Gunsmoke followed the adventures of Marshal Matt Dillon (played by James Arness) for 20 seasons. The series was known for its realism, often depicting the brutal realities of frontier life. Gunsmoke was among the many Western shows to describe the West as it was, paving the way for other Westerns that would follow. Among the many episodes of Gunsmoke include Blue Heaven, directed by Michael O’Herlihy and written by Les Crutchfield. This episode started season 10, airing on September 26, 1964.

A runaway kid searches for his mother, who, later in the story, is shown to have a drinking problem. On his way, he encounters a wanted fugitive who insists on disguising themselves as a father and son to mislead people looking for them. While in Dodge, the wanted man expresses his hopes to prove his innocence against the murder and robbery allegations, relying on the sympathetic Festus and Marshal Matt Dillon.

Read the storyline and trivia of Blue Heaven, or watch the full Gunsmoke episode below.

Watch the Full Episode, Blue Heaven

Watch the full Gunsmoke episode, Blue Heaven:

Gunsmoke Blue Heaven Cast

The following cast members acted in the Gunsmoke episode, Blue Heaven:

• James Arness as Matt Dillon
• Milburn Stone as Doc
• Amanda Blake as Kitty
• Ken Curtis as Festus
• Kurt Russell as Packy
• Tim O’Connor as Kip
• Diane Ladd as Elena
• Karl Swenson as Tabe
• John McLiam as Stableman
• Eddie Hice as Duster
• Ernie Anderson as Man
• Jan Merlin as Ed Sykes
• Oscar Blank as Townsman (uncredited)
• Bill Borzage as Townsman (uncredited)
• Dee Cooper as Townsman (uncredited)
• Jane Crowley as Townswoman (uncredited)
• Jimmie Horan as Townsman (uncredited)
• Mike Morelli as Townsman (uncredited)
• Arnold Roberts as Townsman (uncredited)
• June Smaney as Townswoman (uncredited)
• Mabel Smaney as Townswoman (uncredited)
• Glenn Strange as Sam (uncredited)
• Sid Troy as Townsman (uncredited)
• Glen Walters as Townswoman (uncredited)

Full Story Line for Blue Heaven

Kip Gilman, a wanted fugitive from East Texas, hides as Tabe Morley and his men look for him. Doubting Gilman would head to Dodge City, the group heads the opposite way to see if Gilman would make it through to Arizona Territory.

Gilman emerges from hiding and finds a kid eating and taking his belongings. While returning the saddlebag he took, Gilman takes the gun from the kid’s pocket. Gilman finds the gun empty and with a jammed cylinder. The kid tells him that it’s good enough for bluffing. He initially refuses to reveal his name, claiming he’s wanted. Gilman confesses he’s just about the same. Once comfortable, the kid introduces himself as Packy Kerlin, and Gilman tells Packy to call him Slim.

Packy denies running away from his aunt and uncle and clarifies that he’s heading to Dodge City to find her mother. When he was about to leave, Gilman suggested they pose as a father and son to escape from the people after them. Packy agrees, especially since they’re driving a rig to Dodge, which is better than walking.

Festus finds Gilman getting one of the wanted posters near Marshal’s office. Upon hearing Festus mention the surname Haggen, Gilman asks him if he’s a relative of Catfish Haggen. Festus tells him that he’s his second cousin in his great-aunt. To his delight, Gilman introduces himself as Slim Kerlin, Catfish Haggen’s old bunking buddy. Gilman also presents Packy as his son. Festus asks Gilman to return the poster he got, as the Marshal will find it suspicious if there’s at least one missing on the board. Festus returns the flyer, unable to recognize that the wanted man is Gilman.

Gilman tells Packy to head to a store and buy himself candy as he and Festus go to the Long Branch Saloon. However, Packy slipped by saying “sir” before correcting himself and calling Gilman “Pa.” Festus immediately realized this, so Gilman confesses all his lies but states that he did raft logs with Catfish Haggen. Gilman also reveals that the man in the poster was him.

After Festus introduced Gilman to Doc and Kitty, Gilman asked if Kitty about Elena Kerlin’s whereabouts. Gilman tells Kitty that Elen gets her mail delivered in Dodge in the care of the Long Branch Saloon. Although hesitant, Kitty reveals that Elena used to work at the saloon for a month or two over a year ago, then sends someone to get her mail once in a while. Kitty also tells him he’ll likely find Elena at Rat Hole Alley, south side across the tracks.

Gilman and Packy head over to Elena’s house. They find her in no good condition, and when Gilman continues talking to her inside her house, he finds out she has a drinking problem. Gilman tries to knock some sense into her, reminding Elena that she has a son waiting for her.

Gilman tells Packy to wait until her mother calls him to go inside. He assures Packy that he’ll be fine, then heads back to Dodge City.

Meanwhile, Tabe Morley and his men have arrived in Dodge City. Upon seeing Gilman’s wanted poster, Tabe and Ed Sykes tell Marshal Matt Dillon that they were the men Gilman robbed and that he murdered the bookkeeper on their ranch. Tabe summarized what happened; Gilman was ready to go, then pulled and shot his gun at Sykes, and when Gilman rode out, Sykes found the bookkeeper dead on the floor. Tabe aims to see Gilman’s motive, considering he could always come to him for anything. Once Tabe and Sykes leave, Dillon asks Festus to find Gilman.

Festus tells Gilman that two men are looking for him, and another is watching him at the livery stable. Gilman thanks him for his help, then asks Festus to stay out of it.

Gilman returns to Packy, who tells him his mom got a visitor. Gilman asks Packy for a favor, telling him to look up a sawbones by the name of Doc Adams and ask Miss Kitty from the Long Branch Saloon for his office. Once Packy left, Gilman entered Elena’s house, knocking the visitor out so he could speak with Elena alone. Gilman introduces himself as Slim Kerlin, her husband. The drunk Elena tells him that her husband’s been dead for years, but Gilman sticks to his word, insisting she’s got a husband now.

Doc gave Elena a sedative to keep her asleep, then gave Gilman another to give her the next day. He also suggests Gilman get her something to eat, clean up the place, and give her the bath she needs. Gilman asks Doc if he knows a woman who could look after Elena, telling him that he’s willing to pay. Doc says yes, and agrees to send someone over as soon as possible.

Festus tells Dillon that Gilman swore that someone stacked those charges against him. Dillon tells Kitty that he’s surprised to see Elena still around Dodge, and Kitty couldn’t agree more. Kitty further tells him that Elena’s once sweet and pretty demeanor changed since those trail drivers trampled her and cut her face open.

Elena wakes up and finds her place fixed by Mrs. McGibbon, Gilman, and Packy. Sobered up, Elena finally recognized Packy, happy to see him and sorry for acting up to him.

Later, Gilman confesses that he’s a wanted man in East Texas and that turning him in would give her $5,000. Elena asks him the truth. Gilman tells her that Sykes’ boys jumped and opened fire on him. The following day, he found out that they had set him up, making him a wanted man for killing the bookkeeper and robbing the safe.

Sykes and Duster got information about Gilman’s whereabouts through a man tending to his horse in the livery stable. They head over to Elena’s house and ask for her husband. Sykes insists on entering the house, but the people outside are watching him, ready to make a move if they do anything to Elena.

Dillon asks Tabe for Sykes’ whereabouts and then hands a letter from the sheriff.

Meanwhile, Elena encourages Gilman to seek Dillon’s help and face the trial until he’s proven innocent. Gilman plans to run away and give Elena and Packy money to move out of town. However, Elena insists on helping Gilman. Suddenly, Sykes and Duster threw Packy’s jackknife, threatening Gilman to go out and face them.

Festus saves Gilman when Duster is about to shoot him from the roof. Dillon stops Sykes from shooting Gilman but refuses to drop his gun. Sykes shoots Dillon, and Dillon fires back, leading to Sykes’ death.

Dillon clears Gilman from the charges, stating the sheriff back in East Texas learned the truth. Gilman returns to his new family and starts a new life with them.

Full Script and Dialogue of Blue Heaven

♪♪

(horse whinnies)

♪♪

(horse whinnies)

Easy, now. Do you hear?

Come on, boy. (clucking tongue)

Come on. Come on.

(horses approach)




That map show the
trail forking here?

Yeah.

Yeah, here it is.

Let me see what goes where.

The left fork goes
to Pawnee Crossing.

The other one keeps
bearing to the right

and ends up in Dodge City.

Well, he's been
steering clear of towns.

I doubt he'd head for Dodge.

Looks more and more like
he's trying to make it through

to Arizona Territory.

Let's go.

(clanking)

Hold it there!




Where the blazes did
you come from, anyhow?

No place. I-I was just
passing through is all.

I figured these had
just been left there.

No use seeing 'em go to waste.

You know, a man kind
of gets hungry on the trail.

- What do you got here?
- You give me that back!

- It's my gun! Give it back to me!
- Oh, come on.

What for, now? Wait
a minute. Hold on.

- It's my gun! Give it...
- Hold on there, now.

Trying to get yourself killed?

Thing ain't got no
firing pin, no loads in it.

Got a jammed cylinder.

It's all right for bluffing.

Bluffing the undertaker maybe.

Where'd you come from,
anyway? What's your name?

I ain't asking you
any questions, am I?

Well, now.

Ah, guess you're a much
tougher customer than I figured.

I'm wanted, if that's
what you mean.

Is that so?

That makes two of us.

I figured you was on the run.

Why don't you give me
that coffeepot and skillet

out of those saddlebags?

I reckon you know
where to find 'em.

My name's Packy. Packy Kerlin.

Packy, eh?

Well, you can call me... Slim.

Sure can break your back
on a no-good farm like this.

My aunt and uncle
got a place just like it

out in the Arizona Territory.

Now, you're not running
away from your folks, are you?

Aunt and uncle ain't folks.

My pa, he's a long time dead.

I never even knowed him.

He was a soldier
for the cavalry.

Oh, that right?

What about your ma?

She left there about two years
ago and went to Dodge City.

She sends us money sometimes,
but I'm going there to find her

and to stay with her.

I guess she's about the
prettiest woman that ever lived.

Why, sure.

I'm much obliged
to you, Mr. Slim,

but I better get a move on.

Uh, hey, wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Uh...

I've kind of got me an idea.

- Oh?
- Yeah.

Like as not, now, your aunt and
your uncle kind of turned you in

as a runaway and they got
the law out after you, huh?

Well, I mean, the
law's after me, too,

along with a lot of other folks.

But they're looking for a
lone man and a lone boy.

You know, separate.

- Yeah.
- They wouldn't be looking

for a pa and his young'un

who was traveling together
and driving a rig here.

Heck, it'd be no chore at
all to patch this thing up.

Good enough to get
into Dodge at least.

Are you going to Dodge, too?

Well, I wasn't, but, you
know, plans change.

Well, what do
you think about it?

It's all right with me
if it's all right with you.

It's better than walking.

Tell you, Matthew,
that times is a-changing.

And the thing is

that they're a-changing
for the worse, too.

That so?

Well, of course it is!

There ain't nothing never
happens in this town no more.

Leastwise, nothing worth
walking across the street

and shaking a stick at.

You can't deny that.

Festus, I was called up

three times during
the night last night,

and I really need some sleep.

I mean, is that possible?

Try my best not
to bother you none.

There you are, just what
I been a-talking about.

Them's the only kind that
ever comes to Dodge anymore.

Bunch of clodhopping,
sodbusting,

dang homesteaders and
their squally young'uns.

♪♪

See you directly, Matthew.

Hey!

Hold up there.

You collecting
souvenirs, are you?

Are you a lawman?

Lawman?

The last feller that
called a Haggen a lawman

is buried right up
yonder on Boot Hill.

Haggen, you ain't any kin
to Catfish Haggen, are you?

Catfish?

He's only my dear
beloved second cousin

on my great-aunt lonely
Bridget's side once removed.

You know Catfish, do you?

Know him? Him and me log-rafted

on the downed
end of the Missouri

for two whole
seasons a while back.

Why, Catfish and me
is old bunking buddies.

Festus Haggen!

Kip Gil... Uh, Slim
Kerlin, I mean.

I'm real proud to meet
a cousin of old Catfish!

Any friend of Catfish
is a friend of Festus.

Yeah, this here's my son, Packy.

Howdy, Packy.

Sure the spitting
image, all right.

Oh, Matthew, this
here's Slim Kerlin.

Uh, Slim, this is the
marshal, Matthew Dillon.

- How do?
- How do?

You two sound like
you know each other.

Not exactly. Slim here's a
buddy of my cousin Catfish

on the old river barges.

Well, you probably have
a lot to talk about, then.

I'll see you later. I'm
gonna get some coffee.

Give me that poster

or he'll miss it sure
as you're a foot high.

The marshal ain't like the
lawmen you're used to, probably.

This here'un's real smart.

He miss this poster,
he'd be onto something,

sure as shooting.

Who's this? Friend of yourn?

Nah, just somebody I
thought I recognized.

Well, the first thing we
got to do is get your rig over

to the livery stable. Come on.

All right, son, you run
along down to the store

and get yourself some candy,

and I'll be along in
a couple minutes.

Yes, sir... Pa.

All right, I'm not his pa...

and my name ain't Kerlin.

But I did raft
logs with Catfish.

That's good enough for me.

Are you wanted bad, are you?

You saw the poster, didn't you?

You mean, that was
you with all the...?

Look, I'll tell you everything

that you want to
know, but later.

First, I want to get
this thing over with

on account of the boy.

All right, let's go.

- Howdy, Doc.
- Festus.

- Kitty.
- Hello, Festus.

This here's my friend, Slim.

He's looking for a girl.

Is he, now?

Aw, no, I-I mean a special girl.

All the girls in
Dodge are special.

One way or another.

I reckon you don't
understand, miss.

She must work here or something.

Anyhow, she gets
her mail delivered here

in care of the Long Branch.

Her name is Elena.

Elena?

Yeah, Elena Kerlin.

And she's... she's about
as pretty as they come.

Uh, if that's any help to you.

I'm sorry, mister.

She doesn't work here.

Then how'd she
answer the letters

that I sent here for her?

- Is she...?
- She was here.

For a month or
two over a year ago.

She still sends somebody to
get her mail every now and then.

Look, miss, I'm
sorry if I upset you,

but I'd be most grateful
if you could tell me

where I can find her.

I've heard she's
living in Rat Hole Alley.

That's south side,
across the tracks.

Much obliged to you.

Is she, uh... some kin to you?

Well, her and me
used to be married,

and, uh, I'm bringing
our boy to see her.

Well, Slim, uh,
I'll be waiting here

if you're of mind to
come back directly.

Ah, thank you, Festus.

Well, right glad to
have met you all.

Is that the girl who...?

It's the same girl, Doc.

That poor devil's
in for a shock.

I'm looking for a
Miss Elena Kerlin.

How about, um,
borrowing a dollar off you?

Right straight over there.

♪♪

(knocks)

WOMAN: Who's there?

Oh, just a friend.

I have no friends.

Go away!

Oh... Come on, Elena. Open up.

Got to talk to you.

Oh.

I told you go away.

Didn't I just say, "Go
on, get out of here"?

What's the matter, Ma?

Are you sick?

Who are you, anyhow?

I'm a friend of your boy's here.

I just helped to...
help him find you.

He's, uh, come here for a visit.

Ain't you glad to see me, Ma?

Honey?

Just give Mama...

a couple minutes.

Mama don't feel so good.

Mama's gonna... (Elena moans)

(door closes)

You stay here a minute.

I want to talk to your ma.

(grunts)

What do you think you're doing?!

Elena, how long you
been living like this?

If you don't like
it, you can get out.

I said get out!

You better take another shot
out of that before you throw it.

Listen, you got to think
up some kind of a story

for that boy out there.

What's it to you?

Nothing.

Give me that.

You... you come back here!

- Now, get off me.
- You stop it, you fool!

I need that! I need that!

- Now, you listen to me!
- (sobbing): I need that!

What you need to do is to
wash your face and-and-and...

- pull yourself together!
- (sobbing): I need that.

You got a son out there

who's waiting for his
homecoming welcome.

What do... what do you care?

Well, I don't, but you ought to.

Now, look, I'll have some
grub sent over here to you.

And here, here's some money.

Now, that ought to be
enough to take care of you

for a couple or three weeks.

If you don't drink it all up.

(cries)

You keep your money!

You don't owe me nothing.

I know I don't!

And that boy, either.

Because him and me's
already finished our deal.

Wait.

Why, then, how
come you're butting in?

I'm not!

Good luck.

I think you'd better wait until
she calls you before you go in.

She ain't been
feeling very well.

What are you gonna do?

Oh.

Well, hang around
town a few days.

And move off, I reckon.

You figure you throwed
them off the trail?

Oh, yeah.

Lots of folks saw
us come into town.

Just another sodbuster
and his young'un.

I'll be all right.

You will, too.

Don't you worry none about it.

You gonna find things
real good for yourself.

Sure, I will.

She's my ma.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's right.

(clicks tongue)

Well...

So long, Packy.

You Marshal Dillon?

That's right. What
can I do for you?

I'm Tabe Morley.

And, uh, this is my
partner Ed Sykes.

We're hunting this man.

Followed him all the
way from East Texas.

DILLON: Are you a lawman?

MORLEY: Nope.

DILLON: What are
you... Bounty hunters?

SYKES: We run cattle.

Lots of cattle.

Gilman was one of our hands.

No, no. He was a great
deal more than that.

I practically raised that boy.

His folks are very
close friends of mine.

I see. Well, uh, you figure
he's in Dodge or something?

Well, we just saw his
horse in the livery stable.

He was put in there yesterday,

and the stableman can't seem to
remember exactly who put him in.

We got one of our boys watching
the place in case he comes back.

We thought maybe you could
pry the stableman's memory

if you was of mind to it.

Well, I still don't understand.

What's you men's part in this?

We're the ones he robbed.

Man he murdered was the
bookkeeper on the ranch.

Man I'd had with
me for 20 years.

As a matter of fact, he was a
very close friend of Gilman's.

DILLON: How'd this happen?

We, uh, just sold
a big piece of land.

Cash. $100,000.

And, uh, it was
in the ranch safe.

And there was
nobody there that night

except the
bookkeeper and Gilman.

And round about midnight,

Sykes here rode out from town.

And Gilman was already
saddled up and ready to go.

And he wouldn't
answer any questions.

Just pulled his gun on
Sykes and shot at him.

Then he rode out.

The bookkeeper was
laying dead on the floor.

Pistol-whipped.

And the safe was empty.

Well, all right, so the
man did you harm.

I still don't understand why
you followed him all this way.

Why didn't you just go back
home and let the law handle this?

That boy knew that
he could come to me

for anything he
wanted within reason.

Now, I want to
know why he did it.

You don't think we're gonna let

that murdering sneak
get away with it, do you?

All right.

I'll check into it.

Good day, gentlemen.

Thank you, Marshal.

- Well, y'all...
- Now, just a minute here.

You wouldn't, by any
chance, be heading down

to warn anybody to stay away

from the livery
stable, would you?

Oh, golly...

Hey, Festus, I think
your cousin Catfish

has got some
pretty rough friends.

Matthew, I swear

on my poor old ma's
work-wore hands

that the facts just ain't

what them fellers said they are.

I tell you, I'm just gonna
send off a little telegram

to the sheriff of
Carver County, Texas

and find out about that.

Now, in the meantime, uh,

your friends wouldn't,
by any chance,

be planning to leave
town, would they?

Oh, ain't none of my friends got

an idea in their head like that.

Good.

Well, you just see that
you keep them pure.

And I'll tell you another thing.

You know, shaving
a man's beard off

doesn't help to change
his appearance very much.

I'd still know you if you
shaved yours off, you know.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

(spurs jingling)

Slim...

Them's the two I told you about.

Yeah, I know it is.

They just been over
at the marshal's office.

Hmm.

I gotta hit the
trail out of here.

Uh, there's a man watching
for you at the livery stable.

Then I reckon there's only
about one thing I can do.

I'm much obliged for
all you've done for me,

but you steer clear of this.

You hear me?

Why, hello, Packy.

I didn't figure
you'd come around.

Well, I ch... (Elena laughing)

ELENA: Now, you
stop acting so silly.

Mom's got somebody visiting.

Look, will you do me a chore?

Sure!

You go into Front Street
and look up a sawbones

by the name of Doc Adams

and tell him to come
on out here right away.

There's a lady called Miss
Kitty in the Long Branch.

She'll tell you
where his office is.

All right? Got that?

Yes, sir.

ELENA: What's
the matter with you?

You get out of here, before I...

MAN: Hold on, now, mister!

You've got a lot of nerve.

Yeah?

Who do you think you are,

coming in here like this?

(sighs)

Well, I'll tell you who I am.

My name is Slim Kerlin.

I'm your husband.

I don't... I don't
have no husband.

Been dead... for years.

- Well, you've got one now, sweetheart.
- (whimpers)

And I'm him.

So here's to matrimonial bliss.

You think she's
gonna be all right?

Oh, sure, she will.

He's been in there
an awful long time.

Well, sawbones always do that,

because they figure
then that you'll figure

that they're worth the money.

(door opens)

I gave her a sedative,

and that'll keep her
asleep for about eight hours,

something like that,
and when she wakes up,

you can give her another
one, that's the same thing.

But not over about
three of those a day.

Well, she ought
to have some food.

Some milk and eggs and
soup and things, you know.

I'll see she gets it.

I left a list of things
in there on that table

that you can look at

if you can find it
in all that mess.

We'll clean the place up, too.

What she ought
to have is a bath.

Well, I was wondering, Doc,

if maybe you might
know of some woman

that would be willing
to come out here

and stay with
her for a few days.

You know, sort
of look after her,

clean her up a bit, maybe...

fix up her hair.

Yeah, I know a woman like that,

but she'll charge you.

Well, I got money.

You... send her over.

All right.

If you say so.

Do you have any idea what
you're letting yourself in for?

Well, I'm obligated,
Doc, sort of.

See, me and her
was married, and...

well, uh, this here's
my son, Packy.

That's right.

Yeah, well, um...
good luck to you.

Uh, Doc, will this, uh...

this take care of your
time and your trouble?

Very generously, thank you.

I sure hope things
turn out all right for you.

Thank you.

You know, she never
used to be like that.

She must've been real sick.

Yeah, she must've been.

She don't even act
like she knows me.

Oh, sure, she knows you.

You're gonna see a big
difference in a couple of days.

I hope so.

You will.

You wait and see.

Now, come on.

We got work to do.

Kitty.

- Festus.
- Matthew.

- Marshal.
- KITTY: Hi, Matt.

Excuse me.

Gentlemen.

We was wondering
if you got a line

on that fellow Kip Gilman.

No, not since I talked
to you the other day.

Well, in a town this size,

it appears to me you'd be able

to find him in three days.

Well, you two have been
out looking for him, I presume?

It ain't my town.

No, that's right, it isn't.

Well, I know one thing.

If I'm ever wanted and I
need a place to hole up,

I'll come right here.

Why don't you try that?

Let's go, Sykes.

I'll tell you one more thing.

It's like I told
you the other day:

you leave Gilman up to the law.

Law? (laughs)

What law?

He riles up easy, Marshal.

Sykes there is a
proudy one, Matthew.

Yeah.

Somebody told me
that your friend Slim

was holed up at Elena
Kerlin's across the tracks.

Well, I don't know.

It is possible, Matthew.

You... fixing to
bring him in, are you?

Well, I was trying to hold off

till I heard from the
sheriff down in Texas.

See, once I take
your friend into jail,

these two can get
extradition papers on him.

There's nothing
more I can do for him.

Well, now, he swore up and down

that these charges was
stacked up agin him, Matthew,

by somebody for some reason.

Well, it's possible, Festus.

Say, Kitty, I didn't know

that Elena Kerlin was
still around Dodge.

This is as good a town as any

to drink yourself to death in.

I remember her when
she first came to town.

She certainly was a
pretty, sweet girl then.

Yeah, too sweet and too pretty.

When those trail
drivers fought over her

and trampled on her
and cut her face open,

that was all.

Just seems like some
folks is born to lose.

Others got to work at it.

Well, how about
your friend Slim?

Where does he fit in
that picture, Festus?

Well, he ain't
lost yet, Matthew.

No.

Not yet.

(clucking)

Oh... Mrs. McGibbon's
been cracking the whip, huh?

Yeah. She said it
wouldn't hurt me none

to learn how to peel spuds.

I have to cook 'em, too!

She ain't coming
back till tomorrow.

She show you how?

Sure.

Don't sound like no chore to me.

All you do is put some
water on 'em and boil 'em up.

All we can do is
hope for the best.

Well... You, uh, going to rejoin

the world of the living?

I thought it was the
lady who came in.

No, she left for the day.

Well...

This place. What...

I don't understand.

Who did all this?

(chuckles) Well...

Mrs. McGibbon had
some time on her hands.

She... she, uh...

fixed up these curtains, and...

Packy and me, we
handled the cleanup.

Packy?

Mmm.

He's really... here?

Why, sure.

Hey, Packy?

Come here a minute.

- Ma!
- Oh, Packy.

Oh, Packy, Packy...

Oh, Packy, I acted
so bad to you.

(sobs)

Well, you were...
you were sick, Ma.

Nobody acts the
same when they're sick.

You know that.

(laughs)

Whoo!

- Oh, have you grown!
- Yeah.

It's been a long time since...

(chickens clucking)

Oh, that old hen, it's
gonna eat my spuds.

Oh. All right.

(exhales)

(laughs)

You been staying here?

Yeah, yeah.

I, uh... on the, uh...

well, I've slept in worse beds.

Oh.

Why'd you do all this?

You know I can't pay you.

Well... ain't no
reason to. Uh...

You don't owe me anything.

Why not?

Well, because I needed
a place to stay and a...

a name to use.

And you needed some help.

So, as far as I'm
concerned, we're even.

(chuckles)

Who are you?

My name's Kip Gilman.

I'm wanted for
murder in East Texas.

You can make yourself
$5,000 just by turning me in.

Who did you kill?

Nobody.

There's lots of people
who'll tell you different.

Well, then what happened?

Well, I mean, how
come you're wanted?

Well...

I was working for a
couple of ranchers,

Tabe Morley and
his partner Sykes.

Well, one night,

there was a lot of
money in the ranch safe.

And the bookkeeper
and me and Sykes,

we was the only ones there.

So Sykes comes out to the
bunkhouse and he gives me

this package to take into town.

I get about three
miles out of town

when some of Sykes'
boys jumped me.

They opened fire on me.
They was waiting there for me!

I got clear of that,
but I hid out that night.

And the next morning,
the word is out

that I'm wanted for
killing the bookkeeper

and robbing the safe.

Oh, that Sykes,
he'd set me up good.

That package he give me

to take into town had
$10,000 in bills in it,

part of the money
taken out of the safe.

And then you ran away.

I ran.

Been running for three months.

(humming)

I always keep that door
open during business hours.

Oh, we'll open it pretty soon.

I see that fella didn't
come for his horse yet.

No, no, ain't seen him.

What was it you
said his name was?

He didn't say. I
told you that before.

Oh, that's right, you
did, come to think of it.

I was hoping maybe your
memory had improved some.

Well, I-I told you I don't
remember much about that fellow.

Wasn't paying much
attention, I reckon.

Hey, you better put that back.

That belongs to Mr. Overton.

You know, me and Duster
was having a little talk

before we came over here.

And, uh, we got
in a little argument.

We was arguing about the
best way to jog a man's memory.

Now, I got one idea,
Duster got another one.

(humming)

You know, you don't even
look like the same woman.

(laughs) I don't feel
like the same one, either.

Well, that's good.

(Elena humming)

Some things don't
change, though.

You mean that scar?

Nah, that don't harm you none.

It harmed me enough
to get me started.

I couldn't face people
looking the way I did

without some kind of help.

That's kind of a weak
alibi, don't you think?

What right have you got to talk?

Well, you haven't faced
things any more than I have.

You run away!

Yeah, maybe I do.

That's what you're doing now.

(sighs) That's what I been
doing all my life, I reckon.

Funny... you helped
me out of my swamp,

but I-I just can't find no
way at all of helping you.

Forget it. You don't
owe me nothing.

I wasn't thinking about owing.

(knocking)

Shh.

Sykes and Duster...
they're coming here.

(knocking)

Talk with them.

What can I say to them?

Lie to them. Anything
you can think of.

Your husband home, lady?

What do you want with him?

Well, uh, we're a
couple friends of his.

We want to talk to
him about a horse.

ELENA: He ain't home.

I don't think you understood me.

I said, uh, we're a
couple of friends of his.

We'll come in and wait.

- Well, I said no.
- Now, look, lady...

Well, now, you look.

Now, you make one move at
me, and they'll tear you to pieces.

All right, now, get out of here.

I'll slip out of here
right after dark.

Fella come to the hotel,
said you wanted to talk to me.

Yeah, that's right.
Where's you partner?

I don't know. He's been
off somewhere all day.

What'd you want, Marshal?

Well, I, uh... I just got a
telegram from your sheriff

in answer to the one I sent him.

- Read it.
- Mm-hmm.

(clears throat)

It's not possible.

It's not possible.

You think the
sheriff's lying, do you?

Oh, no, he's honest
as the day is long,

but, I, uh... I just
can't believe this.

Marshal, I gotta talk to you.

Come in, Roy.

ELENA: No sign of 'em?

Just hope they're not still
watching that livery stable.

Running isn't the
only way, you know?

Look, we've been
all through that.

We could go to Marshal Dillon.

And what, say, "Please
send me back to Texas

so they can hang me?"

No. Have a trial and
tell 'em your side of it.

They don't want my side.
They got one of their own.

What's the good in
running all your life?

Now, look, it appears to me

that you're worrying about
an awful lot that don't count.

Now, you're not gonna
get in any trouble about this.

You just tell 'em that I
held a gun on you, that's all.

That I made you go along,
and they won't hurt you.

Well, I didn't think they would.

And I'll give you enough
money to get out of this town

and take the boy with you.

Well, I don't want your money.

I wanted to help you!

I wanted you to see!

Forget it.

- (window breaks)
- Oh!

It's Packy's jackknife.

Oh.

That means they're not
coming in after me again.

I'm gonna have
to go out to them.

(revolver cylinder clicking)

Wish me luck.

I better leave this with you.

I might drop it out
there or something.

Be careful.

Listen, if I was careful,

I'd crawl out that back
window and I'd run like a deer.

Take care of that boy.

♪♪

Sykes!

Come on out where I can see you!

♪♪

Gilman!

DILLON: Hold it!

Stop right there!

All right, now, drop
the guns, all of you.

Go on, Sykes. You're
under arrest for murder.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

Hey, Ma! Ma, look what I got!

Where'd you get that?

A man gave me five
dollars for my old knife

and told me to go buy a new one.

He must have been crazy.

Yeah, he was.

You stay here with your ma now.

You say he was
wanted for murder?

Gilman, you're in the clear.

I checked with the
sheriff back in East Texas.

Some of his friends
told the whole story.

Well, I can't blame
him for feeling bitter.

I just hope he gets over it.

He may. Or it can help.

Golly be, well, he
sure didn't learn much

from cousin Catfish, did he?

How's that?

Well, you no more'n
get him off of one hook,

and he gets hisself right
back on another one.

Come on. Let's go home.

Behind the Scenes Trivia

Kurt Russell, the future lead star of the movie, The Thing, debuting in 1982, appears as a guest in this episode. On the other hand, The Thing from Another World, the original film that premiered in 1951, stars James Arness, who played The Thing.

Many residents in Rat Hole Alley, Dodge’s slum-like area across the tracks on the south side, were standing or sitting around whenever anyone went to Elena’s shack. Sykes and his partner, Duster, witnessed this when they came to Elena and threatened her. Seeing the potential danger, these residents began walking toward Elena’s shack to protect her. The situation made Sykes and Duster leave the place. However, when they returned, none of these people were present and threw Packy’s jackknife through the window after allegedly kidnapping him to force Kip to come out and face them.

The production used Walter Donaldson’s 1927 song “My Blue Heaven,” with lyrics written by George Whiting, as the basis for this episode’s title.

Towards the end, when Elena emerges from her shack and walks to the right, viewers can view the shadow of a boom mic on the building.

Looking for More Gunsmoke Episodes?

Have Gunsmoke as your next show to binge-watch alone or with your family! It is a 20-season Western television series on the CBS network that aired from 1955 to 1975. Blue Heaven is the 1st episode for the Season 10 of Gunsmoke. 

You can find more about any of the Gunsmoke episodes here.