Gunsmoke
Season 11
Starring
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes32
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 18, 1965 (1965-09-18) 
May 7, 1966 (1966-05-07)
Season chronology

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]

The first episode of season 11 aired in the United States on September 18, 1965, and the final episode aired on May 7, 1966. All episodes were broadcast in the U.S. by CBS.[4]

Season 11 of Gunsmoke was the fifth season of one hour episodes, and the last season filmed in black-and-white. Seasons 1-6 were half-hour episodes, and color episodes were not filmed until season 12.

Synopsis

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 Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood (Roger Ewing) was added to the cast in season 11.[7]

Cast and characters

Main

Production

Season 11 consisted of 32 one hour black-and-white episodes produced by Philip Leacock and associate producer John Mantley.

Writing

Occasionally, titles were re-used. Episode 25, "The Brothers" is the first of two episodes named "The Brothers" along with the second from season 18 (formerly "Incident at Sayville Junction").

Filming

Filming would occasionally include B-roll footage, reused in other episodes. Episode 30, "My Father, My Son" is such an example. Just before the end scene in the Long Branch, there is a wet street scene showing the Dodge House with horses tied at railings and people crossing the street in both directions. This scene has been shown in several episodes as filler, or as a transitional scene.

Episode 32, "Prime of Life" was the final black-and-white episode.

Music

Episodes 18 & 19, "The Raid" parts 1 & 2, was scored by Franz Waxman.

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
3781"Seven Hours to Dawn"Vincent McEveetyClyde WareSeptember 18, 1965 (1965-09-18)
A treacherous gang of outlaws take over Dodge.
3792"The Storm"Joseph SargentPaul SavageSeptember 25, 1965 (1965-09-25)
A buffalo hunter is sentenced to be hanged for a murder he did not commit, the real culprits being the sons of Matt's old friend Adam Benteen.
3803"Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood"Joseph SargentCalvin Clements, Sr.October 2, 1965 (1965-10-02)
Thad Greenwood trails the four tough guys who caused his father to suffer a fatal heart attack.
3814"Ten Little Indians"Mark RydellGeorge EcksteinOctober 9, 1965 (1965-10-09)
Matt must find out who hired the gunfighters that he has been facing in and out of Dodge.
3825"Taps for Old Jeb"James SheldonLes CrutchfieldOctober 16, 1965 (1965-10-16)
Prospector Jeb Carter hires a bodyguard to protect his gold after years of searching finally pay off.
3836"Kioga"Harry HarrisRobert LewinOctober 23, 1965 (1965-10-23)
Kioga, a young and wounded Pawnee Indian, comes to Dodge City to hunt down the fur trader who killed his father and attacked his sister.
3847"The Bounty Hunter"Harry HarrisPaul SavageOctober 30, 1965 (1965-10-30)
Bounty hunter Luke Frazer is drawn out of retirement to find the man who murdered a rich rancher's son.
3858"The Reward"Marc DanielsGilbert Ralston, Scott Hunt & Beth KeeleNovember 6, 1965 (1965-11-06)
A convicted gold-mine swindler gets out of prison to resume mining with the money he is accused of stealing.
3869"Malachi"Gary NelsonWilliam PutmanNovember 13, 1965 (1965-11-13)
Town drunk Malachi Harper poses as marshal just to impress his brother.
38710"The Pretender"Vincent McEveetyCalvin Clements, Sr.November 20, 1965 (1965-11-20)
The Dano brothers return home from prison to a dying mother and a bitter father.
38811"South Wind"Allen ReisnerJack BartlettNovember 27, 1965 (1965-11-27)
A 12-year-old boy goes into hiding after witnessing his father's murder.
38912"The Hostage"Vincent McEveetyStory by: Joe Ann Johnson
Teleplay by: Clyde Ware
December 4, 1965 (1965-12-04)
Four convicts take Matt hostage on their way to Mexico.
39013"Outlaw's Woman"Mark RydellClyde WareDecember 11, 1965 (1965-12-11)
Matt is surprised to see that the fleeing train robber he shot is a woman.
39114"The Avengers"Vincent McEveetyDonn MullallyDecember 18, 1965 (1965-12-18)
A judge and his two sons plot their revenge when they suspect Festus and Kitty of murdering a member of their family.
39215"Gold Mine"Abner BibermanScott Hunt & Beth KeeleDecember 25, 1965 (1965-12-25)
Kitty travels alone to the rough mining town of Pickaxe to claim a gold mine, meeting the eccentric Gibbijohn family and a deaf-mute boy.
39316"Death Watch"Mark RydellCalvin Clements, Sr.January 8, 1966 (1966-01-08)
Matt attempts to protect wounded outlaw Johnny Drago from a pair of bounty hunters.
39417"Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs"Alvin GanzerGustave FieldJanuary 15, 1966 (1966-01-15)
Festus' nephew Billy comes to Dodge to find a wife.
39518"The Raid"Vincent McEveetyClyde WareJanuary 22, 1966 (1966-01-22)
39619January 29, 1966 (1966-01-29)
A band out of outlaws terrorize Dodge. In Part 2, the outlaws take Doc hostage after they rob the bank and set Dodge on fire.
39720"Killer at Large"Marc DanielsCalvin Clements, Sr.February 5, 1966 (1966-02-05)
Festus flees Dodge after killing a medicine-show sharpshooter in a gunfight.
39821"My Father's Guitar"Robert TottenHal SitowitzFebruary 12, 1966 (1966-02-12)
A wandering guitarist believes his father's guitar is more valuable than a person's life.
39922"Wishbone"Marc DanielsPaul SavageFebruary 19, 1966 (1966-02-19)
Matt goes after three bandits who robbed a stagecoach and killed the driver and guard.
40023"Sanctuary"Harry HarrisCalvin Clements, Sr.February 26, 1966 (1966-02-26)
A bank robber takes refuge in a church where he holds the pastor and two women hostage.
40124"Honor Before Justice"Harry HarrisStory by: Frank Q. Dobbs & Robert Stewart, Jr.
Screenplay by: Frank Q. Dobbs
March 5, 1966 (1966-03-05)
John Two-Bears is sentenced to death by the Osage Council for a murder he did not commit.
40225"The Brothers"Tay GarnettTom HanleyMarch 12, 1966 (1966-03-12)
Matt captures a young criminal named Billy after a robbery goes wrong, who must endure Matt's moralizing while waiting to be broken out of jail by his outlaw brother and hero Ed.
40326"Which Doctor"Peter GravesLes CrutchfieldMarch 19, 1966 (1966-03-19)
Buffalo hunters kidnap Doc and Festus.
40427"Harvest"Harry HarrisLes CrutchfieldMarch 26, 1966 (1966-03-26)
Ben Payson's daughter Betsy falls in love with one of the Scottish homesteaders who have threatened to take her family's land.
40528"By Line"Allen ReisnerLes CrutchfieldApril 9, 1966 (1966-04-09)
Despite his illiteracy, Festus becomes a reporter for Dodge's newspaper, The Dodge City Clarion.
40629"Treasure of John Walking Fox"Marc DanielsStory by: Leo Bagby
Teleplay by: Clyde Ware
April 16, 1966 (1966-04-16)
John Walking Fox's $50 gold piece starts gold fever in Dodge City and makes the man a target of robbers.
40730"My Father, My Son"Robert TottenHal SitowitzApril 23, 1966 (1966-04-23)
Fast gunman Jim Barrett kills a man in self-defense. Now the dead man's father and his brothers are gunning for him.
40831"Parson Comes to Town"Marc DanielsVerne JayApril 30, 1966 (1966-04-30)
A stranger wearing a murdered preacher's coat causes tension in Dodge when he announces his intention to watch someone die.
40932"Prime of Life"Robert TottenDaniel B. UllmanMay 7, 1966 (1966-05-07)
Young Kyle Stoner is a fast gun involved with a pair of thieves who beat up Festus.

Release

Broadcast

Season eleven aired Saturdays at 10:00-11:00 pm (EST) on CBS.[4]

Home media

The eleventh season was released on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment in a two volume set on December 2, 2014.

Reception

Gunsmoke season 11 finished at number 30 in the Nielsen ratings.[9]

Awards and nominations

Award Year[lower-alpha 1] Category Nominee(s) / Work Result Ref(s)
Primetime Emmy Awards 1966 Individual Achievements in Music - Composition Morton Stevens for "Seven Hours to Dawn" Nominated
  1. Indicates the year of ceremony.

Footnotes

  1. Barbaras 1990, p. 74–75.
  2. Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570–571.
  3. McNeil 1996, p. 351–352.
  4. 1 2 Brooks & Marsh 2007, p. 570.
  5. Barbaras 1990, p. 116–118.
  6. Barbaras 1990, p. 87–102.
  7. Barbaras 1990, p. 126–127.
  8. Costello 2006, p. 400–416.
  9. "1965-1966 TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.

References

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