Kitty's Injury 19:25
Where'd They Go? (reused script) 21:47
The Choice (reused script) 23:12
The Coward (Joseph Kearns)(reused script) 23:16
The Wolfer 29:24
Kangaroo 24:57
The Boots 29:04
The Bobsy Twins 23:58
Groat's Grudge 25:04
Body Snatch 26:37
Sarah's Search 24:33
Big Tom 24:15
Maw Hawkins 23:49
Incident at Indian Ford 24:00
The Trial (Joseph Kearns)(reused script) 23:30
Laurie's Suitor 29:57
Trapper's Revenge 23:28
Chester's Mistake 24:23
Third Son 23:54
The Badge 25:19
Unwanted Deputy 29:46
Dowager's Visit 30:17
Scared Boy 22:41
Wagon Show 25:01
The Deserter 26:26
Doc's Indians 24:52
Kitty's Kidnap 29:30
Carmen (reused script) 23:50
Jailbait Janet (reused script) 28:23
Emma's Departure 28:41
Friend's Payoff 25:45
Second Arrest 25:45
Old Beller 23:35
Ball Nine, Take Your Base 27:56
Mavis McCloud (Barbara Eiler)(reused script) 24:24
Pokey Pete 27:48
The Reed Survives (Lynn Allen)(reused script) 27:45
Shooting Stopover 28:29
Matt's Decision 24:41
Johnny Red (Helen Kleeb)(reused script) 27:31
Gentlemen's Disagreement (reused script) 24:37
Personal Justice 24:30
Hinka-Do (reused script) 23:43
Kitty's Quandary 29:06
The Mortgage (reused script) 25:18
Old Gunfighter 26:14
Westbound (reused script) 27:03
Cavalcade (reused script) 26:38
The Square Triangle (reused script) 24:05
Paid Killer (reused script) 23:43
Hard Lesson 25:49
Big Chugg Wilson 25:52
Don Mateo 25:05
Beeker's Barn (Joseph Kearns)(reused script) 24:46
Pucket's New Year (reused script) 23:18
Trojan War (reused script) 24:16
Luke's Law 25:16
Fiery Arrest 25:10
Bless Me Till I Die 25:18
Chester's Dilemma 25:39
Delia's Father 23:37
Distant Drummer 27:20
Mr and Mrs Amber (Virginia Gregg)(reused script) 22:03
Prescribed Killing 29:42
Blood Money (John Dehner)(reused script) 21:49
Unloaded Gun 25:06
The Constable (Barlett Robinson)(reused script) 23:20
Indian Baby 25:52
Greater Love (Vic Perrin)(reused script) 25:02
Dave's Lesson 24:51
Solomon River 28:49
Stage Snatch 25:28
Nettie Sitton 25:04
Wrong Man 24:55
Tall Trapper 25:24
Marryin' Bertha 24:46
Bad Seed 27:48
Fabulous Silver Extender 29:13
Kitty Accused 29:19
Line Trouble 22:30
Little Girl 24:48
Reluctant Violence 26:48
Busted Up Guns 23:32
The Impostor 24:15
Stage Smash 25:53
Old Fool 25:03
The Noose 25:46
Dangerous Bath 25:51
The Tumbleweed 24:57
The Peace Officier 23:57
About Chester 24:36
Two Mothers 29:54
Doc Judge 25:08
The Big Itch 29:30
Born to Hang 29:49
Crack-Up 25:09
Newsma'am 29:56
Never Pester Chester 28:05
Jedro's Woman 24:52
The Big Con 28:14
The Professor 29:45
Dirt 28:09
Kitty's Good Neighboring 23:49
The Cook 23:42
Hero's Departure 23:05
Minnie 19:21
Spring Term 22:05
Old Faces 24:33
The Wake 24:49
Hard Virtue 24:30
Harriet 24:15
Love of Money 24:35
Daddy-O (John Dehner)(reused script) 25:02
Kitty Love 24:59
Joe Sleet 23:31
Melinda Miles 24:03
Sweet and Sour 20:09
Joe Phy 31:18
No Indians 24:50
Chester's Inheritance 24:13
Hangman's Mistake 24:18
Cooter 22:49
Father and Son 20:14
Ex-Urbanites 24:22
Ma's Justice 23:44
The Lady Killer 23:54
Chester's Rendezvous 23:22
The Sod-Buster 23:54
Cows and Cribs (Anne Morrison)(reused script) 21:07
Doc's Visitor 24:15
Letter of the Law (Vic Perrin)(reused script) 23:46
Cyclone 29:34
Fawn 30:12
How to Kill a Friend 3:34
Yorky 7:47
Quarter Horse (reused script) 24:07
Old Man's Gold 20:09
Marryin' Bertha 24:46

Reviews

Long live marshall dillon


(5 stars)

I am a big fan of this show. I recently found it online with all the episodes listed here and have them all in my ipod. Now I cannot go to sleep without having it playing in my ear. I can honestly see the town in my mind as the episodes play. The funny thing is that I can't really get into the tv show, but I love the otr broadcasts. You can almost smell the gunsmoke when marshall dillon puts one of the bad guys down. I recommend this show to anyone who has never enjoyed the theater of the mind.

Gunsmoke is the greatest radio show of all time


(5 stars)

It is a very tough call between Dragnet and Gunsmoke, but I guess the incredible sound effects and the high quality writing, along with the talented cast of regular and guest supporting actors give Gunsmoke a decided edge in my own humble opinion. William Conrad had such a wonderful voice for radio and he also was a better actor in every respect than James Arness. Conrad's only drawbacks to playing Marshal Matt Dillon in the television version of Gunsmoke were his height and especially weight. Many people probably don't even know that he was a fighter pilot in World War II. He made the role of Matt Dillon his own on radio and I don't think Arness could ever have held a candle to him. I have watched the t.v. series many times for years before ever hearing the radio version and I definitely think the radio version is far superior in every respect. On t.v. both Dillon and the other regular characters (Doc Adams, Miss Kitty Russell and Chester Proudfoot (Goode on t.v.) and also (later Festus Haggan on t.v.) were seen less and less as the years went by and more guest stars were primarily given the reins and on-screen time. Matt Dillon was out-of-town far too much in the later t.v. episodes, often leaving Dodge City in the highly questionable hands of Festus and Newley, the town's blacksmith. While the t.v. show is a great classic, no question, as proven by the length of the time it was on the air, the radio show was consistently better in keeping Matt Dillon in Dodge City where he always belonged.

Gunsmoke the King OTR


(5 stars)

Dragnet is great, but Gunsmoke is the best radio program of all time. I'm not a hugh fan of western themed radio (except Six Shooter which is pretty good too!)TV or Movies but Gunsmoke was so real and smart. I've often finsihed listening to a pretty raw, real episode come acrossed amazed that they did this program in the 50's. One episode a man cuts the tongue out of a young Indians mouth and his racist remark was so difficult, but Matt Dillion was the voice of reason and justice prevailed. I could name dozens of outstanding episodes but If you interested at all, do yourself the favor and download all of them. These shows have given me hours and hours of listening pleasure. Then give Dragnet, Jack Benny Program, Our Miss Brooks, Great Gildersleeve,Yours truly Johnny Dollar and Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show a try these are favorites.

it wasn't just the commercials


(5 stars)

Muskratbill- it wasn't just the commercials that the 2 previous reviewers wanted cut. They wanted the parts that portrayed people eating meat, the violence that was done to the indians, AND all the gunplay that they want cut out of the Gunsmoke episodes too. I'm not trying to get anyone's hackles up, but a few of the other reviewers were trying to have OTTR cut out what they found offensive too. The point I'm trying to make is simple; if there is any material that people find offensive, the listener can simply stop listening. OTTR is trying to give us shows as they were THEN and not to chop up the audio shows so that the few can now "safely" listen to what THEY want to hear NOW. I just don't understand why they are picking on Gunsmoke when there is worse things out there that people listen to every day that is so much worse than Matt Dillon and Chester eating a steak at Delmonico's or defending themselves in a FICTIONAL setting!

A Podcast Introduction/Breakdown of Gunsmoke


(5 stars)

In Episode 3 of Our Show of Shows Podcast we talk about the great 1950s radio western, Gunsmoke (and, as much as possible, we avoid talking about the mediocre TV version). Gunsmoke was the first radio western made strictly for adults, and its creators originally intended Marshall Matt Dillon to be as a sort of Philip Marlow of the Old West, but the show quickly grew into a complex, often dark drama that went to some really harrowing places. We veer off topic into the original Maltese Falcon prop (which sat on Gunsmoke star William Conrad’s mantle for years) and the cast’s connections to Rocky & Bullwinkle, Star Trek, and the Keebler cookies, but we eventually circle back to talk about the curse of being Matt Dillon, why Fort Laramie is no Gunsmoke, and we discuss the pioneering disabled woman who wrote 80 of the last 200 episodes of the show, Marion Clark. And Dan still doesn’t have a good tag line. https://archive.org/download/OurShowOfShowsPodcast/OurShowOfShowsPodcastEpisode003.mp3

Gunsmoke


(5 stars)

I LOVE this program and everything that goes with it. Yes, that means the vintage commercials as well!! Those commercial are almost as entertaining as the show and I wouldn't want to have them cut out in fact I personally would just like a few more added. I get to liten to this at work and I really enjoy being able to listen to something that isn't all sexed up and riddled with profanity!!

William Conrad's contribution


(5 stars)

After listening to the radio series, it is hard to imagine how avid listeners in that era, could have made the transition between William Conrad and James Arness. William Conrad's had contributed so much to the fictional character Matt Dillion, that it would be almost next to impossible to make the transition without missing the baritone husky voice that made him a legion.

Pretty violent, some good episodes...


(4 stars)

Some of you probably aren't going to like me, because of this review. Don't get me wrong, I've listened to about every episode of Gunsmoke, and it is undoubtedly one of the best otr shows ever produced, along with Dragnet. It has some really good episodes to listen to. I think my favorite is the episode about the German blacksmith who is getting a hard time from 3 of the townspeople, at least one won't pay him, and complains about his work, even though his work is fine. He puts up with it until his German mail order bride shows up. Then they start messing with her, and he won't take that, and beats the tar out of them - all with Matt's blessings. And, it has some good episodes, like that one. But, one morning I was thinking about the show and I got to thinking, man, living in Dodge would have been like living in the bad place (the opposite of heaven). I mean, it seemed like hardly anyone liked anyone else, guys would ride into town and start trouble right out of the blue. You'd only be about a second away from eternity as so many people got gunned down and stabbed and even though I liked Matt a lot, he gunned down a lot of people. It was usually justified, but I'll bet he won about 300 gunfights. I don't have any idea of what the old west was really like. I've heard it was nothing like the TV shows and radio shows about it. Well, I hope Dodge was nothing like the radio show. If it was, who'd want to live there? They said on a couple of the episodes that Abilene wasn't as wild - I'd go live there. And, I'm really surprised, with the censorship back then, that they allowed the violence of Gunsmoke to get through. The pros about the show - Matt is a good moral marshall who believes in the law, though sometimes he has to carry out the sentence himself. Kitty, Doc (Howard McNear), and Chester are all good characters, many of the episodes are interesting, with interesting mysteries. The quality is pretty good with pretty even audio throughout the collection, etc. The cons - the main con definitely has to be the violence. In one episode an indian boy's tongue is cut out, to give an example, numerous gunfights, it is far more violent and really not much like the popular TV show that it spawned, the numerous necktie parties, and just the general way people treated one another. I mean, I know there are still horrible places to live in the world. But, the way that people treated each other in Dodge, who'd want to live there? It is depressing. I don't know - that is my 2 cents worth. If I listen to any more episodes (which I probably will). I'm going to try to find the ones that aren't real violent and where people treat one another in a decent manner, with a good mystery to it. Again, I don't see how the violence in this show got past the censors back then, but it sure did. Even though it gave birth to a TV show, I don't think it would have ever got past the censors had they done the TV show like the radio show, with the blood and gore, shootings, knivings, and murders, and just horrible things that people did to other people. That's my 2 cents worth. Please don't get mad at me. I love old time radio, and was really surprised that I liked Gunsmoke at all, as it really wasn't my type of western. I like the more light hearted ones - the kind with guys like Roy Rogers and Red Ryder in them. Hope you all have a good day.