An Anthology of Gunsmoke Essays: Essays by Members of ENGL215-002.
As they are completed, I'll post your Gunsmoke essays below. After they have been posted (or at any point when you feel you have enough essays to read), follow the instructions below:
Choi, Kara. "Summary of 'Gone Straight.'" Anthology of Gunsmoke Essays. 16 September 2002. 18 September 2002. http://www.andrews.edu/~closserb/215_Observational_essays.html.
Now, the Anthology of Gunsmoke Essays.
THE STEREOTYPICAL LAWMAN OF THE OLD WEST
Maria Velarde
When thinking of the Old West Lawman we usually picture a man who's heroic. A man to whom people go to when they are in trouble, and someway or another always finds a way to help them. Or even if there isn't a needy, but there is an enemy who obviously is up to no good, the lawman is always there to put that enemy to a stop. The lawman many look up to and learn to respect, an honorable lawman. A lawman also hated by others, even feared. In the radio series "Gunsmoke" Matt Dillon certainly plays these three characteristics of a stereotyped lawman.
A lawman who's kind to the ones in need, a man that always saves the day. Webb Johnson, in the radio episode "Boy," is a man who Marshall Dillon, as soon as he meets, doesn't like too much. "Don't ever judge a man by the drinks he buys you, Chester." ("Boy"). Dillon somehow knew that there was something Webb was hiding and of course he was right. Webb had gotten drunk one night, and arrived at Mr. Cook's farm, took everything he had and raped his daughter. After Webb was accused, by Mr. Cook of all this, Webb had Mr. Cook killed. At the end of the episode Marshall Dillon confronts this enemy and gets rid of him, saving the day. He showed his heroism by putting a stop to this enemy.
His honorableness is clearly shown in the second radio episode "Gone Straight." Where again someone asks Matt Dillon for his help. He comes into a new town and is respected by the people who he meets, especially when they are told he is a US Marshall. He is the authority and must be respected. He is compassionate. Even in a situation that has nothing to do with him, he helps. In this episode he is sent to a different town to arrest a man who supposedly is a very dangerous criminal, Mr. Tumble. Mr. Tumble was part of a group of criminals in his past, but changed and started his life over again. A man named Mike wanted to do the same, change his way of living. But his past "buddies" did not want him out yet. Marshall Dillon was present when this conflict occurred and decided to help. Dillon not only is respected but he respects as well. Mr. Tumble for example, Dillon knew that he was part of a group of criminals and knew that Mr. Tumble changed, because of this Dillon admired Mr. Tumble. At the end of the episode he goes to Mrs. Tumble who thanks him for trying to stop the gunfight, even though Mr. Dillon says it was his job, she said, "no not quite" ("Gone Straight"). A man who is willing to help anyone in need deserves respect.
His enemies, of course, hate Matt Dillon, but they fear him as well. In the third radio episode "Jesse" the friend of one of his past enemies, Stap, comes back with one purpose, to have Marshall Dillon killed. He doesn't plan to do it himself instead he wants to use the son of one of Dillon's past enemy, Jesse Pruett, to do it. True Stap hates Matt Dillon and wants him dead, but is too afraid to do it himself. An enemy of Marshall Dillon, a wannabe tuff guy, feared Dillon. Marshall Dillon a man with authority, and a man who we would feel save knowing that he's protecting our town, because his worst enemies are even scared of him. Who is compassionate and is willing to give people a second chance. Jesse wanted to kill Marshall Dillon for "killing" his pa but realized that it had to be done. Marshall Dillon spoke to Jesse and told him that he could start again, and even sent to a place where he could get a job. And again Marshall Dillon saves the day and wins once more.
As we can see, Marshall Dillon has the characteristics of a stereotyped lawman. The lawman we would learn to love. A lawman who we would believe to be our hero, our friend our protector.
Works Cited
"Boy." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 8-1-53.
"Gone Straight." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 8-22-53.
"Jesse" Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 8-29-53.
MATT DILLON, THE MAN OF THE WEST
The American west was a place like no other. It was a place
with adventure waiting around every corner. It was full of untamed land,
wild horses, wars with "Indians", and outlawed gunmen. In order to run a
town in such a place you need an extraordinary man like no other. You
need Matt Dillon, US Marshall. Alright, maybe the west was not that wild
but it did have all types of legends of men who were clever, strong,
fearless, and held up the law in their own way. Although fictional, Matt
Dillon was one of these legendary men of the old west. In every episode
of the show "Gunsmoke" we get to see several of the characteristics that
US Marshall, Matt Dillon had which made him the ideal western man.
After listening to three episodes of "Gunsmoke" something
became clear to me. The ideal western man had to be tough but he didn't
have to always fight. We always think of cowboys having gunfights or
rumbles in saloons but that wasn't the case for Matt Dillon. In the
three stories I heard the only action was when Matt Dillon took down a
man named Jonas Linza in "The Sutler" and when he got shot at in "There
Was Never a Horse." In the Episode "Prairie Happy" he didn't fight but
he solved a case. The story that caught my attention was "There Was
Never a Horse." In this episode Matt Dillon was doing everything
possible to delay having to fight a gunman named Kin Creed. What I
learned from these three stories is that the ideal western man had to use
his head more than his muscle.
The west was a place where many things were not certain and in
order to triumph over these uncertainties a person needs to have good
instincts and be a good judge of character. In the episode "The Sutler"
Matt Dillon has a bad instinct about Jonas Linza based on what he was
told by a trustworthy friend of his and what he observes. People such as
the Mayor told Matt that this man was alright but Marshall Dillon had a
mind of his own and didn't always go by what he was told. One day
Linza's wagon lost a wheel and Dillon was around to help him out. He saw
that Linza had some rifles as cargo in his wagon and became even more
suspicious. Marshall Dillon spoke with the Mayor about the cargo to find
out that the Mayor authorized the delivery but that did not convince Matt
Dillon. It turned out that Linza was selling rifles to unauthorized
people and that made Marshall Dillon right in his suspicions. His
instincts were also able to help him single out an old man named Tukes
Burry in the episode "Prairie Happy." People are always trustworthy of
the elderly but there was something about Tukes Burry that Matt was able
to single out.
In the episode where we meet Tukes Burry another
characteristic of Matt Dillon becomes evident. Matt Dillon doesn't go by
what he hears. In this episode the whole town was in uproar because of
the threat of an attack by the Polonaise tribe. One of the few people
who didn't fall into this rumor was Matt Dillon. When he heard the news
his first question was "who said this?" and nobody was able to answer
him. Right away he knew that the rumor was false. In the episode "The
Sutler" Matt Dillon had to prove the Mayor wrong and in this episode,
"Prairie Happy," Matt had to prove all of Dodge City wrong. First he had
to find out who was spreading the rumor and he had a pretty good idea
that it was Tukes Burry. Then he just put a little pressure on old Tukes
Burry and everything fell into place.
Time after time in episode after episode you will hear Matt
Dillon getting into a fight and he will always be victorious as he was in
"The Sutler." There was this one episode that struck me. The episode
"There was Never a Horse" got my attention because Marshall Dillon knew
he was not quicker than a gunman named Kin Creed. He knew that if he
faced off in a draw with Kin Creed he had an overwhelming possibility of
loosing. Since the Marshall was so famous he was often confused for a
gunman which he wasn't. He didn't want to draw but if he would backed
down he would loose all respect and possibly be run out of his town.
Marshall Dillon was in a tight spot and faced off with Creed in a draw.
Dillon was only wounded but his smarts were able to buy him some time.
During this time a drunk man, who was earlier shot by Creed, took his gun
and killed Kin Creed by shooting him in the back. This cowardly action
by this drunken man saved Matt Dillon from having to go up against
Creed. This shows us that the ideal western man is not invincible but
very often has luck on his side.
Matt Dillon was the ideal man not just because of his strength
and ability but because he also knew how to use his head. He was able to
read people, use his instincts and solve crime. After an entire process
took place then Matt Dillon would fight toward the end of the story and
end up victorious. He would already know his enemies weaknesses and his
strengths. Matt Dillon's physical ability always was key in his stories
but it was a small percentage of the man he truly was.
Works Cited:
"The Sutler." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 9-5-53.
"Prairie Happy." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
9-12-53.
"There Was Never a Horse." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio
Spirits, 9-19-53
THE WILD WEST
In the time when the West was young and the spirit of America
was youthful, it was hard to find a way to keep law and order. With
little towns everywhere and not enough Marshals, it was a rather
dangerous place to be if you got caught in a fight or in a conflict. So
it was in a little town named Dodge City where there was a Marshal with
the personality of a grand hero. The radio series named "Gunsmoke" tried
to capture the essence of how it may have been in those early days of
American history. In accordance with the three radio episodes that I
heard, the biggest thing that I noticed about Marshal Matt Dillon and his
personality is that he seemed to be the staple and the backbone of Dodge
City. Without him in that city, it would have completely fallen apart or
just gone to ruins with all the lawlessness. Also he was a very heroic
person and always figured out what to do in each situation. Even though
he may not have known exactly what he was going to do, he always figured
out something. In each and every conflict and battle, Matt Dillon was
calm and collective and handled every single one of those with the utmost
confidence and assurance that nothing would go wrong. His mental and
physical maturity was far and beyond any other in his area.
In the three episodes that I listened to it was strikingly
obvious who was the hero and who was the villain. In one of the episodes
named "Potato Road" there was a boy named Budge that had an evil
stepfather. Matt, his deputy Chester and the boy named Budge went to his
house where the boys stepfather came and shot the boy, but Chester
knocked the stepfather in the head with a rock, and obviously Matt Dillon
saves the day. The next one that I heard was named " Robber Bridegroom",
in this episode there was an evil man named Frank Reeves and he wanted to
marry a woman named Laura. The thing about Laura is that she loved
another man, but he was a fugitive of the law and was put in prison. The
man in prison was named Jack Fitch and other than being a fugitive of the
law he was a good man. Frank Reeves was very evil and not good to Laura,
but Laura wanted Jack Fitch, so Matt arrested the Laura because she knew
what Jack did. But in prison he let both Jack and Laura out and they
ended up getting married. And the last one was named "Liar from Blake
Hawk" which was mainly about gunfights and people losing their temper.
But as usual Matt Dillon prevails and saves the day for everyone.
One other reoccurring aspect of Matt that I noticed was that
he was always trying to help people in any way he could. He had great
concern about the people who lived in Dodge City and wanted them to be
safe from dangerous people. Also it seems that he really loved what he
did and he loved the place that he was trying to make better. Dodge City
was his soul, he put a lot of work into making it a good place and a safe
place to raise families. That is what I picture the old west being like
and I think that the series "Gunsmoke" did a very good job in trying to
make it really seem like that is how it really was. With being such a
hero figure and being glamorized so much as he was, that is one of the
major pictures people get today of the mighty Wild, Wild, West.
Works Cited
"Potato Road." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
5-7-55.
"Robber Bridegroom." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Sp.irits,
5-14-55.
"Liar from Blake Hawk." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio
Spirits, 5-21-02.
THE TYPICAL OLD WEST LAWMAN
The old American West was full of many different kinds of people, so
of course there had to be someone to help and keep them all under
control. In this case it was the United States Marshal Matt Dillon of
Dodge City, Kansas. Matt Dillon was your typical Old West Lawman. You
may ask what the typical lawman was like. Well, he was a trustworthy man
who people could come to for anything, the man who generally came out as
the "hero" who always saves the day in some way or another, and was
willing to help in any kind of situation.
In the first episode, "Home Surgery," this girl Tara comes
riding up and asks who he is and he tells her he is Matt Dillon the US
Marshal of Dodge City, so she automatically trusts him, showing that old
west lawmen were typically trusted. When Mr. Hantree, Tara's father is
dieing later on in the episode he also trusts his daughter to Matt
Dillon, because he knows he will be dieing and has trust in Dillon that
he will take care of his daughter. Mr. Dillon then goes to show he is
willing to help in any situation by actually amputating Mr. Hantree's
leg, even though he had never done such a thing. And the way in which I
believe he came out as the hero in this episode was when he stopped Ben
from hurting Mr. Hantree and Tara once again, because he was the one who
had gotten Mr. Hantree killed. He took Tara under his care so that Ben
wouldn't be able to hurt her and basically saved the day. The only thing
that didn't come out "perfect" was that Mr. Hantree ended up dieing, but
I guess they had to make it a bit more realistic.
Now in the episode "Drop Dead" Matt Dillon says he will help Mr.
Jackson out because his cattle haven't had water for a while and Mr.
Howard has the only nearby lake closed off with a fence, so Jackson
trusts he will help him out and Dillon then leaves to find some way to
help him out. Dillon then comes across some legal documents telling that
if there is a state of emergency then the next person in charge (which
would be him) takes over and decides the matters. So he goes back and
tells Mr. Howard that he had to allow Mr. Jackson's cattle to drink water
from the lake and Howard threatens to start killing people if Dillon
allowed that to happen. In the end the cattle get their water and Mr.
Howard ended up dieing because Dillon went after him and he hid under a
tree while it was raining and he got struck by lightening and died. So
once again Dillon came out as the trusting "hero", who is always willing
to help.
And the next and last one of the episodes I listened to was
"Cain." It speaks about a man named Cain that stops in Dodge City on his
way out west to Arizona. Cain has been told he is going to die soon, so
he doesn't really care much about anything. We later find out that the
true reason for why he had come to Dodge City was to kill Adams. A
wealthy man who once took Cain's love away from him, and then she killed
herself because Adams had left her. Once Dillon found all of this out he
tried to stop both Cain and Adams from causing any crazy situations. But
at one point they confronted each other Adams said that they'd gun fight,
but before Cain even took out his gun Adams had shot and killed him.
Now, I wouldn't say Dillon came out as the "hero" in this one, but I do
believe he did everything in his power to help both parties out, but
neither would listen, so he couldn't do much about that.
So as you can see the typical old lawman was your everyday
citizen who just helped out in whatever he could to make his town and
people feel safe. He was a regular person who didn't always have the
answers to everything, but was willing to ask for help when he needed
it.
Works Cited
"Home Surgery." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
9-13-52.
"Drop Dead." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 9-20-52.
"Cain." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 10-3-52.
THE TYPICAL MARSHAL
When analyzing the stereotype of the typical marshal, one can see that
the character traits are derived from qualities which were expected of
western cowboys in that era. For example, the cowboys were expected to
be tough and brave, and to face the harsh conditions of the west in that
days-maybe without complaining. This may have led to the stereotype of
the marshal keeping his feelings to himself. In addition to bravery, the
marshals were also expected to be just and to inspire confidence, a
strong ability to be a good judge of character.
Such stereotypes would have arisen from tales of gunfights
with criminals and a need by the general population to have confidence
that their systems of law and punishment were fair. For those systems to
be fair, the marshals would have had to exhibit those same
characteristics.
Matt Dillon as all this characteristics he is brave and tough, and he
keeps his feelings for himself. Nevertheless, as a man of law he inspire
trust, and authority. Even if he might not admit it to himself and
others, Dillon has a big heart, he would always be ready to help others,
He valued discretion, integrity and keeps his word. All this traits of
character are illustrated in the different episodes of Gun smoke.
In "Fawn" we can see him being kind to Mrs. Philips a woman that had
been captured by Cheyenne's ten years earlier, he made sure that her and
her daughter Fawn were well treated. When Mrs. Philips confessed that
Fawn was her daughter and that the tribe chief Black Horne was fawn's
father Dillon did not judge her and he kept his word about not telling
anyone about it. This episode can also illustrate how Dillon is a good
judge of character he has intuition, when he met Mr. Hunter, he knew
after a few words conversation that he was a good man. But on the other
hand Roger Philips, he did not inspire him anything trust, even if during
the conversation Mr. Philips did seem to have done anything wrong.
A second episode "How to Kill a Friend" Show how Matt Dillon is a man
of integrity when he refused their bribe of tow gambles that came to
Dodge City. They met with him and offered him a part of the money they
were planning to make if he would be on their side in case of an argument
between them and any other party.
Matt Dillon words were hardly contested, when he would command some
one to live town, or else people would basically do what he says in fear
of consequences. In" how to kill a friend and how to die for nothing",
death was the result of contesting his authority, or not listening to his
warnings.
An other characteristic of Dillon we would mention is that he is brave
and tough, he does not show any sign of fear, when his life is threaten
his friend would worry for him, but he would prefer to be concerned about
the safety of others. Using the same last tow episodes as reference we
see that when his own long time friend his hired to kill him he stays
calm and try to make the friend became reasonable. He would not do
anything to his friend until this one actually threaten public safety by
killing a town citizen (how to kill a friend). Furthermore when an angry
brother promises to kill him to avenge the death of his brother Matt
Dillon seamed not to be scared, he was only worried when the companions
of this individual promised to t shoot the all town (how to die for nothing).
These three episodes painted the image of the "typical" Western US
marshal. He typically is courageous and brave, and does not fear for his
life. This character trait is seen often in the episodes described
above. The typical marshal also is willing to help anyone in need, and
inspires trust and safety, fare. In addition, he is just, honest and
respectful. In Dillon's example, we see that he usually keeps his
feelings and emotions to himself. He lives a lonely life and is even
scared to be attached to the people that are close to him. This is
usually the image we have of Western lawman and Dillon fits these criteria.
The stereotype also positions the marshals as having a strong ability
to be a good judge of character. These characteristics would be fairly
equivalent to the characteristics that today's society places on
modern-day police officers on many popular television shows. Even though
the image of the western marshal may have been a stereotype, the basis
for the image may have been based on actual characteristics of western
cowboys and actual marshals.
Works Cited
"Fawn." Gunsmoke. Starring William Comrade, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirit, 9-26-53.
"How to Kill a Friend." Gunsmoke. Starring William Comrade,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio
Spirit, 10-3-53.
"How to Die for Nothing." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrade,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio
Spirit, 10-10-53.
STEROETYPICAL CHARACTERISTCIS IN GUNSMOKE
Gunsmoke, which was one of the earliest "adult
westerners," is a very dramatic series that stars James Arness. James
Arness plays the Marshall Matt Dillon, in which many stereotypical
notions, qualities, and characteristics about Old West Lawmen are
evident. Although his character, Marshall Matt Dillon, is unique in many
ways to us (the audience), he portrays what every Old West Lawman is, or
should be.
Fearlessness is one of the qualities that Marshall Matt Dillon
possesses. He is never afraid of what harm there could be lurking out
there in a barn, or wherever he might be. Also, he is not afraid of
anybody. He feels that the better man will always win. At the beginning
of each episode he says, "I'm that man Matt Dillon, United States
Marshall. The first man they look for, and the last they want to meet."
A statement like the aforementioned shows the lack of fear he has. In
and episode entitled, "Trust," Mr. Dillon stands up to an armed man, and
defends himself. He never backs down from a challenge, or allows fear to
get the best of him. This quality is one that we have seen in many other
Old West Lawmen. Fearlessness seems like it is a prerequisite to
becoming a gunman based on this series and many others.
One of the characteristics that Marshall Matt Dillon has
probably acquired over the many years that he has been a Marshall, is
trust. Everyone feels that they can trust him. They feel safe and
secure knowing that he will make everything okay. We often see this on
Old Westerners, the "fragile" women, and the "week" men will run to
"their" Marshall and he then deals with the situations accordingly. In
"Cow Doctor," an episode which aired May 28, 1955, a young woman
petitions that Marshall comes to her house to deal with the situation
taking place between her dying father, and her suitor. Her father then
dies, and he leaves his daughter in Marshall's care. He barely knew
Marshall, but he knew that he could trust him to raise his daughter, and
take care of her the way that he would see fit, if he were alive. Can it
not be said that it takes a trustworthy person to give the life of your
daughter over to? As one has probably seen repeatedly in similar series
to Gunsmoke, everyone trusts the Marshall, and it is no different here.
Last but not least, another characteristic that can be found
in Marshall Matt Dillon, is that everyone looks to him as their
counselor, or advisor. It seems like Marshall's always give the best
advice, they always know what to do during trials and tribulations. If
the Marshall can not be trusted, or respected, then who can? Therefore,
it is only appropriate that the Marshall is the "town advisor". In an
episode entitled, "The Reed Survivors," a young lady is experiencing
marital problems, so she turns to Marshall for the best advice. Marshall
Matt Dillon has great moral reasoning, which is why the people turn to
him; they know that he would only tell them to do what is best. This
characteristic can also be found in many other Old West Lawmen.
Although Marshall Matt Dillon is a unique individual, and has
characteristics and qualities that only he possesses. It is quite
evident that there is a mold that Old West Lawmen must fit. After
listening to three episodes of Gunsmoke, it is evident what some
of these characteristics are; fearlessness, trustfulness, and being a
good advisor. Without these qualities, a lawman probably would not fit
the stereotypical role a lawman has symbolized to us over the years.
Works Cited
"Cow Doctor." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
5-28-55.
"The Reed Survives." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio
Spirits, 6-18-55.
"Trust." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 6-11-55.
THE WESTERN LAWMAN
The West is a realistic, and yet for some, a fictitious place
that people made up. We see the Western life being comprised of many
facets in terms of culture, life-style and general day to day living in
the eyes of various historical books and videos. However, in the series
of Gunsmoke with Matt Dillon, we are led to believe that the Western life
was all about Sheriffs, lawmen, outlaws, horses, guns and beans. This
somewhat stereotypical view of the West is enhanced as we filter through
the series and episodes of Gunsmoke.
Matt Dillon is a very good example of the typical Western
lawman. In the episodes "Grass," "Wild West," and "Hickock," we see him
spending most of his time fighting crime, and applying his intellectual
skills to try to solve problems without any bloodshed. He seems to be
very hesitant to instill discipline and justice by using the maximum
punishment. It is clear in these episodes that Matt Dillon is not willing
to hang somebody, but he has no choice but to do so in the name of
justice as well as the law, when one man in town goes and purposely
murders an innocent man who lived by himself in a little hut just outside
town.
Like any other Western lawman shown on television, we are not
shown or told that Marshall Matt Dillon has a home or house of his own.
Most Western lawmen that we have heard of spent most of their time on
horses trying to drive out criminals, or they would sit outside their
offices in the town center, rocking on the chair all day long, with the
jail keys hanging on their belts. Matt and his partner are always on the
move, and it appears that whenever they get out of town for a breath of
fresh air, someone always has to find them by mistake, and then ask for
their help. This is what happened in the episode "Wild West", where a
young boys` father has been kidnapped and left for dead with a wounded
horse.
This lawman shows his heroic and highly intellectual nature by
being slow to trust people, and yet quick to ask the questions "who,
what, where, when, why" and usually, "where did they go?" He clearly
displays his composed nature and his sense of ease. When the cases would
be brought up to him, he was never quick to anger, panic, or to jump to
any conclusions. While secondary evidence was his prime source of
information, he was more comfortable with finding out things firsthand
for himself. His investigations are very efficient and effective. They
do have quite a lot of stress in them, but he always manages to achieve
the necessary results at the end of the day. In the episode "Hickock", he
is faced with about three people who are telling different stories about
an event in which somebody got shot and killed. He is not quick to arrest
the accused, but instead, he goes to investigate the issue. He was not so
willing to tell the old man to leave the city for his own safety, clearly
showing that his main concern was for the well-being of the people in his
town and in the surrounding areas.
Matt Dillon does not really display the symptoms of what many would
call "a real man". He is faced with an encounter with a suspicious woman
in "Wild West", who happens to be the second wife of the old man who was
kidnapped. At first sight, Matt Dillon assumes that she is a 'party girl'
or a dancer, and as he converses with her, he discovers that his
judgments were correct. It sounds like he is not too comfortable being
with this lady, and from her voice, we are led to assume that she is
extremely attractive. This is reinforced by the little boy, Yorky, who
does not really like her for a stepmother, but admits that she is "very
pretty" ("Wild West"). We are told that she is a very young lady who was
had no life, and she was helped by Mr Kelley who did feel sorry for her,
and then grew quite fond of her with time. I believe that Matt Dillon did
not trust her, and his discomfort is further shown whern he abruptly gets
up and decides to go outside. The lady seductively says "I will be right
here Marshall Dillon", and he leaves her there. I somehow believe that
he did not look back as well.
Matt Dillon is really a true hero. He is able to blend with his
community, and he makes good decisions even when it is very difficult to
do so. He is a very authoritative figure who is clearly feared by
criminals and respected by the good and the innocent. He strives to
maintain the law, to instill justice, and to spread peace. Surely he is
the typical stereotyped Western lawman hero.
Works Cited
"Grass." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 07-11-53.
"Hickock." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 07-18-53.
"Wild West." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 07-25-53.
THE LAWMEN OF THE OLD WEST
The West is a place where we let our imaginations go wild, all
the people heroes or villains and every one lead extraordinarily exciting
lives. The truth of the matter is that life in the West was hard and
dangerous, but there were still those people we love to tell tales
about. Some of the people we like to tell tales about are the lawmen,
the lawmen of those days lead some of the hardest lives of all, and I
believe that Matt Dillon is a good representation of what they were
like.
Dillon was the kind of man that always took control in a
situation, if he felt that someone or something was about to get out of
hand he stepped in before anything went wrong. For example in the
episode "Twenty-Twenty" he knew what was wrong with his friend, he was
losing his eyesight, but he stepped in before his friend got hurt, or
hurt someone else. He did not let the shoot out occur because he knew
something would go terribly wrong, so he stepped in and took over. This
had to be a characteristic of any lawman in the old west, if they had not
taken control they would have not been respected, therefore having no
control over anything going on in their communities.
The next characteristic that Matt Dillon had that I believe
was common to law men of the old west was that he was compassionate to
people, he was looking out for everyone. In "Ben Tolliver's Stud" he put
a man in prison, not because he was a criminal, but because he was trying
to protect him. Also in "Johnny Red," Dillon's main concern was to
protect the mother, not to arrest the son even though he suspected that
the son was a murderer. He had the good of others in mind always; he did
not want to hurt anyone. But when it did come time for action to be
taken, he was not scared to pull his gun .
The last thing about Matt Dillon that I think represents the
law man of the Old West was that he was very observant. He noticed
everything, and remembered everything. In "Twenty-Twenty" Matt noticed
all the little signs that his friend was going blind, all these things
were small, but he did not miss one. Also, in "Johnny Red" he remembered
a "mug shot" from three years before. This had to be very important back
then because they do not have all the modern technology we do today, so
it was all those little things that helped them catch criminals, not DNA
and all the things that we depend on today.
Matt Dillon was a good example of a law man of the Old West.
The people of his town trusted him to do his job right, they knew they
could come to him if there was a problem, and he always tried to do the
right thing. He was the protector of his people, and he kept everything
under control in a time and place when everything was thought to be
uncontrollable.
Works Cited:
"Twenty-Twenty." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis and Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
(7-16-55).
"Ben Tolliver's Stud." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio
Spirits, (7-23-55).
"Johnny Red." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, (8-13-55).
MATT DILLON: A TYPICAL GOOD GUY
In most flicks we see the typical cops and robbers theme going on with
the good guy who saves the day and the same goes to say for Western
flicks also. We especially see it in the episodes of Gunsmoke, which are
center around the main character Matt Dillon who is our good guy and
Dodge cities Marshall. Matt Dillions Character is presented to the
listener as fearless, daring, strong, protective, caring, inquisitive,
friendly but not so friendly and all around a person who makes sure his
fellow citizens of Dodge city are safe.
We find these many characteristics trough out the three
episodes that were heard they are entitled Kitty Lost, Crack- Up and
Kite's Reward. In the first episode the story takes place to start in
Dodge City and then later proceeds to the prairie. A young woman named
Ms. Kitty is missing and numerous people are looking for her even Matt
Dillon's sidekick Chester. At first Matt Dillion was not as worried about
her as the rest but as soon as he sees more and more people looking
around for her he becomes very inquisitive about the case. That's where
the search begins just from hearing this episode you get that the well
being of his town is very important. Though he doesn't show that he is
worried in his actions he truly cares about his people and others.
The next episode was Crack- up this episode starts in a barber
shop, where Matt Dillion is getting his hair cut and some bold out law
named Nate Springer has rubbed Dillion the wrong way. Dillion has become
the safety blanket for the town because Springer has started to harass
the town's people, so he is now their protector. We also see his
fearless side when he is approaching Springer in the saloon and Dillon
tells Springer to get out of town before dark. Of course they end up in
a shoot out and who wins in the shoot out Matt Dillion we see his daring
and fearless side again trying to save the day. Which he does and Dodge
City is safe from Springer.
In the episode Kite's Reward Matt Dillion walks in the Saloon
and breaks up a fight that got heavy between two men and one of the men
killed the other. Dillion then brings him to his office the man pardons
him and gives him a talk about changing his life. He then gives him a job
down the road at the stable. The man named Andy promises to change his
life and leave his gun.
Later on in the episode he tries to discourage a man from
killing someone and as usual Dillion the good guy tries to save the day
by keeping an eye out for that man. When the gun goes off who's there
Matt Dillion to save the day from that guy who tried to kill the man
Andy. Who then ended up with a bullet through him and then confessed to
the Marshall his wrong doings. The Man who killed Andy did it for a
reward and he lost out on his reward because Marshall being the hero that
he is took the blame for his death than Kite getting the credit and
reward. Kites greed caused him to lose the reward that he had come to
Dodge to seek.
Through out all the episode that were listened to Marshall
Matt Dillion is seen as a faire man who only really wants the best for
the people of Dodge City and others who want to do better. Matt Dillon
epitomizes the old lawman because he fights for the rights of others and
goes the extra distance to keep peace with in his town. Also he has that
attitude of a Marshall brave, daring, fierce, all powerful and most of
all fearless.
Those attributes make up the stereotypical lawman, which Matt Dillion is
portrayed as.
Works Cited
"Crack - Up." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, Parlely Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 2-26-55.
Kite's Reward." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia, Ellis, Parlely Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 3-5-55.
"Kitty Lost." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, Parlely Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 12-25-54.
CHARACTERISTS OF THE STEREOTYPICAL LAWMEN
Who are the characters of Gunsmoke you ask? Well, the
unquestioned star is Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall, and hero
extraordinaire. He is by all means the leader, and the glue that binds
the whole show together. Chester, his right hand man, and I suppose best
friend. Then there is Miss Kitty, his would be lady love. Or that is,
she wishes she were. The rest of the characters are relatively
unimportant. There are some who appear from time to time, but it is
these three that are the backbone of the program. They are all residents
of a little town called Dodge. Most people, even if they have never
heard of "Gunsmoke" will have heard of Dodge. It is as much a part of
western lure, as men like Matt Dillon are.
Matt Dillon's character is about the only aspect of him that
is clearly defined. Not much more that his morals are divulged to the
listener. You routinely hear how he treats ladies, and protects the
town, and bravely defends those who need defending. What you don't ever
get to find out is if Matt Dillon is funny, or likes to play Rummy, or
what color horse he prefers. It is almost as if he were a machine. You
do however get the feeling that he has a bit more than admiration for Ms.
Kitty. While he never says it, it is implied on the show through
Chester's sly hinting, and Dillon's quick dodge every time the question
is asked. The show also makes it pretty obvious that Ms. Kitty would be
more than happy for him to make his feelings known. I suppose the most
clearly defined thing about Dillon is that he is supposed to be a hero.
The way her responds in situations is well, impossible for the common
man. I mean, honestly, law men didn't often last too long in the old
west. With as much as he was shot at, even in the three episodes I
listened to today, someone would have been bound to hit him. At least
wound him. But that would show a flaw in our hero, and Americans don't
like their lawmen to be anything but invincible.
Now in the first episode, "Lochinvar", there's about to be a
weddin' in town. The lovely Artis Nash is going to be married to her
sweet heart. However, the problem is the week the wedding is to happen,
her ex, Frank Craig rides back into town. He expects that she will ride
off into the sunset with him. Now typical to character, Dillon of course
protects both parties, and refuses to allow any undue violence. Of
course, when someone is murdered, and the town thinks it's Frank, only
Dillon is up to hearing the rest of the story. It's also his brilliant
deductions that unearth the real killer, Ben, the jilted lover. This is
a recurring theme in most episodes. While all clues point one way,
somehow Dillon finds the truth. It gives him an almost omniscient
quality, except for the fact that he has to figure the answers out over
the course of the show. He is the veritable Sherlock Holmes of the wild,
Wild West.
Now in episode two, "The Square Triangle" we have a whole new
problem. Love is in the air; unfortunately it is between a married woman
and a young herdsman. As if this weren't bad enough soon there is murder
afoot as her husband is knifed in the back as he sleeps. Now the town
and all its residents believe it is her young lover, who has run off with
the 10,000 dollars that her husband had to buy cattle. Only Dillon is
able to catch the real killer. Once again, somehow Dillon figures out
the truth when it looks impossible. Not to be cliché but it seems that
he "Always gets his man".
The third episode is perhaps the most puzzling of all as
someone in town pays a hired killer to wipe Dillon out. Well this just
won't do, and soon Dillon an Chester are hot on his trail. Once again,
the baddies are rounded up, those guilty die, and justice once again
reigns supreme. It's a simplistic joy really, knowing that good will
win over evil, and that good goes by the name of Matt Dillon.
So in short, I guess the stereotypical old west law man was
simply that. They were the good guys. He was often not nearly as well
documented as our famous baddies, who were so full of character. No, we
like our heroes to be the strong silent type. We want an air of
mystery. While we want our bad guys redeemable, we want our heroes
spotless. Dillon is a hero.
Works Cited
"Lochinvar." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits. (10-17-52)
"The Square Triangle." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio
Spirits. (11-14-52)
"Paid Killer." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis and Parley Baer. Audicassette. Radio Spirits. (1-17-53)
THE AVERAGE HERO
The notion of the West encompasses numerous ideologies, fantasies and
myths. The radio series Gunsmoke is an exceptional fictional work
that highlights this perception. In keeping with this idea, it would be
wise to create a "Lawman" that perfectly illustrates this concept. Matt
Dillon, the renown and beloved US Marshall, is depicted as a man of
principles, competent and unbiased. These characteristics are made
apparent throughout the radio series, however; this essay focuses on the
series, "Kick Me," "The Lamb," and "Nina."
Dillon faces many and varied problems and social issues on a daily
basis, and often rises to the challenge of meeting them head-on. He is
portrayed as a man of principles, who does not compromise his moral
values or personal ethics. He threats everyone with respect and dignity
as is demonstrated in his encounter with Tobeel, the Native American who
was humiliated by two unscrupulous characters. Although Dillon did not
particularly like these individuals, (Wiser and Durbin) he was courteous
to them and he listened to their complaints about the Native American. It
is obvious by the attitudes of the men that they do not consider the
Native as an equal. However; Dillon handles the situation superbly; by
reminding the outlaws that killing a man (The Native) is punishable by
death, and appeasing the temper of the Native. The incident gives the
audience the impression that Dillon sees all men as equal, and upholds
his principles.
A lawman must have the ability to lead and to be competent in his
leadership. Dillon is the most competent leader in his time; he leads in
social, moral and ethical issues. In the series, "The Lamb," Dillon
encounters an individual who was supposedly wanted for a series of crimes
in another state. This man's reputation for being "quick to the draw" had
preceded him; therefore, when he arrived in Dodge City, Dillon was
understandably concern. Chester, Dillon's assistant, had tried to force a
showdown between Dillon and this individual but Dillon being a competent
leader, did not abuse his authority. The Marshall's primary focus seems
to be keeping the city safe and free of violence, therefore; he often
tries to find ways of resolving conflicts. His strategy in this situation
was to persuade the individual to leave Dodge City before any violence
breaks out. The man is eventually shot, and Dillon learns his true
identity. He shows remorse for both victim and shooter; however, being a
lawman, he had to charge the shooter with murder.
The series, "Nina," highlights some of the prevailing stereotypes and
prejudices of the era. On his way to another state, an Army Scout and his
Mexican wife happened to pass through Dodge City. They were immediately
made to fell unwelcome because of the existing prejudice against
Mexicans. Dillon is unbiased and therefore, welcomes the travelers.
However, being a lawman whose primary duty is to create a safe
environment, he advice the couple to stay in an area on the outskirt of
the city in order to avoid further conflicts. The Mexican woman needed
medical help and Dillon got his friend and Doctor to assist her. They
treated the couple with respect and dignity and Dillon once again proves
that he is man of principles, a competent leader and unbiased in his
dealing with others.
Works Cited
"Kick Me." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 11-28-53.
"The Lamb." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 12-05-53.
"Nina." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 01-23-54.
THE LAWMAN
The radio series Gunsmoke has played a profound part
in cultivating and preserving the culture of the American West. It is
this yearning for the American West in this time of modernity, that has
caused continued interest and reminiscence of the very successful radio
series, Gunsmoke. It is after listening to this series, that I
made some observations of the star, Matt Dillon. Through his reaction to
the people of Dodge City, and their varying dilemmas, I learnt that US
Marshall Matt Dillon was respected, persistent and astute. Indeed, these
are only three of the many other characteristics that he possessed.
However, I believe that these were the characteristics that were
consistent with Mr. Dillon throughout this series and with Old western
Lawmen.
In the three series of Gunsmoke, it became evident that Matt
Dillon was respected in and around Dodge City. This was shown in three
ways. The first was through the character of Chester. Chester was
portrayed to be Matt Dillon's 'right hand'. This is so as Chester gave
Dillon the news of Homer Tinsdale stealing Mr. Walcott's potatoes, of
Earl Haney's murder and the argument between Mr. Bowers and Charlie
Desha. In doing all of this therefore, Chester experienced Dillon's
reaction to these problems first hand. As a result he showed sensitivity
and respect to Dillon as he watched in admiration and sometimes confusion
as Dillon, solved these problems the way he did. Chester often calls Matt
Dillon, 'sir'. He asks questions in great expectation that Mr. Dillon
knows the answer. Finally, Chester showed great respect for the feelings
of Dillon when he made the mistake of accusing Jim Bastick. By allowing
the doctor to tell him the truth, Chester communicated to me that he felt
unworthy even to correct this man he so respected. More so, he didn't say
anything else of it after the doc told Dillon even though he had been right.
It was also shown in these three series, the respect and appreciation
that the victims of crime in Dodge City felt towards Dillon. Homer
Tinsdale, who had been accused of robbery and murder, was treated without
justice in the courtroom as was not given an opportunity to defend
himself. Jim Bastick, whom had been thrown in jail and hunted down by
Dillon, later proved to be innocent. Jack Worth, Bowers and Moss had been
victims of horse theft. To all of these individuals, Dillon had proved to
be their hero. He had saved them from either death, loss of money or
jail. Indeed, this had given them an opportunity to feel gratitude
towards this US Marshall. In the case of Jim Bastick, even though Dillon
had been wrong, he still showed care and friendliness to him. He said
that even a US Marshall could make a mistake, offering to get a drink
together one day.
The third example of respect in this series is the respect of the
lawbreakers themselves. Yes, Desha just before he died admitted that
Dillon was a smart lawman, but that he was going to die anyway and
wouldn't be put in jail. The Judge, also admitted this too when Dillon
caught him, Mr. Walcott and Bufered, conspiring about setting up Homer.
Indeed they respected a man whom had caught them in their crime.
Persistency is the second characteristic that I observed in Matt
Dillon after listening to these series. Dillon refused to put Homer in
jail for stealing potatoes, despite the insistency and urgency of Mr.
Walcott. It was with confidence that he came to this decision. And it was
with this same confidence that Dillon approached the Judge before and
after the trial. This persistent drive is also shown when Dillon asks,
Desha, Bowers, Moss and Worth for a few days to find the horse thief and
as he is convinced that Jim Bastick is a murderer. It is this independent
and goal oriented drive that allows Dillon to help people, ignore the
uncertainty of a situation and to even make the mistake of pursing the
wrong person. Thus in this he is perceived to be a hard worker in
maintaining law and order in Dodge City.
The final characteristic that I observed of Matt Dillon is that of his
questioning and introspective persona. For each of the three situations,
Dillon went searching for suspects and asked them detailed questions of
what happened or where they were. He does so with Homer, Jim Bastick, Mr.
Bowers and Desha. In doing this he was able to better understand the
situation and so knew how to progress.
In being questioning, Dillon trusted no one, but suspected everyone.
This method seemed to work for him as he suspected the judge, using his
weakness (drinking) to catch him in a compromising situation. Dillon did
the same for Desha. By thinking critically Dillon was able to manipulate
Desha to kill his partner and injure himself resulting in his death.
However, in the case of Jim Bastick, this astute character made a
mistake.
The star of the radio series, Gun Smoke, Matt Dillon has played
a great role in the stereotype of Old West Lawmen. Dillon is shown to be
respected, persistent and smart. It is with these character traits that
he confidently and so passionately deals with the everyday turmoil's of a
City filled with crime. Thus, he proves to many to be the calm assurance
in the terror of murder and robbery. He is the hero. It is, for the most
part, as a result of Radio series such as, Gunsmoke and TV series,
that today Old West Lawmen are perceived to have been above the
lawlessness and corruption of the old west.
These characteristics have accumulated over years resulting in this
extreme and exaggerated perception of old west lawmen. However, it has
been this perception that has brought moments of happy reminiscence to a
modern society today whom looks for stability in this lawman. Indeed, the
stereotypical old west lawman, reminds us of a group of men whom brought
justice and freedom to all who deserved it.
Works Cited
"The Trial." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 03-12-55.
"The Mistake." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
03-19-55.
"Horse Deal." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 03-26-55.
MATT DILLON: THE STANDARD OF THE WEST
When people think of the rugged west, and the struggles
between settlers and Native Americans, one image that might come up is
that of the lawmen. Out in the wide, open spaces of the west, the
settlers needed protection. Those same settlers needed someone who would
be willing not only to protect them and their interests, and who would be
fair in dealing with issues that would come up. Not only would this
person need to be able to be trustworthy enough, but also they would have
to be willing to serve! Matt Dillon and other fictional lawmen from the
west, exemplified images that the people of today have regarding those
days "way back when." Matt Dillon was the U.S Marshal from the radio show
"Gunsmoke." Marshal Dillon was the sheriff in Dodge City. It seems to me
that the portrayal of Matt Dillon is a stereotypical image of the lawman.
The trait that is most prominent in Marshal Dillon that I
picked up on right off is his ability to think things through logically
and in most cases comes to the right conclusion. In any crisis, Dillon
works through the problem logically. In the case of guns being smuggled,
Dillon recognizes the type of rifle that was being smuggled, by a bullet
found in someone who had been shot during a raid. In using that
information, Marshal Dillon figures which way the Indians should be
heading, in order to get more ammunition ("Gunsmuggler").
The next thing I noticed about Marshal Dillon is how he
protects the citizens of Dodge. He is always sticking up for those who
are innocent. In the 2nd episode I listened to, it's time for the horse
races that happen every so often. People all around the area come to
Dodge trying to have the glory and prestige of being known as having the
fastest horse. A young lieutenant, who is new to the area, goads a local
man into betting basically all he had in a race that the two of them
would be in together. The lieutenant also sees an Indian Chief, Howling
Dog, who looks old and haggard, and his horse doesn't look much better.
The lieutenant mocks the Indian before the races, Matt Dillon sticks up
for Howling Dog, explaining that he is a chief, and orders the lieutenant
to leave him alone. Well after the race where the lieutenant wins,
Howling Dog comes and tells the lieutenant that his (Howling Dog's) horse
is faster than then the lieutenant's. The lieutenant laughs at this
because the Indian chief's horse looks like a big over-grown goat. The
Marshal again sticks up for Howling Dog by putting money on Howling Dog's
horse. Of course, Howling Dog wins, making the townspeople ecstatic that
someone had finally beaten an army horse ("The Indian's Horse") .
Marshal Dillon also appears to be unstoppable; no one
can out draw him. In the episode, "Monopoly," a new businessman, Mr. Ivy,
has come to town, buying almost everyone's freight outfit. Everyone that
is, but Mr. Trimble. He's too smart to sell of his only source of income.
When Trimble refuses later, Ivy sends his hit man to destroy his house,
killing Mrs. Trimble. Trimble and the hit man, Cam, end up having a shoot
out, with Trimble dying. The only problem (for Cam) is that Marshal
Dillon saw it all. He ends up having a draw with Cam, only he shoots
before Cam can even move towards his gun ("Monopoly").
So you see, U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon is basically the
perfect law enforcer, protector of the innocent, brave, logical thinker,
courageous, invincible, etc. It seems as if he's been put upon a pedestal
in which all other lawmen of the west can never even dream of reaching
the height of his popularity. And while there have certainly been other
lawmen from the west, whether in real life or fictional, few are as
remarkable as Matt Dillon.
Works Cited
"Gunsmuggler." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
1-30-54.
"The Indian Horse." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 5-15-54.
"Monopoly." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 5-22-54.
MATT DILLON: AMERICAN IDOL
In a country where heroes are often larger than life, few
personages have been romanticized, idealized, and enlarged more than that
of the Old West lawman. One would be hard-pressed to separate truth from
fiction and history from lore when it comes to the tall tales surrounding
these men. From the looming personas of such 19th century heroes as
Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson rises the all-encompassing character of Matt
Dillon, U.S. Marshal of Dodge City, the hero of the hit radio series
Gunsmoke. Dillon, in a variety of ways, stays true to many of the
stereotypes of Old West lawmen. Not only have stereotypes shaped him,
but he has undoubtedly served to create or reinforce many of the
stereotypes that we hold today to be true. Yet, in some ways Dillon does
not fit as neatly into the mold as would be expected. In this paper, I
will examine several stereotypes that Matt Dillon reinforces and one that
he breaks.
First of all, Dillon reinforces the stereotype that Old West
lawmen enjoy power, and have a need to be in control. He is constantly
telling others what to do, most often his deputy Chester. When he
hesitates or questions Dillon's authority, Dillon gruffly tells him,
"Just do as I say, Chester" (Bum's Rush, 4-18-53). Likewise, he tells the
Doctor, "Don't worry, I'll do the shootin'" (Bum's Rush, 4-18-53). He is
not afraid to take charge and take initiative, even when he is simply
trying to call someone's bluff, as in the episode "Gonif" when Dillon
gives outlaw Frank Bissell an ultimatum to leave town by sundown, or
else (Gonif, 4-11-53). Along this same vein, Dillon also cares about
how others perceive him, and demands respect from everyone, citizen and
outlaw alike. He fought Bissell with his fists to save face; in
explanation, he said, "I had my reputation to think about" (Gonif, 4-11-53).
Secondly, Dillon is a fair, just man, as Old West lawmen are
reputed to be, possessing an inner sense of justice. He promises the two
Civil War vets a fair trial (Bum's Rush, 4-18-53), and due to his sense
of what is fair, doesn't simply blow Frank Bissell away, but tries to
bring him and his men to justice (Gonif, 4-11-53). Dillon is also a man
of his word, showing up for Spear's sake to talk to the Captain, even
after Spear doubted that he would actually come (The Soldier, 4-25-53).
At times, his inner sense of justice gets in the way of others' senses of
justice, such as when he supersedes military 'justice' by hiding Spear in
Kitty's closet during the Army's search, and letting him make his own
decision as to whether or not he would surrender himself to them (The
Soldier, 4-25-53).
Thirdly, cunning, ingenuity and a good dose of intuition are
traits inherent to Matt Dillon as well as to the stereotypical Old West
lawman. In his pursuit of the two murderers, Dillon anticipates their
next move, and therefore is waiting, in the deserted cabin at which they
stop, to arrest them upon their arrival (Bum's Rush, 4-18-53). He also
is "working on a hunch" when he heads down to the bank to catch Blaine's
two friends in the act of robbery (Bum's Rush, 4-18-53). Despite his
impulsiveness, he carefully thinks ahead, and in the same episode he
brings the Doctor along as a witness when he goes to capture the two robbers.
Interestingly, Matt Dillon is a man who is not afraid to admit
his mistakes. This is one attribute of his character that is somewhat
out of line with the stereotypes I hold about Old West lawmen. He
apologizes to the soldier Spear for arresting him: "I guess I was a
little hasty about locking you up" (The Soldier, 4-25-53). In the same
episode, he tells Captain Shaw: "I made a mistake, Captain." Also, in
Gonif he admits that he "made two mistakes" in the handling of the
standoff with Frank Bissell (Gonif, 4-11-53). Dillon's humility and
willingness to apologize seems out of line not only with established
stereotypes but also with the power trip that he sometimes displays.
All in all, Matt Dillon, while not in every way the spitting
image of the stereotypical Old West lawman, fulfills many stereotypes and
also aptly fills the hero role placed on him and his kind by the American
people, both then and today. Matt Dillon, and the lawmen he exemplifies,
are truly "American Idols."
Works Cited
"Gonif." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 04-11-53.
"Bum's Rush." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
04-18-53.
"The Soldier." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
04-25-53.
THE OLD WEST LAWMAN
The old west was a place, much like modern days, filled with
good and bad people. Back in the old west the mischief and mayhem was
brought to justice by one stereotypical lawman. In modern days, the
lawbreaking is fought by a whole law enforcement department. US Marshal
Matt Dillon is a great representative of those stereotypical lawmen of
the old west and a precursor to the modern day police department.
Marshal Dillon displayed many characteristics that ever since his time
men have idolizes and strived to be like.
Perhaps the most important of Dillon's traits is the true
courage he shows in the face danger. Some men have courage from the
drink, some men have courage because life is meaningless and they are not
afraid to die, but Matt Dillon had real bravery that even when facing a
foe who is stronger than himself, he can use his head and gain the
advantage. A good example is when Dillon brought justice to the people
who murdered Jorgun in the Gunsmoke episode "Tacetta". Horn, the
gun-fighting villain, was defeated by Dillon because he uses his
intelligence and gets Horn to put down the bigger weapon. Horn lost
because his pride was too important to him.
Another important characteristic of Marshal Dillon's was his
boundaries. He had tough skin and tells it like it is. However, his
kindness, fairness, and compassion show through that hard exterior.
Dillon gives examples of this old lawmen characteristic in (Print Asper),
when he deals with Print's father. You can tell in the story that he
sympathizes with the father's love for his son but has to bring him to
justice. Yes, the old west lawman had a job to do but they did it with
care and people's feelings in mind.
The final important characteristic the old west lawman exudes
is that he never goes out on a hunch even though his hunches usually turn
out to be correct. In "The Buffalo Hunter" Matt Dillon felt that there
was something fishy about Gatliff, instead of jumping the gun and
accusing Gatliff right out, he questioned people until he had solid
evidence to go after Gatliff. Marshal Dillon knew what he needed for
justice and he asked the right questions to make sure that it was served.
The old west lawmen exemplify what we still strive to be
today, strong, caring, and courageous people who love what is good.
Marshal Matt Dillon seems to be a fairy tale that could never be true,
but the idea of all that he stood for is something that continues to
inspire us.
Works Cited
"Tacetta." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audio Cassette. Radio Spirits, 05-02-53.
"The Buffalo Hunter." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audio Cassette. Radio Spirits,
05-09-53.
"Print Asper." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audio Cassette. Radio Spirits,
05-23-53.
A MAN'S MAN
Matt Dillon is representative of the stereotypical Old West Lawman.
The lawmen of the west had many characteristics that made them stand out
from the rest of the populace. Lawmen were the, "first they looked for
and the last they wanted to see" (Twenty-Twenty). These men were tuff
and as rugged as the very plains they rode. Fear was an alien feeling
while compassion was shown to all. Not only were they compassionate; they
were friends to the very. They were constantly looking out for people's
best interest. Also, Old West Lawmen always had a trusty sidekick who was
not quit as smart as their leader. Lawmen needed to be smart to
constantly be one step ahead of the shady characters they encountered.
Lawmen were seen with a smoke in one hand and a pistol in the other. They
were cool and calm in the very sight of danger, much like the L and M's
they smoked.
Matt Dillon was a tuff, pistol slinging, lawman. Everything
about him gave the impression of a real man's man. Living in the west was
hard yet Matt seemed to be well known by all. Just speaking his name gave
people a sense of a rough coarseness that only a lawman could have. When
meeting people, all he had to say to gain respect was, "I'm Matt Dillon,
sheriff in Dodge City" (Ben Tolliver's Stud). A lawman like Matt was
phased by nothing. Even when cutting a man's leg off he seemed calm and
composed (The Lamb). Matt Dillon was hard-hitting to the very core of
his being. This sturdy quality gave lawbreakers a sense of utter fear.
Men were paralyzed when Matt would draw his weapon or slowly walk towards
a wrongdoer (Twenty-Twenty). In the eyes of people in the 50's, lawmen
were a dime a dozen. His rough character symbolized the hero every child
wanted to be.
Dillon was not only tuff but seemed to have no concept of
fear. When staring down the fastest draw in the west, Matt didn't even
flinch. He simply talked calm and readied his pistol (Twenty-Twenty).
After seeing Mrs. Creol dead, he did not go into panic but prepared
himself for a fight (Johnny Red). Matt seemed to be bothered by very
little. Fear to Matt was like an irritating itch, he knew it existed but
chose to ignore it and move on. Even when hearing a shot fired at Mr.
Creeds stable, he chose to run to the very place that death waited (Ben
Tolliver's Stud).
Even though gunfighters were seen as tough men, they were also
depicted as compassionate. When Ben Tolliver was down and out Matt gave
him five dollars to help him out, which was a lot of money when it was
produced. (Ben Tolliver's Stud). Matt was always gracious to the women
that barged in the office soliciting his help. He never said no to
helpless women (Ben Tolliver's Stud). When given the chance to tell Mrs.
Creol the truth about her son, Matt chose to not tell her and let her
continue to live happily. (Johnny Red). Compassion was rare in the west.
The violence seemed to out number the good. There always seemed to be a
bad guy in every episode of Gunsmoke. Yet even though there was
evil all around them it was compassion that brought the stories to a
happy ending. When dealing with an old friend Matt chose to have
compassion and help him with his blindness even though it meant risking
his own life (Twenty-Twenty).
Compassion for others was easy for Matt because most of the
people in the episodes were friends. Everywhere Matt traveled he had a
friend. People genuinely liked Matt. They found it easy to confide in
him. Kitty was constantly telling Matt her hopes and her dreams
(Twenty-Twenty). She found it easy to confide in him because he was such
a good friend. Another aspect to note is that never in these tapes did I
find Matt flirting or giving the impression that his friendship with
kitty was anything other than paternal. He was a great friend. When
dealing with his old friend's anger toward him, Matt chose to turn the
other cheek and help him with his problem. He chose to go to Troy's house
and talk it out like a friend (Twenty-Twenty).
Good Lawmen always had a sidekick. For Matt his sidekick was
Chester. Chester is not quit the stature of Matt yet he is loyal to the
core. He follows all of Matt's instructions even when they seem odd. When
told to stay at the door during a shooting he did not question his
companion he simply chose to follow instructions. (Johnny Red).
Sidekicks also brought comic relief to episodes like Gunsmoke.
They were constantly saying silly things or opening their mouths at
inopportune times. Chester, when hearing Nancy's description of her
father, turned to Matt and said, "Why if he has a bad leg and a lopsided
face he shouldn't be too hard to find." Matt smoothed things over with a
gentle rebuke, "That's enough Chester" (Ben Tolliver's Stud).
Lawmen were leaders. Leaders needed to be smart to make it in
the Wild West. Matt is of no exception. Matt was constantly putting clues
together like a jig saw puzzle. When observing that Troy did not
recognize him and witnessing Troy's outbursts at the gambling saloon, he
quickly pieced together his assumption of Troy's blindness.
(Twenty-Twenty). Also, when hearing of the robbery outside of town he
realized that the two men were most likely heading toward Mrs. Creol's
homestead. He knew that the reason for heading in that direction could
only mean one thing (Johnny Red).
When gun-slinging cowboys are depicted on the screens of
Hollywood and even in these episodes, they are always seen with a
cigarette. Gunsmoke was one of the more extreme cases of this.
After every episode William Conrad, alias Matt Dillon, would come on and
narrate for the listeners how refreshing and smooth L and M's are. He
would distinguish himself as a smoker after every episode
(Twenty-Twenty). One could hardly keep themselves from going out and
purchasing these novelty cigarettes that Matt Dillon himself smoked.
Matt Dillon was a definite mirror image of what people in the
50's thought Lawmen of the West were like. Through the many
characteristics given to this fictional character, Matt Dillon took on
the stereotypical lawman. The traits of roughness, fearlessness,
compassion, friendliness, and intelligence have given Matt Dillon the
identity of a Western Lawman.
Works Cited
"Twenty-Twenty." Gunsmoke. Staring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Geargia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
7-16-55.
"Ben Tolliver's Stud." Gunsmoke. Staring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Geargia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
7-23-55.
"Johnny Red." Gunsmoke. Staring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Geargia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 8-13-55.
"The Lamb." Gunsmoke. Staring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Geargia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, 7-7-55.
GUNSMOKE
On September 1955, a western based program called
Gunsmoke premiered on CBS. This half hour series is the longest
running dramatic series in the history in television, ending its network
run in 1975.
In episodes "Grass" (7-11-53), "Wild West" (7-18-53) and "Hickock"
(7-25-53), Matt Dillon represents the stereotypical Old West Lawman. In
each of the episodes, he is the fearless hero who takes it upon himself
to fix any and every problem. He turns away no one, and will risk death
to uphold what is right.
In the episode "Grass" it is found out that the law has absolute
power in the west, thus meaning that Matt has absolute power in the west.
What he says and decides is law. He is never wrong. He tells Harry that
Indians do not bother the whites, contrary to Harry's belief. He also
tells Harry to get a gun and protect himself. When Harry shoots one of
the guys who was playing the Indian prank on him, Matt takes it upon
himself to get to the bottom of the situation. Although he is pressured
to arrest Harry, he waits until he knows the full story before coming to
any conclusions. He is a good judge of character, stating that he didn't
believe that Harry had the capability to murder in cold blood. Matt
confronts those he believes is responsible for provoking the incident and
in the end, is correct, and cleans up the bad guys.
In the episode "Wild West," Matt is the early morning riser. He
gets up at the crack of dawn to travel. He has a reputation because a
young boy bumps into him and immediately ask for help with his situation.
Matt is the all around good guy, and takes time out to hear the boy's
problem and offers to help him out. Although hit on by this boy's
stepmother, he doesn't succumb. In fact, he leaves the room to avoid any
problems. After finding the boy's father, he has no problem riding ahead
alone to confront those who did the boy's father wrong. He has a soft spot
for women, since when the stepmother shoots one of the men she was
conspiring with, he gives her the benefit of the doubt and believes that
she was trying to save his life.
In the episode "Hickock," Matt is again the fearless, courageous
hero. He has no problem following people who he believes will cause
trouble, even if they see him. When questioned by the two gunslingers
whether or not he was following them, he has no problem admitting that he
was following them. When asked why, he has no problem telling them that
he believes that they are up to no good and will cause trouble. They
threaten him, saying that there are two of them and one of him, and Matt
still is his same old witty self. He confronts them when he doesn't want
them to board a train, and although threatened with violence and odds not
in his favor, he still does not back off. The villains decide not to call
his bluff and back down.
Although each episode was different, many traits where evident
in all of the episodes. Matt is never wrong. He judges people and
situations with a sixth sense-like skill. He has a knack for telling when
someone is lying, or not telling the full truth. He also sits back and
analyzes situations before jumping to conclusions. If something isn't
adding up, he has no problem in stating that he believes that some piece
is missing. He also has no problem in questioning those he believes are
responsible, and asking them point blank questions. He is excellent with
guns. Although fighting is his last resort, he has the skill to kill
anyone with ease. Matt will attempt to fix any problem, even if he doesn't
know what he is getting himself into.
Matt Dillon, in the TV series Gunsmoke, represented the
typical Old West Lawman. He was a fearless, tough, strong, gun toting
man with the law on his side. He had no problem using his brains or his
skills to rectify any situation or wrong doing anywhere in the Old West.
Works Cited
"Grass." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, (7-11-53).
"Hickock." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, (7-25-53).
"Wild West." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard McNear,
Georgia Ellis, and Parley Baer. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits, (7-18-53).
ORDER IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS
Dodge City was one of the western towns where the inhabitants were
running wild and living their lives without any regard for the law,
society, or their neighbor. If they wanted to do something, they would do
it; whether it was right or wrong was not their concern. Therefore the
lawmen in charge of this town as well as all the other western towns had
to meet certain standards in order to discipline the people. Without
their help the western towns would be chaotic. Matt Dillon, a United
States' Marshall, was one of these lawmen. In the three Gunsmoke's
episodes: "The Army Trial," "General Parday Smith," and "Uncle Oliver,"
it is evident that Matt Dillon was a devoted, watchful, confident, just,
caring, and sympathetic Marshall.
Matt Dillon's confidence was apparent in every word that he spoke. He
always knew what he was talking about, and he always spoke in a sure,
authoritative, and sometimes severe but calm tone. In the beginning of
each episode he introduced himself by saying that he is the first man
that the people of Dodge City look for and the last they want to meet.
He was always ready to help and he did it not only because he was a
lawman and he had to, but he did it also, out of concern for the people.
He did it with all his heart without complaining. In "The Army" trial
episode, Jade Cook was a soldier who escaped the army to go to Colorado
with his fiancé. As he was on his way, his wagon broke down. It was a
pleasure for Dillon to help him although he did not want his help.
Dillon was a very caring person. He was concerned about the people's
feelings and he always tried to understand them. He had no choice but to
arrest Jade when he realized who he was. Unfortunately, Jade escaped for
the second time and was slaughtered by a group of Indians. Although
Jade's fiancé was very bitter toward Dillon after he arrested Jade,
Dillon sympathized and comforted her, after her fiancé's death.
Matt Dillon, the United States' Marshall in Gunsmoke,
represents the stereotypical Old West lawman. His confidence, his
devotion and his compassion for others are revealed in the three episodes
of Gunsmoke that I listened to.
Works Cited
"The Army Trial." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
06-25-55.
"General Parday Smith." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad,
Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio
Spirits, 07-02-55.
"Uncle Oliver." Gunsmoke. Starring William Conrad, Howard
McNear, Georgia Ellis, and Parley Bear. Audiocassette. Radio Spirits,
07-09-55.
Michael Rivera
Alan Bradley
Julie A. Maury
Vanessa Beloni
Janis Leacock
Simbarashe Mudzimu
Ashlee Marie Christiansen
Naomi A. Best
Sandy Butler
Natasha Pierre
Nicole Flynn
Melinda Douglas
Jon Davidson
Mikael Kirkham
Tony Wuerfel
Fitzpaul Reid
Kerstine R. Auguste