Good evening. My name's Wayne. Some of you may have seen me before. I hope so. I've been
kicking around Hollywood a long time. I've made a lot of pictures out here, all kinds.
And some of them have been westerns. And that's what I'm here to tell you about tonight, a
new television show called Gunsmoke. No, I'm not in it. I wish I were, though, because
I think it's the best thing of its kind that's come along. I hope you'll agree with me. It's
honest, it's adult, it's realistic. When I first heard about the show Gunsmoke, I knew
there was only one man to play in it, James Arness. He's a young fella and maybe new to
some of you, but I've worked with him and I predict he'll be a big star. So you might
as well get used to him, like you've had to get used to me. And now I'm proud to present
my friend Jim Arness in Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke, starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.
I try to remember that if they'd argued a little, they might not be here. Arguing doesn't
fill any graves. Take me, I'm a US Marshal. How many times I'd rather have argued than
gone for guns. Take Dodge City over there. Gamora of the plains, they call it. Jump off
spot. People coming and going all the time, good, bad, and worse. Temper's high. A man
will draw his gun quicker to prove a point than he'll draw on his logic. That's where
I come in, whether they like it or not. When they draw their guns, somebody's got to be
around. Somebody on the law side. The Lord knows they hate that.
Dan, open up. It's unlocked. Dan, you've been riding pretty hard, Bert.
You won't like what I come to tell you. One drink?
He died, Dan. Lay there and bled to death. A man deals crooked cards to me, don't matter
how hard he dies. Gave him a chance to draw. That's not it. What you're not going to like
is... What? He wasn't armed, Dan.
Hello, Mr. Chester. Hello there, Miss Jessica.
Welcome back, after all the time you shouldn't have taken.
Well, I'm sorry I'm so kind of late. It's five miles to Fort Dodge and five miles
back. I figured the time you were gone, you must travel about two miles an hour.
Well, Major Holcomb kept me waiting for close to three hours.
Why didn't you leave the wanted posters with the first sergeant?
Well, you told me to leave them with the major. I should have explained.
Oh, that's all right, Mr. Dillon. Me and the first sergeant spent close to three hours
enjoying a couple of beers at the Suttler's. I trust when it came to it, the major didn't
mind waiting? Yeah. No, it was me that was waiting, Mr. Dillon.
Me and the first sergeant. You see, when I got there...
Never mind, Chester. It doesn't matter. After all, it's been a pretty hot day.
Oh, hot. That ain't the word for it. Coming back from Fort Dodge, my horse is neckless.
Marshal Dillon? Here.
Jim Hill, Marshal, from Amarillo. How do you do? This is Chester Good. Pull
up a chair. What can I do for you?
I'm looking for a man, Marshal. A fellow called Dan Gratt. You know him?
No. Well, he's coming here. He told one of his
girls in Amarillo he was. I'll wait for him. You waiting for any special reason?
Kind of special. Murder. Murder?
This man's about as ruthless a killer as there is. I don't know how many killings he's done
outside of Texas, but he shot three men in Amarillo. Two of them in a fair fight. But
he made a mistake on the last one. You see, Gratt didn't know it at the time, but the
man wasn't even armed. Was the murdered man a friend of yours?
No, I didn't know him. Some gambler. Why are you taking it on yourself to chase
this Gratt? I thought maybe you'd heard of me, Marshal.
I'm Sheriff of Amarillo. Oh. Well, it's been some time since I was in
Amarillo. They say this Gratt didn't know the man wasn't armed. What's he running for
then? Well, he found out after he'd shot him.
That's a fine time. They say it shamed him, shooting an unarmed
man. There's one thing about Gratt, Marshal. He's
no coward. He's not one small part of a coward.
He just likes to go after a man and gun him down.
Let me tell you something, Marshal. Dan Gratt's not very well known, but he's about as handy
with a gun as anybody in the state of Texas. Men that have seen him say he's the fastest
they ever saw, bar none. That'll make you pretty good if you can outplay
him then, won't it, Sheriff? That's not the point.
I'll help you take him, Sheriff. No, you won't. I only came here to tell you
what I was doing in Dodge, Marshal. I don't need your help.
Why take a chance? I'm pretty good myself. I'm not afraid of
him. All right.
Listen, if you run into him first, save him for me.
I'd hate to have made the ride up here for nothing.
I don't quite make him out, Mr. Dillon. Well, Sheriff feels like a lot of people,
Chester. He's too proud, too confident in himself.
He'll get him into a lot of trouble someday. Maybe sooner than that.
You can buy another and come on over. Sure, I'll buy another on you.
You want to pay me for these beers now or later?
Now. What do you want, Matt?
I want to go fishing. Do you know?
Well, maybe fishing. I like to fish more than I do.
That's about what I figured. At least you could take me along once in a
while. I did take you.
Sure. Two or three months ago.
I like fishing, Matt. Next time I get a day off, we'll fish.
That'll give me plenty of time to get ready. Say, tell me about the bar that you're marshaled,
Dillon. That's right.
Well, I just rode into town, marshal. You're the first man I want to see.
Is there a particular reason? It's like this.
I'm kind of free and easy in my ways, and sometimes people just don't understand.
Don't understand what? That they shouldn't try to stop me.
Nobody trying to stop you, mister. You can do anything you want short of breaking
the law. What's the law I'm talking about, marshal?
Well, then say it plain, stranger. Sure.
I get into a fight, and I kill somebody. I don't want no trouble about it.
Is that plain enough? Where are you from?
Texas. Amarillo?
How'd you know? The sheriff, Jim Hill.
He's here waiting for you, Gret. Where is he?
He'll probably be in here after a while. Why don't you wait for him?
No, I'll find him myself, and then after I do, we'll talk some more, marshal.
Gret. What is it, marshal?
About breaking the law here. That includes resisting arrest.
Oh, yeah, well, you explain that to me later, but over a drink.
For your sake. You see, I'm kind of ever so good with a gun, and I'm sure Sheriff Hill
must have mentioned it to you.
Friend of yours, Mr. Dillon? It was Dan Gret.
I don't think I ever heard you mention... It was?
Go find Sheriff Hill and tell him Gret's in town.
Try the Dodge house and hurry. Yes, sir.
What are you going to do about it, Matt?
I've been asked out of it. There's not much I can do. Not yet.
He's a killer, isn't he? Yeah.
Well, I guess I better sit down and finish that beer with you.
You don't like not being able to do anything about it, do you?
Outside, Mr. Dillon. Gret found the sheriff. They're down the street.
Stay here. All of you. Matt, it's not your worry.
Stay inside.
I keep telling you, Sheriff.
If you want me, you come take me.
I'm taking you, Gret.
You have to walk right up to me. I'm not coming to you.
Mr. Dillon? It's the sheriff's place, Chester.
Well, closer than that, Sheriff. A lot closer.
If you want me. I'm coming right up to you.
Either you turn around and throw down your gun, or I'm coming right up to you.
You come up, Sheriff.
You reckon now, Sheriff?
I reckon now.
Kept telling you.
Keep telling everybody.
No, Mr. Dillon. He's faster than you even. Don't do it.
Been expecting you.
Come closer if you want to talk to me, Marshal.
I warned you about resisting arrest.
He drew first.
If he ain't the second or third man I've killed, I drew first.
Jim Hill was a lawman.
He was there to arrest you for murdering an unarmed man on Amarillo.
I didn't know that man was unarmed.
You're a mistake.
I'd have killed him even if he had a gun on me.
I can kill anybody.
Like you.
Right now.
Now you see, Marshal?
See how easy it is?
One more of these can't hurt.
Probably won't help, but it can hurt.
How is he now, Doc?
How can I tell? I can't tell yet, Chester.
Can you tell me?
Kitty, if I could tell you, I could tell me.
I see.
Doc, can't you do something?
Something? Chester...
I mean something better than what you've been doing.
He was hit in the chest and creased along the forehead.
Now we'll know what damage it did when he comes to, and not before.
I'm doing everything I can for him.
I know, but couldn't you do just a little bit more?
Another fraction of an inch and he'd be dead.
Now as it is, he may be all right in ten days or...
Well, who knows? I don't.
You want us out of here, don't you, Doc?
Thank you, Kitty. Thank you.
Come on, Chester.
Doc?
Yes? Yes, yes!
I wanted to kill Grant. I still do.
Well, that wouldn't help a thing.
It's a terrible thing to see a man like Mr. Dillon get shot that way.
I'll buy you a drink, Chester.
If Mr. Dillon dies, I'll get me a shotgun. I'll kill Grant. I'll blow him in half.
Then we'll see how fast he is.
Chester, will you get... Kitty, take him out of here.
Come on, Chester.
I'll go.
I just hate to think of Grant standing at some bar bragging how he shot down a U.S. Marshal.
Well, come in.
How is he, Doc?
Fine. Nice of you to stop by.
There's your answer.
Well, I was going to make you some soup or something, but I thought I'd come by and see what you wanted first.
I was hoping somebody would come by and save me from Doc's cooking.
Doc's cooking's kept you alive for more than a week.
Killing me, but it kept him alive.
He's beginning to look human.
How much longer will he be in bed?
Oh, about five days.
Tomorrow will do it.
Keep resting, Matt.
You shouldn't dare go out until Doc says.
I hear Grant killed Frank Scarth.
Yes, he slapped him and then shot him down like that.
Slapped him?
Grant was that close to him?
As close as I am to you.
I've not heard, boss.
I wonder who came to town to see if his outfit should stay here.
Same thing.
He walked up to him, pushed him in the chest to make him draw, and then killed him when he did.
Kitty, get out of here. Go away.
Why?
I've got to get up. I've got to start walking around.
No, just you wait a minute.
Matt, you're not thinking of facing Dan Grant again.
Don't worry. I'll handle him.
You're not going anywhere.
Matt, I never thought I'd have to say this to you,
but you're a dead man if you try him again.
He's faster than you.
Well, you heard what she said, and she's right.
You just get me walking, Doc. That's all I ask.
Where? Up the street so he can see you?
I want to walk a mile a day, two tomorrow, and three the next day.
By the end of the week, I'll be off your hands.
Either you walk with me or you don't.
All right.
Somebody's got to walk with you. It might as well be me.
Where's your gun, Marshal?
Leaving it at home or you just remembering that I don't shoot unarmed men?
I hope you get well real soon, Marshal.
You and me, we shouldn't have no more trouble.
I don't want anything except to be left alone to do whatever I feel like doing.
Don't do it, Matt. Don't do it.
I know you're stronger now than you were a week ago,
but you're still not ready to go out and trust her I'll be back by this time.
You were no match for Dan Grant when you were completely well.
I figure things will even up this time.
After the autopsy.
It's all pride with you, isn't it? Just pride.
Somebody came into town who's faster than you are, and you just got to try to prove he isn't.
Only you're not going to prove it because he is.
Now, wait a minute, Doc.
I won't wait a minute. You're going down there and get yourself killed.
And just because of your pride.
He's a gunman, Doc. He has to be eliminated.
All right. All right, go on.
Go on down there and meet him.
He blasted you last time and you were lucky you lived.
This time he'll do it.
Mr. Dillon!
The clerk over at the Dodge house said Dan Grant's still in his room.
Mr. Dillon, can I just sort of follow?
I'll see you later.
Marshal?
Which room is Dan Grant's?
Up there, at the end of the balcony.
Come out of your room, Grant.
It's me, Marshal Dillon.
I've got a gun on me.
I've come for you, Grant.
Come here, Marshal.
I'm coming down to talk to you.
Just stay there.
That's right.
Now turn around and drop your gun belt.
And then come down.
I'm Marshal.
There's no reason why I can't come down there and talk things over with you.
I told you to stay right there.
I told you I like to be left alone.
I said stop and turn around and drop your gun belt.
And then come down.
I've got to hand it to you, Grant.
You're the fastest I've ever seen.
But you've got to be close.
So close you can't miss.
You don't take time to aim and shoot straight.
Well, you're wrong.
You know it.
All right, Marshal.
I give up.
I told you.
Now, Marshal.
You wouldn't shoot a man with his hands up, would you?
Just come down to surrender.
That's close enough.
Now, Marshal.
I'm giving myself up.
You take one more step and I draw.
No matter.
We're close enough now.
You don't know whether you are or not.
I say you're not.
I say I am.
I say I am.
I say I am.
I say I am.
I say I am.
I say I am.
I say I am.
Marshal?
That was clumsy of you to say that.
Who do you think you are?
I said I am.
I said I am, Marshal.
You're my friend.
I have no such friendship with you.
I'm not a man.
I'm not an officer.
I'm a man.
I'm not a man.
I'm not a man.
I'm a man.
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