The Disciple is one of my very favorite of all episodes of Gunsmoke. Dennis Redfield appeared in several episodes of the series. He always turned in performances that were enjoyable to behold. He seemed to be really enjoying himself; was really having fun. He does not appear here until about one third of the way into the story, but I feel this episode is the best showcase for his considerable talents. Many of his mannerisms, along with his speech patterns, call to mind James Dean. It makes me think of what if "Left Handed Gun" had been made with Dean as originally planned as opposed to the film as is with Paul Newman. James Arness also turns in a wonderful performance, being allowed to do something he was seldom given the chance, to portray Matt as being vulnerable to opposition. Once again, Redfield appears to really like the character he is playing.
7 Reviews
The Wounded Marshal and the Part-Time Pacifist
wdavidreynolds25 October 2021
The penultimate season of Gunsmoke ends with this tale of Matt Dillon and the town of Dodge City facing a crisis.
A gang robs the Dodge City bank, and Matt shoots and kills one of the fleeing thieves. Unfortunately, one of the crooks manages to shoot Marshal Dillon in the right arm. Doc Adams is able to patch up Matt once again, but the damage to the arm is serious enough that the Marshal cannot use the arm - the arm he uses for drawing his pistol - for an extended time. In fact, Doc warns the damage could be permanent.
Everyone knows the news of Matt's disability will mean anyone with a vendetta against the Marshal is likely to come after him. Matt decides to resign his position and leave town.
The leader of the scoundrels that committed the robbery is a man named Loveday. His brother was the man killed as the thieves were making their getaway. When Loveday learns Matt is still alive, he is determined to avenge his brother's death.
As Matt rides along, he encounters a young man named Lem Rawlins. Rawlins deserted the Army after the unit he was part of massacred a small group of American Indians. The young man considers all life sacred and refuses to be part of any killing, regardless of the circumstances.
Meanwhile, back in Dodge, the new marshal arrives. He receives a rude reception. He immediately gets off on the wrong foot with Festus Haggen.
Dennis Redfield makes his first Gunsmoke appearance in this episode as the ideological Lem Rawlins. Redfield guest starred on several television shows throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He had a recurring role in the short-lived 1979 ABC series Friends (not to be confused with the popular NBC series that debuted in 1994). The ABC series only lasted five episodes before it was canceled. Redfield also had recurring roles on Dallas and The Waltons. The actor returned to Gunsmoke as the character Shep Hockett in two Season 20 episodes, "The Wiving" and its sequel, "Brides and Grooms."
This is the final appearance in the series for Frank Marth. This marks the fourth episode for Marth, who often played villains, as he does here as the Loveday character.
Robert Phillips and Marco St. John make their second and final appearances in the series. They play members of Loveday's gang in this story. Claire Brennan portrays Sissy, a woman who lives with Loveday and his men. Brennan previously appeared in the two-part episode "Waste" in Season 17.
David Huddleston plays a bounty hunter named Asa who plans to take Lem Rawlins in for the $100 reward being offered for his return. The notable aspect to Huddleston's one scene in this episode is he would return in Season 20 as virtually the same scurrilous character named Emmett Cassinger.
This story provides a fitting ending to the season. Matt and Lem learn from one another. Lem learns it is impossible to be a partial pacifist. Matt learns he cannot run from his responsibilities.
However, it is puzzling the circumstances that caused Matt to resign and leave Dodge still exist at the end of the story. Circumstances that were thought to be unacceptable earlier in the episode are suddenly acceptable.
Matt Dillon resigned his position at least three times over the course of the series. Once because he was upset that he mistakenly killed a man he thought was trying to shoot him. The second was when he was angry and wanted the freedom to kill a man that had brutally attacked Kitty Russell. This is the third.
Early in the episode after he has been shot, Matt walks to the telegraph office and tells Barney -- played once again by actor Charles Seel -- to send a telegraph, hands him a piece of paper, and leaves. Barney looks at the paper and his expression changes to one of shock. The man in the office that was playing checkers with Barney asks him what the paper says. Barney replies that Matt is "resigning as Marshal of Dodge." Matt Dillon was not "Marshal of Dodge." Towns often did have marshals during this time, but Dillon was a U. S. Marshal, which carries completely different responsibilities. However, Matt Dillon often acted more like a town marshal than a U. S. Marshal.
Although it was not known when the episode was produced, this installment sadly features the final appearance for Amanda Blake and the Kitty Russell character in the series. The official word at the time was Blake decided to leave the series, but subsequent years have revealed a more complex set of circumstances.
It has been widely reported that Blake was understandably heartbroken over the death of Glenn Strange - who played bartender Sam Noonan and died during Season 19 production - and decided continuing to be part of the show was too difficult. There may be some truth to this report, but based on comments made by others, it is not a full explanation.
Blake had grown weary of physically taxing location shoots - episodes that were filmed at locations other than the Gunsmoke set. She was living in Arizona at the time and commuting to Hollywood to appear in the series. Blake also tired of the dresses she was provided for the show and had demanded new clothing. These circumstances apparently played a part in Blake's departure.
The root of the problems that developed with Blake and the show can be traced back to Season 17's debut episode, "The Lost." That episode was a location shoot, and it required exhausting physical work by Blake. Supposedly, Blake hated doing the episode and made it clear to everyone on the set how much she despised it.
John Mantley was the Executive Producer of the show in those days, and he and Blake began to increasingly disagree. Sometimes those conflicts erupted into arguments on the set in front of crew members.
The two-part episode "The Guns of Cibola Blanca" early in Season 20 may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back where Blake was concerned. The story was to be shot on location and required the Kitty Russell character to be raped and to engage in a physical altercation with another female character. When presented the script, Blake protested and refused to participate. Many people close to show say this incident led to Mantley firing Blake. Some people involved behind the scenes have said they think Blake wanted out anyway.
Writer Jim Byrnes was heavily involved in the show during this time. In Ben Costello's book Gunsmoke: An American Tradition, Byrnes is quoted as saying "What's the official word? The official word? She quit? She didn't quit. Mantley fired her." Byrnes also stated, "John Mantley couldn't handle strong women.'
Supposedly, Mantley later regretted his actions leading to Blake's absence. There were rumored plans to bring Blake back for Season 21.
Whatever the reason (or reasons) for Blake's departure, it likely led to the show being canceled after Season 20. Fred Silverman, who had assumed the responsibilities for programming at CBS following the dismissal of Michael Dann, engineered the so-called "rural purge" in 1971. Many popular shows were unceremoniously canceled because Silverman wanted to target different demographics. New shows were introduced that proved to be popular with younger audiences.
Gunsmoke had somehow survived the initial purge. William S. Paley, who had built CBS into a powerhouse entertainment outlet, may have been a big reason the show was still around. Dann had canceled it in 1967 following Season 12, but Paley made him reinstate it.
Silverman reportedly hated the Westerns genre. When the ratings for Season 20 declined -- something many have attributed at least partially to Amanda Blake's departure -- Silverman had the ammunition he needed to cancel the series. Episodes were ordered for Season 21, but they were never made.
A gang robs the Dodge City bank, and Matt shoots and kills one of the fleeing thieves. Unfortunately, one of the crooks manages to shoot Marshal Dillon in the right arm. Doc Adams is able to patch up Matt once again, but the damage to the arm is serious enough that the Marshal cannot use the arm - the arm he uses for drawing his pistol - for an extended time. In fact, Doc warns the damage could be permanent.
Everyone knows the news of Matt's disability will mean anyone with a vendetta against the Marshal is likely to come after him. Matt decides to resign his position and leave town.
The leader of the scoundrels that committed the robbery is a man named Loveday. His brother was the man killed as the thieves were making their getaway. When Loveday learns Matt is still alive, he is determined to avenge his brother's death.
As Matt rides along, he encounters a young man named Lem Rawlins. Rawlins deserted the Army after the unit he was part of massacred a small group of American Indians. The young man considers all life sacred and refuses to be part of any killing, regardless of the circumstances.
Meanwhile, back in Dodge, the new marshal arrives. He receives a rude reception. He immediately gets off on the wrong foot with Festus Haggen.
Dennis Redfield makes his first Gunsmoke appearance in this episode as the ideological Lem Rawlins. Redfield guest starred on several television shows throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He had a recurring role in the short-lived 1979 ABC series Friends (not to be confused with the popular NBC series that debuted in 1994). The ABC series only lasted five episodes before it was canceled. Redfield also had recurring roles on Dallas and The Waltons. The actor returned to Gunsmoke as the character Shep Hockett in two Season 20 episodes, "The Wiving" and its sequel, "Brides and Grooms."
This is the final appearance in the series for Frank Marth. This marks the fourth episode for Marth, who often played villains, as he does here as the Loveday character.
Robert Phillips and Marco St. John make their second and final appearances in the series. They play members of Loveday's gang in this story. Claire Brennan portrays Sissy, a woman who lives with Loveday and his men. Brennan previously appeared in the two-part episode "Waste" in Season 17.
David Huddleston plays a bounty hunter named Asa who plans to take Lem Rawlins in for the $100 reward being offered for his return. The notable aspect to Huddleston's one scene in this episode is he would return in Season 20 as virtually the same scurrilous character named Emmett Cassinger.
This story provides a fitting ending to the season. Matt and Lem learn from one another. Lem learns it is impossible to be a partial pacifist. Matt learns he cannot run from his responsibilities.
However, it is puzzling the circumstances that caused Matt to resign and leave Dodge still exist at the end of the story. Circumstances that were thought to be unacceptable earlier in the episode are suddenly acceptable.
Matt Dillon resigned his position at least three times over the course of the series. Once because he was upset that he mistakenly killed a man he thought was trying to shoot him. The second was when he was angry and wanted the freedom to kill a man that had brutally attacked Kitty Russell. This is the third.
Early in the episode after he has been shot, Matt walks to the telegraph office and tells Barney -- played once again by actor Charles Seel -- to send a telegraph, hands him a piece of paper, and leaves. Barney looks at the paper and his expression changes to one of shock. The man in the office that was playing checkers with Barney asks him what the paper says. Barney replies that Matt is "resigning as Marshal of Dodge." Matt Dillon was not "Marshal of Dodge." Towns often did have marshals during this time, but Dillon was a U. S. Marshal, which carries completely different responsibilities. However, Matt Dillon often acted more like a town marshal than a U. S. Marshal.
Although it was not known when the episode was produced, this installment sadly features the final appearance for Amanda Blake and the Kitty Russell character in the series. The official word at the time was Blake decided to leave the series, but subsequent years have revealed a more complex set of circumstances.
It has been widely reported that Blake was understandably heartbroken over the death of Glenn Strange - who played bartender Sam Noonan and died during Season 19 production - and decided continuing to be part of the show was too difficult. There may be some truth to this report, but based on comments made by others, it is not a full explanation.
Blake had grown weary of physically taxing location shoots - episodes that were filmed at locations other than the Gunsmoke set. She was living in Arizona at the time and commuting to Hollywood to appear in the series. Blake also tired of the dresses she was provided for the show and had demanded new clothing. These circumstances apparently played a part in Blake's departure.
The root of the problems that developed with Blake and the show can be traced back to Season 17's debut episode, "The Lost." That episode was a location shoot, and it required exhausting physical work by Blake. Supposedly, Blake hated doing the episode and made it clear to everyone on the set how much she despised it.
John Mantley was the Executive Producer of the show in those days, and he and Blake began to increasingly disagree. Sometimes those conflicts erupted into arguments on the set in front of crew members.
The two-part episode "The Guns of Cibola Blanca" early in Season 20 may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back where Blake was concerned. The story was to be shot on location and required the Kitty Russell character to be raped and to engage in a physical altercation with another female character. When presented the script, Blake protested and refused to participate. Many people close to show say this incident led to Mantley firing Blake. Some people involved behind the scenes have said they think Blake wanted out anyway.
Writer Jim Byrnes was heavily involved in the show during this time. In Ben Costello's book Gunsmoke: An American Tradition, Byrnes is quoted as saying "What's the official word? The official word? She quit? She didn't quit. Mantley fired her." Byrnes also stated, "John Mantley couldn't handle strong women.'
Supposedly, Mantley later regretted his actions leading to Blake's absence. There were rumored plans to bring Blake back for Season 21.
Whatever the reason (or reasons) for Blake's departure, it likely led to the show being canceled after Season 20. Fred Silverman, who had assumed the responsibilities for programming at CBS following the dismissal of Michael Dann, engineered the so-called "rural purge" in 1971. Many popular shows were unceremoniously canceled because Silverman wanted to target different demographics. New shows were introduced that proved to be popular with younger audiences.
Gunsmoke had somehow survived the initial purge. William S. Paley, who had built CBS into a powerhouse entertainment outlet, may have been a big reason the show was still around. Dann had canceled it in 1967 following Season 12, but Paley made him reinstate it.
Silverman reportedly hated the Westerns genre. When the ratings for Season 20 declined -- something many have attributed at least partially to Amanda Blake's departure -- Silverman had the ammunition he needed to cancel the series. Episodes were ordered for Season 21, but they were never made.
Maybe Should Have Been a Two Parter
csmith-996157 August 2019
Good story. Very entertaining but was really rushed at the end. Probably should have been a Two partner. Matt is shot in his right arm during a bank robbery and Doc isn't sure he'll ever recover. Because of this, Matt resigns as Marshall and heads into the wilderness to recover. There he comes across a young Army deserter with whom he has some interesting conversations about killing. The kid is very good with a gun but can't understand how anyone could kill another human being. This is the first time I've ever heard Matt talk about killing and more conversation would have been insightful. I also think Matt's goodbyes (especially to Kitty) in Dodge deserved more time. Like I said if ever an episode should have Ben in two parts, this was it. There was also a small part where the new Marshall comes to Dodge and is given the cold shoulder be the residents. This seemed like an after thought. You can only get so much into 43 minutes and this was one time the writers crammed in too much.
An entertaining episode to end the series for Amanda Blake.
kfo949415 October 2013
For the end of the 19th season, we get a story that would have made a nice closure of the entire series. Marshal Dillon is injured and believes that he is no use for the town of Dodge but then meets a person that is nearly in the same situation, but in a different way, that Matt feels placed. A wonderful story for a closure but the series is picked up again next year for another year to continue the saga of Dodge City.
In this entertaining episode, Matt is shot in the arm during a bank robbery and the injury will cause him to lose use of his 'gun hand' for a long period of time. Matt believes that he will only harm the town because every criminal, when they learn that Dillon is winged, will take their luck in killing the Marshal. Matt decides to resign and leave town.
Not telling anyone where he is going, Matt ends up of the prairie and happens up on, Lem Rawlings, that has deserted the Cavalry after an Indian massacre. Lem believes that he is no use to the fighting men because he refuses to kill just as Matt believes he is not use to the folks of Dodge. The two will stand together when the bank robbers find Matt and want to finish what they had started.
A very entertaining episode. The writing in this show looked fresh and may have been a part of giving the series one more year. With so many of the late episodes focusing on guest characters instead of the regular cast, this show was one that brought all the glory of the series back to the screen.
And with that said, a fond farewell to Amanda Blake that has been apart of the TV show since the beginning in 1955. Thanks for the memories, Ms Blake.
In this entertaining episode, Matt is shot in the arm during a bank robbery and the injury will cause him to lose use of his 'gun hand' for a long period of time. Matt believes that he will only harm the town because every criminal, when they learn that Dillon is winged, will take their luck in killing the Marshal. Matt decides to resign and leave town.
Not telling anyone where he is going, Matt ends up of the prairie and happens up on, Lem Rawlings, that has deserted the Cavalry after an Indian massacre. Lem believes that he is no use to the fighting men because he refuses to kill just as Matt believes he is not use to the folks of Dodge. The two will stand together when the bank robbers find Matt and want to finish what they had started.
A very entertaining episode. The writing in this show looked fresh and may have been a part of giving the series one more year. With so many of the late episodes focusing on guest characters instead of the regular cast, this show was one that brought all the glory of the series back to the screen.
And with that said, a fond farewell to Amanda Blake that has been apart of the TV show since the beginning in 1955. Thanks for the memories, Ms Blake.
Great story.
shirley845725 October 2021
The series probably should have ended here. It really gave thought to how long Matt should continue in law enforcement. I also thought it would give a little more background regarding Miss Kitty's departure. Perhaps future episodes will tell the tale.
Wrong pacifist attitude for this show
smithbea29 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This mid 70's ep was definitely in reaction to the Vietnam War (see below) that America was--out of by this time! This ep was made too late, suffers from a main guest star who is flimsy in performance, has Matt unbelievably being even tempted to go for the flim-flam's pacifist "advice". A total loser of an ep.
PS Ken Burns showed (in his own book Vietnam) that Ho Chi Minh was a mass-murderer of landlords in North Vietnam in the 1950's in a land reform. America right to stop MInh from taking South Vietnam and killing their landlords!
PS Ken Burns showed (in his own book Vietnam) that Ho Chi Minh was a mass-murderer of landlords in North Vietnam in the 1950's in a land reform. America right to stop MInh from taking South Vietnam and killing their landlords!
Here we go again...
alfredpr-6961128 February 2019
Matt is shot again, this time in his right arm, maimed; he resigns and heads out of town for the good of all as a swarm of outlaws might pour into Dodge looking to even scores with Matt.
Along the way he meets up with a neophyte gunslinger who's also a deadeye (marksman). The kid heartily boasts of his skill with a pistol but adds how he could not kill a living soul, the actor is not very good and his performance is flimsy. The fortuitous meeting with the kid is just too much for me. How much is the audience supposed to believe?
The show at this point was shopworn and not too many original ideas were left or explored. This episode just seems redundant with a whole dose of tired conventions. It was a cursory excursion and a chore to sit through to the end.
I could see why Gunsmoke lost steam and was cancelled, they felt they were an institution and they could pass anything off on the public.
Along the way he meets up with a neophyte gunslinger who's also a deadeye (marksman). The kid heartily boasts of his skill with a pistol but adds how he could not kill a living soul, the actor is not very good and his performance is flimsy. The fortuitous meeting with the kid is just too much for me. How much is the audience supposed to believe?
The show at this point was shopworn and not too many original ideas were left or explored. This episode just seems redundant with a whole dose of tired conventions. It was a cursory excursion and a chore to sit through to the end.
I could see why Gunsmoke lost steam and was cancelled, they felt they were an institution and they could pass anything off on the public.
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