The BEST episodes written by John Dunkel
#3 - Incident of the Blue Fire
Rawhide - Season 2 - Episode 11
A storm with lightning is making the herd nervous. The blue fire of St. Elmo appears on the horns of the steers. Hey Soos says if a stranger should appear, he stops and blesses himself, death will follow. A stranger, Lucky Markley rides in. A clap of thunder and the herd stampedes. Rowdy turns the herd. Lucky says he has thirty some head to sell. Favor says he can't use any scrub cattle, but he'll look at them. Favor says no. Lucky says there is about two dozen Commanches around. Hey Soos says Lucky is the devil. A brave kills a steer the demands Lucky's horse. The Commanches line the ridge. A young buck comes out to talk. He wants the killer of his brother, ten steers, sugar, rifles and tobacco. Lucky offers Favor to leave. He was killed in a stampede. Hey Soos pulls a knife on Lucky. Collins takes over the fight. Rowdy tells Lucky to get out.
Watch Now:Amazon
#4 - The Gabe Carswell Story
Wagon Train - Season 1 - Episode 18
Gabe Carswell is a legendary scout who chooses to live with the Arapaho indians for over twenty years. During that time he marries an Arapaho squaw. They have one son. Sadly, Carswell's wife dies when her son is still a baby and Carswell is left to bring up his son alone within the tribe. As the years go by Carswell realises that the Indian way of life is waning as the white settlers progress westard and force the buffalo from the indian lands. So, just before his son comes of age, Carswell takes him away from the tribe. Flint comes across their camp just in front of the wagon train. While Carswell's son, Little Elk, is examing Flint's new repeating rifle, Carswell explains to Flint his fears for his son. What neither of them realise is the lengths Little Elk will go to not to give up his indian way of life and to prove he is more indian than any indian.
Watch Now:Amazon
#5 - Prairie Wolfer
Gunsmoke - Season 9 - Episode 16
Festus returns to Dodge from wolfing and is hired by the Cattleman's Association to hunt down the wolves killing everyone's cattle. What he finds is that what's been doing the preying may wind him up in prison if he doesn't get Matt's help.
Watch Now:Amazon
#6 - The Nels Stack Story
Wagon Train - Season 1 - Episode 6
Like the Major, Nelson Stack is an ex-army office from the Confederate army. Since the war, though, he has become a pacifist. That, together with the fact that he has more wagons and stock than most on the train, hasn't endeared him to many of his fellow travellers, especially a southerner named Jeff Claymore. When the wagon train runs into Indian trouble, Claymore believes Stack's pacifism is just another word for cowardice. Things really come to a head when it is discovered that Indians have raided the stock and taken some steers. They find one of the Indians, an old man left to die, but Stack won't leave him behind. So he takes him with them. It is the last straw for Claymore.
Watch Now:Amazon
#9 - Incident at Seven Fingers
Rawhide - Season 6 - Episode 30
Sam Turner steals Rowdy's horse. Sam is an escapee from the army guardhouse, charges with breaking and running in the face of fire. Rowdy's horse goes lame. Rowdy catches Sam and offers him a job. Captain Coulter and his men rush into camp and arrests Sam. Favor says things don't add up and comes to his defense.
Watch Now:Amazon#10 - The Sendoff
Rawhide - Season 4 - Episode 2
The drovers are beating the scrub for strays. Favor finds wagon remains and twelve graves.
#11 - The Winter Soldier
Rawhide - Season 7 - Episode 21
Favor and Pete recommend to Kurtz, who has been traveling with the herd with his daughter, a shortcut to the San Luis crossing. Lt. Whitley gets a message to warn the ranchers of Comanches. Winter soldier, Hap Johnson deserts. He trades his army gear for cheap indian trading goods at Watson's. He asks Watson, Wish's name. Hap strides into camp telling Wish he is his old friend from Nachodoches. Favor won't hire Hap. Hap has overheard Kurtz has money. He rides after them and takes them on a ""shortcut"" up into the hills. The lieutenant arrests Watson, Favor and Hey Soos for having army goods. Rowdy and Quince go after Hap. They find him with Kurtz. Rowdy sends Quince to get the army and the drover.
Watch Now:Amazon
#12 - Incident of the Night Visitor
Rawhide - Season 3 - Episode 4
Jeff Barkley catches a stranger in the camp, a boy of about twelve. He wings Jeff. They track the boys footprints. Seven or eight men tried to steal the ramuda. Favor finds the boy. He was traveling with some horsetraders led by Nick Mesa. Favor takes the boy back to Mesa. He doesn't want the boy back. Joey Gardner is looking for his Pa.
Watch Now:Amazon
#13 - Incident at Dragoon Crossing
Rawhide - Season 3 - Episode 3
An ailing Favor asks John Cord to take over the herd. He heads them to Dragoon Crossing where the Bates boys demanded tribute when he brought his herd through.
#16 - Alarm at Pleasant Valley
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 39
While on the way back to Dodge, Matt and Chester discover a homsteading family fleeing Pleasant Valley, which is besieged by Indians.
#17 - Incident of the Murder Steer
Rawhide - Season 2 - Episode 28
A steer with the word "MURDER" branded on its side, considered an omen of violent death, is seen shortly after four mysterious riders from the same town join the drive.
#18 - The Spanish Camp
Rawhide - Season 7 - Episode 28
The spring that feeds a creek, has been dammed by Dr. John Merritt and his friend Phinn Harper and their men. They are looking for the remains of a 200 year old Spanish expedition, and their treasure chest. Merritt has three to four months to live and has nothing to leave his wife and kids. He quit practicing medicine, but is teaching Phinn. The cattle need the water.
#19 - The Squaw
Gunsmoke - Season 7 - Episode 7
A young man is very unwelcoming to the young Indian bride his father brings home.
#20 - Rio Salado
Rawhide - Season 4 - Episode 1
Rowdy and Hey Soos are robbed by Antonio Marcos. He is leading a revolution against the Texas land grant. Rowdy meets his Dad, who ran out on him and his Ma.
#21 - The Trappers
Gunsmoke - Season 8 - Episode 8
A trapper leaves his friend dying alone in order to save his own life, only later to stumble across that friend in Dodge, very much alive and wanting him dead.
#22 - Incident of the Dry Drive
Rawhide - Season 1 - Episode 19
Jess Hode, a bitter ex-trailboss who the owners thought was too old, demands half of Favor's herd for the only water around. Jess' son stands by him but soon comes to see through his old man. Favor tries a couple other water holes but they are dry.
#23 - Trip West
Gunsmoke - Season 9 - Episode 31
Given three months to live by a quack peddler of patent medicines, a mousy bank clerk quits his job, withdraws all his money, makes ready to go to California, and falls for a girl who may endanger what time he has remaining.
#24 - General Parsley Smith
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 11
The honesty of the town's new banker is questioned - especially after he hires an ex-con to guard the money.
#25 - Incident of the Painted Lady
Rawhide - Season 3 - Episode 26
Partners of Thad Clemens are holding Favor's herd until they're paid the $15,000 that Thad swindled them out of. Baxter Springs Cattleman's Association will not help Favor.
#26 - The Lost Tribe
Rawhide - Season 4 - Episode 5
Indians stampede the herd. The sheriff says it's a 100 Cheyenne headed for Mexico. Pete picks up their trail. Pete asks Rowdy not to tell Favor right away. Little Hawk, the Chief, is the father of Pete's dead wife.
#27 - The Other Half
Gunsmoke - Season 9 - Episode 35
Jess, Jay's twin, is shot and killed by an unknown assailant while working late at the family business. When a stranger to Dodge is suspected, Matt does his best to track him down and bring him to justice.
#28 - The Far Places
Gunsmoke - Season 8 - Episode 30
A rancher's widow regrets having spent her life away from the bright lights of a city, and is desperate that her son not share her fate.
#29 - Tap Day for Kitty
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 22
An old sodbuster comes to town and decides he wants to marry Kitty. When he won't leave her alone she declares she'll shoot him if he pesters her anymore. Out at night, he's shot in the back and Kitty is suspected, but then she is shot at too.
#30 - Cow Doctor
Gunsmoke - Season 2 - Episode 1
After he is summoned unknowingly by Ben Pitcher to treat one of his cows,a human patient of Doc's dies. Durning a fight with Pitcher, Doc is knifed.
#31 - Doc's Revenge
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 29
Clem Maddow rides into Dodge. Doc tells Chester I'm gonna kill a man. Chester gets Matt. Doc's ready to shoot Clem, he won't say why. Clem says he won't defend himself. Matt tells Doc to put his Colt 36 away. Matt tells Clem to get outta Dodge. Matt can't find Doc. Clem is shot in the back and his brother George is hit on the head. Doc heard the shot and shows up. Doc digs a .45 caliber bullet out of Clem. George shot Clem. Doc says he doesn't hate Clem anymore. Doc loved a woman, she loved Clem. He left her after a miscarriage and never returned.
#32 - Indian Scout
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 23
Twenty-three soldiers died a the hands of the Comamches at Cold Creek. Will Bailey lost his brother. Will says Amos Cartwwright, the scout led them into an ambush. Matt tells Bailey let the cavalry handle it, and leave Amos alone. Amos comes into the Long Branch with a rifle to see Bailey. Matt escorts Amos out. Amos tells Bailey I'll see you later. Matt suggests Amos stay out at the fort for a couple of days. Amos says don't worry about me. Amos kills Bailey. Matt and Chester are out tracking Amos, so is an indian. Matt finds Amos. Amos married a Comanche and was respected and loved. She died in childbirth. Amos knew about the ambush and did nothing. An indian war party appears on the ridge, friends of Amos. Amos' wife's brother Buffalo Tongue rides down. Amos goes out to meet him. Buffalo Tongue kills him. The indians ride off.
#33 - Incident of the Running Iron
Rawhide - Season 3 - Episode 18
Frank Miller is a herd cutter getting on in years with a nineteen year old son. Quince chases a rustler off, but is arrested himself.
#34 - Retreat
Rawhide - Season 7 - Episode 23
Major Cantwell can't wait to retire from the army. He was demoted from colonel for ""irregularities in records"". He says the charge was unfounded. He steals the $32,000 camp payroll and wraps it in a package. He asks Favor to mail it for him. Kaster, the major's aid, drummed out for drinking, sees Favor take the package. Cantwell's replacement arrives and says his demotion was reversed and he's being promoted to brigadier general. He goes after Favor and the package. Kaster steals the package from favor's saddle bag.
#35 - The Widow
Gunsmoke - Season 7 - Episode 25
A young woman comes to Dodge insisting on an escort to Indian country so that the body of her husband, believed to have been killed fighting the Kiowa, may be recovered.
#36 - The Portrait
The Waltons - Season 7 - Episode 6
Erin is both attracted and repelled by a brooding artist who is here from Paris. As part of a war-time mural on the wall of an old house the artist asks to paint Erin's portrait.
Watch Now:Apple TV#37 - Incident of the Night Horse
Rawhide - Season 2 - Episode 18
An embittered mustanger known by Gil Favor in his younger days blocks the pass that the herd needs to use to reach a river ford where they can cross safely. The mustanger is haunted by a fierce stallion who killed his son, once a friend of Favor.
#38 - No Indians
Gunsmoke - Season 2 - Episode 11
Matt strongly suspects that it is actually white men who are responsible for a murderous series of "Indian raids" that have terrorized prairie-dwelling families.
#39 - Day of the Hunter
The Rifleman - Season 2 - Episode 15
A famous buffalo hunter tries to goad Lucas into a shooting match.
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#40 - The Photographer
Gunsmoke - Season 2 - Episode 28
Professor Jacoby is a photographer from back East in Dodge, willing to do anything for a picture, even to the point of committing murder.
#41 - Incident Near the Promised Land
Rawhide - Season 3 - Episode 13
The drive has reached Sedalia but there is a bank scare and no buyers. Favor must deal with bitter Emma Caldwell to graze the herd.
#42 - The Preacher
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 30
Seth, a newcomer to Dodge is bullied by Keeler, a boxer.
#43 - The Killer
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 28
Charles Bronson guest stars as a cowardly gunslinger who only goes after old men or young kids who aren't very experienced with guns. But, when Matt Dillon gives him an ultimatum, he shows his true colors.
#44 - Incident Near Gloomy River
Rawhide - Season 3 - Episode 19
Dan Fletcher returns to his Ma and brother,Cal, whose home just burned. Cal thinks Frank Travis is trying to run them off. Frank's daughter Flora has had Cal courting her for a year, but she likes Danny.
#45 - Dutch George
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 32
Matt's Childhood hero, Dutch George is now the leader of a notorious gang of horse thieves he must now stop.
#46 - The Hunter
Gunsmoke - Season 1 - Episode 9
Matt sets out after a cruel buffalo hunter who is heading for Indian land.
#47 - Texas Fever
Rawhide - Season 7 - Episode 18
Pete Nolan (Sheb Wooley), who'd been out scouting for the Army for the last couple of years, is back working for Favor starting in this episode, only to find himself falsely accused of rustling and murder.
#48 - The Dream
One Step Beyond - Season 1 - Episode 7
In 1940, a fearful Britain awaits invasion by Nazi forces. A husband and his wife, separated by their wartime assignments, suddenly dream that each is in danger, and both try frantically to see if their dream has come true.
Watch Now:Amazon#49 - Judgment at Hondo Seco
Rawhide - Season 4 - Episode 4
Quince gets a letter. He needs a couple of days off. Jim, Pete, Rowdy and Hey Soos go to Hando Seco. Casey the bartender knocks their drinks out of their hands when he finds out they rode in with Jim. Jim asks Judge Matt Quince how's his niece Joanna. She wants help running away. She's in love with Brad Lyons. He has a murder warrant on his head.
#50 - Indian Ford
Gunsmoke - Season 7 - Episode 10
Matt escorts a captain and his troops to an Indian village, to make an exchange for a white woman captured over a year ago.