Gunsmoke is an American Western television series developed by Charles Marquis Warren and based on the radio program of the same name.[1] The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longest-running Western in television history.[2][3]

Gunsmoke
Season 13
Starring
No. of episodes25
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 11, 1967 (1967-09-11) –
March 4, 1968 (1968-03-04)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 12
Next →
Season 14
List of episodes

The first episode of season 13 aired in the United States on September 11, 1967, and the final episode aired on March 4, 1968. All episodes were broadcast in the U.S. by CBS.[4]

Season 13 of Gunsmoke was the second season of color episodes. Previous seasons were filmed in black-and-white.

Synopsis

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Gunsmoke is set in and around Dodge City, Kansas, in the post-Civil War era and centers on United States Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) as he enforces law and order in the city. In its original format, the series also focuses on Dillon's friendship with deputy Festus Haggen (Ken Curtis);[5] Doctor Galen "Doc" Adams (Milburn Stone), the town's physician; and Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), saloon girl and later owner of the Long Branch Saloon.[6] Deputy Newly O'Brien (Buck Taylor) was added to the cast in season 13.[7]

Cast and characters

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Main

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Production

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Season 13 consisted of 25 one-hour color episodes produced by John Mantley and associate producer Joseph Dackow.

Writing

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This season included a rewrite of season 8, episode 28, "I Call Him Wonder" released as episode 14, "Wonder".

The title for episode 19, "Blood Money", was also used in season 3, episode 3.

Episodes

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
4391"The Wreckers"Robert TottenHal SitowitzSeptember 11, 1967 (1967-09-11)
Kitty pins Matt's badge on an unconscious outlaw to protect the marshal from a holdup gang.
4402"Cattle Barons"Gunnar HellströmClyde WareSeptember 18, 1967 (1967-09-18)
Cattle barons fight over a large herd.
4413"The Prodigal"Bernard McEveetyCalvin Clements, Sr.September 25, 1967 (1967-09-25)
A journalist looking for a sensational story talks Matt into reopening a murder case, where the Marshal finds himself the prime suspect.
4424"Vengeance (Part 1)"Richard C. SarafianCalvin Clements, Sr.October 2, 1967 (1967-10-02)
A drifter seeks revenge against a rancher and his men when they kill his brother and severely injure his father.
4435"Vengeance (Part 2)"Richard C. SarafianCalvin Clements, Sr.October 9, 1967 (1967-10-09)
A drifter refuses Matt's help and chooses to exact revenge his way, with no regards to who he hurts.
4446"A Hat"Robert TottenRon BishopOctober 16, 1967 (1967-10-16)
A stray bullet from a cattle baron ruins the hat of a frontiersman, setting off a chain reaction of violence and retribution.
4457"Hard Luck Henry"John RichWarren DouglasOctober 23, 1967 (1967-10-23)
Festus goes to Pratt County with his clumsy cousin "Hard-Luck" Henry, to determine how a chest of gold should be divided among the Haggen clan.
4468"Major Glory"Robert TottenStory by : Clyde Ware and Richard Carr
Teleplay by : Richard Carr
October 30, 1967 (1967-10-30)
A pair of Army deserters wait for the perfect opportunity to murder their Sergeant, whose been riding roughshod over them.
4479"The Pillagers"Vincent McEveetyCalvin Clements, Sr.November 6, 1967 (1967-11-06)
A gang of outlaws kidnap Newly and Kitty based on their assumption that he's a doctor.
44810"Prairie Wolfer"Robert ButlerCalvin Clements, Sr.November 13, 1967 (1967-11-13)

While Festus is acting Marshal, a desperate pair of trappers steal $20,000 from a fur trader who refused to buy their worthless pelts.

Second Gunsmoke episode titled "Prairie Wolfer". The first was season 9, episode 16.
44911"Stranger in Town"E. Darrell HallenbeckStory by : Emily Mosher and John Dunkel
Screenplay by : John Dunkel
November 20, 1967 (1967-11-20)
A hired killer is distracted by his wife and a son that he never knew.
45012"Death Train"Gunnar HellströmKen TreveyNovember 27, 1967 (1967-11-27)
The passengers of a railroad car are quarantined for a fever that could spread.
45113"Rope Fever"David AlexanderChris RellasDecember 4, 1967 (1967-12-04)
A Sheriff enjoys his new-found glory when he puts Festus in jail on a trumped-up murder charge.
45214"Wonder"Irving J. MooreStory by : Mary Worrell and William Blinn
Screenplay by : William Blinn
December 18, 1967 (1967-12-18)
Matt helps an Indian boy reunite with a drifter whose being badgered by a pair of disgruntled brothers.
45315"Baker's Dozen"Irving J. MooreCharles Joseph StoneDecember 25, 1967 (1967-12-25)
Doc fights to keep three orphaned babies from being separated.
45416"The Victim"Vincent McEveetyStory by : Hal Sitowitz
Screenplay by : Arthur Rowe
January 1, 1968 (1968-01-01)
Matt comes to the aid of a Sheriff in a nearby town to help fend off a lynch mob.
45517"Dead Man's Law"John RichCalvin Clements, Jr.January 8, 1968 (1968-01-08)
Matt is seriously injured in a shoot-out outside of Dodge, and in his absence a group of vigilantes run rampant in town.
45618"Nowhere to Run"Vincent McEveetyStory by : Robert Totten
Screenplay by : Ron Honthaner
January 15, 1968 (1968-01-15)
A pair of teenage thieves' hamper the rescue of their partner, who fell into a well, for fear that he'll give them up.
45719"Blood Money"Robert TottenHal SitowitzJanuary 22, 1968 (1968-01-22)
A gunfighter's father despises his son's profession and purposely disables his shooting hand, and now he must defend himself from three avenging gunman.
45820"Hill Girl"Robert TottenCalvin Clements, Sr.January 29, 1968 (1968-01-29)
Newly stops a young back-hills girl who's trying to escape an abusive relationship involving her half-brothers from stealing his horse and little do they know, when he takes her to Dodge, the half-crazed brothers follow.
45921"The Gunrunners"Irving J. MooreHal SitowitzFebruary 5, 1968 (1968-02-05)
A trapper attempts to mete out justice to Army deserters who injured his adopted Indian son.
46022"The Jackals"Alvin GanzerCalvin Clements, Jr.February 12, 1968 (1968-02-12)
Matt heads down into Mexico to capture a man who plotted the murder of his old friend and mentor.
46123"The First People"Robert TottenCalvin Clements, Sr.February 19, 1968 (1968-02-19)
A politically ambitious Indian Agent falsely accuses Matt of participating in a murder committed on the reservation.
46224"Mr. Sam'l"Gunnar HellströmHarry KronmanFebruary 26, 1968 (1968-02-26)
A water-witcher offers hope to ranchers and farmers when Dodge is struck by a drought.
46325"A Noose for Dobie Price"Richard C. SarafianAntony EllisMarch 4, 1968 (1968-03-04)
Matt enlists the help of a former outlaw to find two condemned killers who escaped from jail.

Release

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Broadcast

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Gunsmoke began its thirteenth season in a new timeslot (Mondays at 7:30 PM eastern time). With this the series returned to being among the top ten highest rated programs, where it remained for the next six seasons.[8]

Home media

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The thirteenth season was released on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment in a two volume set on May 22, 2018.

Reception

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After failing to make the top 30 the previous season, Gunsmoke season 13 moved to a new timeslot and jumped to #4 in the Nielsen ratings.[9]

Awards and nominations

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Award Year[a] Category Nominee(s) / Work Result Ref(s)
Primetime Emmy Awards 1968 Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition Morton Stevens for "Major Glory" Nominated
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Milburn Stone Won
  1. ^ Indicates the year of ceremony.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 74–75.
  2. ^ Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 424–425.
  3. ^ McNeil 1996, p. 351–352.
  4. ^ Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570.
  5. ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 116–118.
  6. ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 87–102.
  7. ^ Barbaras 1990, p. 147–148.
  8. ^ a b Costello 2006, p. 76; 429–442.
  9. ^
    • "1966-1967 TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.
    • "1967-1968 TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.

References

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