
Charlie Noon Full Episode – Gunsmoke, Season #15, Episode #07
Matt Dillon finds himself escorting his prisoner, Charlie Noon, back to Dodge City when they encounter a fleeing Indian bride being pursued by her tribe members. Mistaking Charlie for her kidnapper, the Braves seek vengeance, leading to a tense standoff. Rather than relying on typical Western action, the Gunsmoke episode Charlie Noon focuses on suspense as all parties battle wits and strategy. Airing on November 3, 1969, this episode diverges from the genre’s norms, emphasizing suspense over violence.
Explore the plot and trivia of Gunsmoke “Charlie Noon,” or watch the full episode below.
Table of Contents
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Charlie Noon Cast
The following performers were featured in the episode titled “Charlie Noon”:
- Milburn Stone as Doc (credit only)
- Amanda Blake as Kitty (credit only)
- Ken Curtis as Festus (credit only)
- Buck Taylor as Newly (credit only)
- James Arness as Matt
- James Best as Charlie Noon
- Miriam Colon as The Woman
- Ron Howard as Jamie (as Ronny Howard)
- Edmund Hashim as Lone Wolf
- Kipp Whitman as Takawa
Full Story Line for Charlie Noon
Matt, accompanied by his toughened captive Charlie Noon, an Indian woman, and her white stepson, finds themselves pursued by the Comanches while attempting to traverse the desert. Threatened with death by the Comanches, Matt faces a difficult decision: surrender the woman who abandoned the Comanche leader years prior or risk the lives of all in their party.
Full Script and Dialogue
Red-skinned vultures. They don't leave nothin' but ashes and wolf meat. Buzzards ain't even circlin' yet. This didn't happen long ago, by the looks of it. You ain't plannin' on ridin' down there, are you? There's water down there, we need it. Yeah. They could be belly down in that brush too, coiled and waitin'. I believe in the simple and easy. Let's ride on out of here. Let's go. Comanche. I thought the stink was familiar. They're a long way from home. - It's foul. Stinkin'... - Huh? Let's get out of here. It's all right, ma'am. It's all right. She's Indian. A stinkin' squaw Indian. Hills crawlin' with Comanche and you take out time for a funeral. Well, I'll bet that's real comfortin'... havin' a tame Indian put flowers on your grave. Shut up, Noon. His name was Manuel. He was our friend. He saw them and made us hide. Didn't the Indians search the cabin before they burned it? They didn't burn it. Manuel did, to save us. I see. Fella used his head. And got an arrow for his trouble. Now, you through doin' good deeds or you gonna say a couple hundred words for this poor dead Mex here? The sound of a shot carries a long way in this desert. Move out, Noon. Ma'am, I'm afraid you and the boy'll have to ride double. You mean you're gonna take them with us? Huh? Look at her. Probably carved herself a scalp to get that dress. All right, son, hold it! Hold it here! You better keep your mouth shut, mister. I warned you once, Noon. I'm not gonna warn you again. Kid's kinda touchy. He acts like they were kin. She's my ma. You mean you got a squaw for a mother? It's amazing what a bottle of cheap liquor'll buy. Get mounted. Go! It is me they are after. They know I am here. And they know you are with me. Leave me or they will kill you too. - Take Jamie and run. - No! Don't worry, son, we're not leaving anybody. Well, it's her they're huntin'. Get back. - Can you still ride? - You bet. All right, go. - Marshal. - Get on. Right now. Get away from me, squaw. Just because you've got a white name and a white kid, you're still all Indian. And there's only one thing worse than that, and that's being all Comanche. And you're that too. Jamie, here. Keep a sharp eye peeled out here and keep your head down. Yes, sir. Go on, pull it out. Oh! I think we'll be all right here for a while. Can you handle this? All right, Jamie. Thank you. You stay clear of me, squaw. It's because of you I got this hole in my shoulder. Rattlesnakes can shed one of their skins, but the one underneath don't change none. - Mr. Dillon? - Yeah? Thanks for not leaving us, and for... Sure, Jamie. - We'll be needin' water, won't we? - Yeah, we need it bad too. There's a water hole west of here about 15 miles. - There is? - My pa and me used to ride there. Fifteen miles west of here, huh? Well, that'll mean a pretty good detour, but it'll be worth it. Think you can go till morning without water, Jamie? If you can. I was for leavin' you back there. I'm still for leavin' you. You understand that? Yes. You got a good face for poker. Nobody'd know what was behind it. We'd better hold tight here till dawn. Go tell your mother. Ma, Marshal says we're stayin'. Ma, why do you help him? He spits in your eye for it. Because of me he's hurt. And because he's a man. He's no better than an animal. He acts like an animal. But he's a man. Marshal, this horse has gone lame. Oh. Well, I'll take a look at him. We'll rest here anyway. Whoa. Whoa, boy. Just picked up a stone. I'll get it out. We need them like this country needs cactus. We still don't know why they're after you. I think that Comanche arrow earned me a right to know. He's right. The man that leads them is Lone Wolf. I was to be his wife. But there was another man. His name was Jeremiah Parker. Jamie's father. I ran away with him. - How long ago was this? - Two years. - And he's been after you ever since? - Yes. Lone Wolf is proud. I disgraced him before his people. We ran and he would find us. And we'd run again. After Jeremiah died, Manuel took us in. He gave us a place to stay away from the Comanches. I could bring death on you like Manuel. Jamie, how much further is that water? I don't know. Three or four miles maybe. Best getting on it, ma'am. Okay. Whoa! He smells water. Just two of 'em between us and a drink. With a rifle and a steady hand, we could nail both of 'em from here. Yeah, and the rest of them would be on us before we got 20 yards. Lone Wolf? Try for that water, we'd end up raw meat. Scorpions couldn't pinch us in any tighter. More search parties. They're gonna stay at that water hole till they find us. I think the best idea is wait till dark and then slip out of here. We wouldn't get five miles without water. I sure don't like the idea of thirstin' to death. Or hanging. The way I figured, just you and me and a long ride to Dodge. I might have a chance. The woman and the kid, they... kind of turned things around. Woman, huh? You been calling her squaw. What'll they do to my mother if they catch her? They're not gonna catch your ma, Jamie. I remember when Pa first brought her home. I took one look at her and run off. Pa had to come and get me. I hated her. Remember hearin' how they was all savages. Always scalpin' and burnin'. And I had no right being sore at him. Remember saying worse to her. - How old are you, Jamie? - Fourteen. You learned a lot for 14. Mr. Dillon, there's a weigh station about 30 miles from here. Not much, but they got a telegraph. You could get even the Army, maybe. Well, I can ride real good. My pa taught me. I could outrun them. Know I could. They start chasin' after me, you could get water and hole up till I brought help. Well, takin' a pretty big risk, Jamie. She's my lookout now. It's up to me. Well, you gonna let me go? I can ride real good. It's like you said a minute ago, she's your lookout now. And what if something happened to you and you didn't get back? She'd be all alone. But... thanks anyway, Jamie. It's good to know we got another man along. Keep an eye out here, will you? My mouth tastes like I've had supper with a coyote. Where's a man to get a drink around here? In that water hole. - You ain't goin' down there? - I am. It is too dangerous. Only a fool argues with a lawman or a mule. Look, if I get caught out there, use it. No other reason. Unless he gives you any trouble. Better give you this too. Good luck. You know, I was watchin' you looking at that, uh, Lone Wolf. It kinda hit me that you and I are in the same bind. Comanche with blood in his eye huntin' you and a noose waitin' for me. - You're to hang? - If the marshal can get me to Dodge. What did you do? Killed a man. - Killed a few. - Killed? Some of 'em needed it, some of 'em didn't. The kid, he... he's sure anxious to spread his shoulders. He really lit into me back there when we found you. He's got sand. The kid. He's gone. You care about nothing. Nothing is sacred to you. Look. Marshal! Behind you! Get down, Jamie! - Jamie! - Fool kid! Over here, quick! Go on, quick! Get up the canyon! All right, Noon. Hold it. You owe me. Throw the rifle down. Now, get off the horse. I coulda been smellin' Gulf breezes. Lawman! The woman and her man will die! Her man? He thinks I'm Parker. They do not know that my husband is dead. At least five rode in since dark. - You scared, Jamie? - No. Yeah. Guess I never been so scared. - How about you? - You bet. Marshalin' and all, I wouldn't think you'd get scared. Be used to it. Well, that's what I always figured when I was younger too. But something like this, nothing makes it any easier. I'll tell you one thing though, Jamie. Man that isn't ever afraid, he's a fool. How long we been married? I'm sorry. If there was a way I could tell them and make them believe you're not my husband... Fine chance. Even if you could get 'em to believe it, it wouldn't do you any good. If it's you that hard head up there is worried about, you and the kid... He worries about all of us. Woman, now he might be a lot of things, but he ain't stupid. I'm gonna hang anyway. And if he can get you two outta here, he'll throw me to those scavengers like so much dog meat. I do not believe that. When it comes to livin' a little longer, every man's got a little wolf in him. What'll happen to you if they do take you? When a Comanche woman runs off, she is marked. The tip of her nose is cut off. The soles of her feet are slashed so she cannot run away again. What I did was more than run away. I left the leader of the Comanche, Lone Wolf, for a white man. Well, you... You lived with him less than two years, that kid's father. And most of that time was spent in running for your life, wasn't it? Yes. Was it worth it? Have you ever loved anyone? A woman? I mean a woman whose name you did not forget with putting on your coat? I travel lonely places. I don't remember anybody. Names or faces. Family? My mother was one of those women whose names you forget when you put your coat on. My old man, he... He raised me on prunes and proverbs. I chewed on the prunes and I swallowed the proverbs till I found out his religion was being a drunk. My old man was a loser. He passed it on. But Charlie Noon, he, uh... He started out aimin' high and he reached out... Came up with a handful of dirt. It is too bad you have never known gentleness. I don't even know your name. In the Comanche tongue, it is too difficult to pronounce. But it means "Not Enough to Eat." My husband could not pronounce it in Comanche and he would not call me by such a name. So he just called me Woman. He called it right. Jamie, here. I want you to stay up here this time, no matter what happens, Jamie. - I'm countin' on it. - Yes, sir. I'll stay. Good boy. Ma'am. That young Indian boy that rode in with Lone Wolf. - Who is he? - That is Takawa. Lone Wolf's brother. He raised him. Someday he is to be leader of the Comanche. I'd sure like to get my hands on him. Might give us some bargaining power. Please. If I surrender myself to Lone Wolf, maybe he will let the rest of you go. Got a harder head than he has. Ma'am, if you went out there, that boy'd hear you die. He'd hear you die every day the rest of his life. Dillon... You gonna leave me like this? They're all around us, Noon. You're not going anywhere. Wasn't what I meant. If you don't make it down there, I'm gonna need at least two bullets. If we do get out of this, it'll be just back to you and me. Lone Wolf! It's your brother's life! Think about it! You know Lone Wolf. Do you think he'll bargain? The hunt has lasted two years. I do not think he will turn away now. Do you think he'll let his brother die? If he believes it is the only way. Takawa will die willingly. It is the Comanche way. What are they waitin' for? Why don't they come? Some of them are still scattered out. When the rest of them get here, they'll be coming all right. I'm gonna stand with him, no matter what happens. Shh... sleep. Remember when Pa first brought you home and I said them things and run off? Jamie, that was a long time ago. When Pa caught me, I figured he'd whale the stuffings outta me, sure. But he said you asked him not to. Told me, "Son... I'm gonna tell you this just once. She's a fine woman." Then he said, "Till you can see that for yourself, you're never gonna be much of a man." He died before I realized how straight he was telling it. I never let you know... in words, I mean. Your father would be very proud to see how much of a man you've become. Like I told you before, that boy's anxious to spread his shoulders. The way he's talking, it ain't gonna take him long. Hm. He's trying very hard to be a man. But I would like him to finish being a boy first. He will. Even if they overrun us, they won't hurt him. They will if he fights. And I cannot stop him from doing that. You know, it's strange how you know what's important to him. My mother, she never knew what went on in the mind of a kid. - It will be light soon. - Yeah. You know, I was standin' here thinkin'... you're born in this old world and you... you grow up fightin' and cussin' for every breath. I really didn't know what was goin' on and... then one day somethin' happens, somethin' I didn't even figure on. And... it just changed things somehow. Funny time for life to take on meanin'. Maybe dying is easier if living has meant something. Don't you believe it. It would have been a lot easier dying yesterday. Easier? Perhaps. But if you had a choice, would you have chosen yesterday? Maybe not. I will give the life of the woman and the boy for the life of my brother! - All of us! - No! The man Parker is the one who took her from us! We want him! No deal! All! The lawman's loco. All he's got to do is turn me over to 'em and you all can walk away free. He will not do that. Your word, Lone Wolf, and your brother goes free! My brother will die with honor! He just don't believe in plain simple and easy. What are you doing? The rope in Dodge or those Comanche out there. Sort of boxes me in. No! All right, you red butchers! You wanted Parker, you got him! Noon! She'll be all right, Jamie. Your man died bravely.
Behind the Scenes of Charlie Noon
The episode earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing.
All descriptions include spoilers.
Looking for More Gunsmoke Episodes?
Are you feeling bored with your usual TV lineup? Switch things up with Gunsmoke, a classic American Western series that aired on CBS from 1955 to 1975, spanning 20 seasons. Dive into Season 15 and check out Charlie Noon, the seventh episode.
You can find more about any of the Gunsmoke episodes here.