Breck Taylor arrives in Dodge City with the intention of establishing a law practice. Shortly after he arrives, he witnesses an incident in the Long Branch Saloon where Marshal Matt Dillon has to stop a troublemaker named Sled Grady from wreaking havoc, because he has spent all his money and the bartender refuses to serve him more alcohol. When the Marshal orders Grady to leave Dodge, Taylor intervenes and begins arguing that Dillon is overstepping his authority.
Although Taylor is technically correct, he learns a lesson in frontier justice when the Circuit Judge Danby harshly chastises him for his actions.
Meanwhile, Kitty Russell fires the bartender Jocko for his lack of management in the situation with Grady in the Long Branch, which angers the man. Jocko finds Sled and encourages him to rob the saloon and even gives him detailed instructions as to how to accomplish the task.
When Sled commits the crime, he knocks out bartender Sam and kidnaps Miss Kitty. The remainder of the story involves the Marshal pursuing Grady. Since Breck Taylor feels some responsibility for Grady's actions, he convinces Matt to let him tag along.
Les Crutchfield wrote many episodes of Gunsmoke, and this is not one of his better efforts. I am not sure why the ending was written as it was when there were more plausible resolutions available.
Ben Cooper fills the role of Breck Taylor. Cooper had previously appeared in one of the outstanding episodes of the series in Season 7's "Apprentice Doc." Cooper reprises the Breck Taylor role later in Season 10 in the episode "Two Tall Men," which leads to the speculation that the character was perhaps considered as a recurring role. Burt Reynolds had departed (he would make his last appearance in the next episode "Bank Baby," but that episode was filmed earlier), and it seems clear the producers were looking for a replacement. For some reason, the Breck Taylor character did not stick, and Roger Ewing joined the regular cast as Thad Greenwood in Season 11.
Robert Sorrells appeared in 14 episodes of Gunsmoke, and I think he always played a heavy of some sort. He does a good job here in the Sled Grady role. Elisha Cook, Jr. is Jocko Beal. Cook had appeared as a "good guy" character in an earlier Season 10 episode, "Hung High," but here he is one of the antagonists. Dorothy Neumann was one of the most prolific bit-part actors of the time. She appeared in nine different Gunsmoke episodes, and many other television shows throughout the years. In this episode, she plays the "Old Woman" who has her wagon stolen by Sled. Her husband is played by Harry Harvey, who appeared in eight different Gunsmoke episodes and had parts in nearly every western television series ever made.
Although Taylor is technically correct, he learns a lesson in frontier justice when the Circuit Judge Danby harshly chastises him for his actions.
Meanwhile, Kitty Russell fires the bartender Jocko for his lack of management in the situation with Grady in the Long Branch, which angers the man. Jocko finds Sled and encourages him to rob the saloon and even gives him detailed instructions as to how to accomplish the task.
When Sled commits the crime, he knocks out bartender Sam and kidnaps Miss Kitty. The remainder of the story involves the Marshal pursuing Grady. Since Breck Taylor feels some responsibility for Grady's actions, he convinces Matt to let him tag along.
Les Crutchfield wrote many episodes of Gunsmoke, and this is not one of his better efforts. I am not sure why the ending was written as it was when there were more plausible resolutions available.
Ben Cooper fills the role of Breck Taylor. Cooper had previously appeared in one of the outstanding episodes of the series in Season 7's "Apprentice Doc." Cooper reprises the Breck Taylor role later in Season 10 in the episode "Two Tall Men," which leads to the speculation that the character was perhaps considered as a recurring role. Burt Reynolds had departed (he would make his last appearance in the next episode "Bank Baby," but that episode was filmed earlier), and it seems clear the producers were looking for a replacement. For some reason, the Breck Taylor character did not stick, and Roger Ewing joined the regular cast as Thad Greenwood in Season 11.
Robert Sorrells appeared in 14 episodes of Gunsmoke, and I think he always played a heavy of some sort. He does a good job here in the Sled Grady role. Elisha Cook, Jr. is Jocko Beal. Cook had appeared as a "good guy" character in an earlier Season 10 episode, "Hung High," but here he is one of the antagonists. Dorothy Neumann was one of the most prolific bit-part actors of the time. She appeared in nine different Gunsmoke episodes, and many other television shows throughout the years. In this episode, she plays the "Old Woman" who has her wagon stolen by Sled. Her husband is played by Harry Harvey, who appeared in eight different Gunsmoke episodes and had parts in nearly every western television series ever made.
