
Dry Road to Nowhere Full Episode – Gunsmoke, Season #10, Episode #28
A temperance activist aims to close Kitty’s saloon and ban drinking in Dodge. This Gunsmoke episode, Dry Road to Nowhere, aired on April 3, 1965.
Discover the storyline and exciting facts about “Dry Road to Nowhere,” or catch the episode below.
Table of Contents
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Gunsmoke Dry Road to Nowhere Cast
The following performers were featured in the episode titled “Dry Road to Nowhere”:
- James Arness as Matt Dillon
- Milburn Stone as Doc
- Amanda Blake as Kitty
- Ken Curtis as Festus
- James Whitmore as Amos Campbell
- Read Morgan as Pete Moreland
- James Nusser as Louie Pheeters
- Glenn Strange as Sam
- Howard Culver as Howie
- John Saxon as Dingo
- Julie Sommars as Bess Campbell
- L.Q. Jones as Wally
- Walter Bacon as Townsman (uncredited)
- John Barton as Townsman (uncredited)
- Nick Borgani as Townsman (uncredited)
- Carol Brewster as Mrs. Moreland (uncredited)
- John Daheim as Cowboy (uncredited)
- Fred Dale as Townsman (uncredited)
- Joe Garcio as Townsman (uncredited)
- Chester Hayes as Townsman (uncredited)
- Tom Kennedy as Townsman (uncredited)
- Bert Madrid as Townsman (uncredited)
- Mathew McCue as Man Outside Saloon (uncredited)
- Stephen McEveety as Young Moreland Boy (uncredited)
- Arnold Roberts as Cowboy (uncredited)
- Rudy Sooter as Townsman (uncredited)
- George Sowards as Townsman (uncredited)
- Max Wagner as Townsman (uncredited)
- Al Wyatt Sr. as Cowboy (uncredited)
Full Story Line for Dry Road to Nowhere
A fiery temperance preacher, Amos Campbell (played by James Whitmore), arrives in Dodge with his daughter Bess (portrayed by Julie Sommars), aiming to eradicate drinking in the town. This stance doesn’t sit well with some locals, particularly Kitty Russell, the owner of the Long Branch Saloon.
Preacher Campbell had already clashed with locals like Dingo (played by John Saxton) when he attempted to take advantage of young Bess. Now, his preaching stirs discontent among cowpokes who frequent Dodge to quench their thirst. With danger looming, Kitty must ensure her voice is heard amidst the preacher’s fervor.
Campbell launches a campaign to outlaw alcohol in town, leveraging his success in other places and manipulating the democratic process. His charisma sways many citizens to support temperance, counting on apathy from those favoring alcohol consumption.
Kitty’s conflict with Campbell escalates, especially when she gives Bess a makeover, further complicating matters.
Full Script and Dialogue
♪♪ ♪♪ A-Anybody'd think I smelled of skunk. Please. Please go away. It can't be that I'm all that hard to take. Must be lots of worse-looking fellas than me, huh? Oh, no! No! (screams) (grunts) He harm you, girl? I'm all right, Pa. I didn't mean no wrong. Oh, that's been the sinner's tune since Cain took Abel. Why, a preacher. Name is Campbell. Unhitch your gun. Oh, honest, I didn't mean no harm. I was just fooling with her. Just drop it, boy. Campbell. I heard of you. I never saw a preacher with a gun before. Well, I get lucky, I put a rabbit in the pot every now and then. On your knees. On my knees? Listen, I ain't playing no games with you! I'll... On your knees. Boy, I want you to read to us from the Good Book. I know it word for word, mostly, but... give or take a few "begats." Mister, if you know what's good for you, you'll kill me right now. No man ever put me on my knees before! Well, there's your problem right now, boy. I'm warnin' you, mister. Just read. Open the book and read. The Lord'll guide your hand. Read. "I have sinned greatly in that I... "I have done. "And now I beseech thee, O Lord, "take away the in... in..." Iniquity. "Take away the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very foolishly." That's Second Samuel 24:10. Go on, boy. Read. How long you plan to keep me readin' here? Well, it pleasures me to hear the Word. I reckon Bess and I could stand here and listen as long as the light holds out. Read. "For... when..." David... was up "in the morning, "the Word of the Lord "came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying..." No, all I'm saying is that when you sit down to have soup with a man, it's nice to have him around when they bring in the main course. You think Delmonico's service is getting slow? I think just once I'd like to have a meal with you and not have you jump up in the middle of it. Guess I'll have to get that new law passed, Kitty. No crimes committed during mealtime. Hey, look who's here. Marshal... Miss Kitty. Well, Dingo, what brings you to Dodge? Oh... Well, first of all, I'm gonna clean up a little bit. I... had a little accident on the trail. And besides, Marshal... a man runs out of places to go to. And I always did have a special feeling for Dodge. Dodge has always had a special feeling about you, too. Well, now, I wouldn't exactly call that friendly. It wasn't meant to be friendly. (laughs) You call that any kind of talk, Marshal? I mean, did-did you ever have cause to lock me up? I had plenty of cause. Just never had any proof. Now, you start any trouble around Dodge this time, Dingo, you'll be out of here so fast, you won't be sure you were here at all. You got no worry with me, Marshal. I don't plan to give any trouble, nor ask for any. Glad to hear it. Good to see you again, Marshal. Miss Kitty... I still wouldn't sign on his note. Oh, I don't know, Kitty. You gotta give a man a chance. He's had a chance, lots of 'em. If you want some of my advice... I'll tell you what I want, is something to eat. Come on, let's go. What I mean is, Doc, it's just a pure waste of good time, you a-standing up here half your life rolling them dang pills, when right out yonder on the hill there's cures just a-growing wild and free, as you might say. Yes, I understand. What you'd have me do is just throw away generations of medical science and research, throw it right out the window and have my patients all eating grass and herbs and things. Well, Aunt Tory done good enough with it, I'll tell you that. And who was that? Tory Heebs. Now, you take old Bessie Kell, for instance. He got so bad, he didn't even have the strength in his hands to milk his cow with. Aunt Tory had a remedy for it. Well, Doc, I'll tell you. In two days, he was a-hooping and a-hollering and a-hoorahing around and he was a-squeezing them cows so hard that when the milk hit, it was a-busting holes in the bottom of the bucket. Do you happen to recall what remedy she used for that? Well, as I recollect, one was, uh... blessed thistle. Cnicus benedictus. And, uh, then they was, uh... goldenseal. Hydrastis canadensis. What else? That's all there was, 'less you want to count what they was all mixed up in. Oh, well, for heaven's sakes let's count everything. What was it mixed up in? Corn liquor, the best I ever tasted... Festus, if you don't get out of here... (gunshots) (gunshots continue) (men whooping) It's old Wally and the Lazy Q boys. Yeah, just got back from the cattle drive, I guess. Let's go down and watch the ruckus. - You want to? - No, no, no. You go on. I'd better roll some bandages. If they get drunk enough, they're gonna need 'em. (men whooping, gunshots) (men whooping, gunshots) Looky there! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! (whooping, shouting) Hey, Wally! (whoops) Go! My boys! Ha, ha! Hey! How'd you like to take a ride, preacher? Hyah! Ride 'em! Giddyup! Hyah! Boy! CAMPBELL: Hey! You stay with the wagon, girl. What's going on? That's Pete Moreland's boy. - Better get up to the doc... - I'll take him, Marshal. I reckon you've got enough trouble to handle right here. Know where the doctor's is? Yes, I passed it on the way in. Were you and your boys responsible for this, Wally? It was an accident, Marshal. Didn't mean no harm. It's true, Matthew. I seen the whole thing. Ain't one of us mean. We're... just fun-loving is all. Yeah, well, the fact you're having fun isn't gonna help that boy much. No, sir. Sure hope he ain't hurt too bad. You'd better hope he isn't, or you're gonna be in a lot of trouble. Now get your boys off the street. Yes, sir. That preacher your father, ma'am? Yes, sir. Well, did you just get into town? Yes, sir. Where you staying? Oh, Pa said something about the hotel. I'd be glad to take her over yonder, Matthew. All right, Festus, fine. He just lays there like that, ever since they brung him in, Doc, like a stone or something. Never opened his eyes. Well, Pete, I've told you there's... Them crazy cowhands, Doc, looping through the town like that, not caring that a young kid was in the street! - Well, it was an accident. - Accident?! That don't make him whole again! It don't take the lump off his head, it don't open his eyes! Pete, why don't you just... just simmer down. He's gonna be all right. Now I'm gonna tell you something, Doc. If it turns out that the boy is hurt permanent, I'm going after the men who did it. Whiskey-guzzling fools. (knocking at door) - Brother Moreland. - Mr. Campbell. Sister Moreland. Just come by to see how the young'un is doing. Losing the battle, is he? He's not losing anything. He's doing fine. Well, looks like it could be the... valley of the shadow. Mr. Moreland... you put your trust in the Lord? Yes. Doctor... In Thy name. Amen. Boy... Boy, you wake up, you hear me? Boy... you wake up right now, to the glories of God's good world. Boy, wake up. Pa... You all right, boy? I'm hungry, Pa. Your ma'll take care of that right away, son. She's fixin' to make supper. Why... why, it's like Lazarus, back from the grave. Is that so? Well, he wasn't anywhere as near a grave. He was asleep, because I gave him a sedative this afternoon. Well, maybe that's the difference twixt your calling and mine, Doc. You puts 'em to sleep and I wakes 'em up. Glad to be of any help, Brother Moreland. See you at the meeting. What meeting? Temperance meeting, of course. 8:00 tomorrow evening, Front Street. Well, you can sure count on me, Mr. Campbell. And there's a half-dozen other folks in this town, too, that'll stand up for temperance against the devil himself. Fine, fine. You bring 'em all along, now. Excuse me, folks, I got work to do. The Lord don't like His servants to drag their feet. No, no. Of course not. Ladies. Lovely morning. Oh, good morning, Reverend. Good morning, Marshal. We didn't have a chance to introduce ourselves. I'm Matt Dillon. Campbell, Amos Campbell. Yes, the Reverend Campbell. I've heard of you. Well, they do call me "Reverend," that's true, but I don't like to fly under any false colors. I am not ordained. I'm just a simple man who heard His word and believes in His truth. Can I interest you in a cup of coffee? Well, that's, uh, that's very thoughtful of you, Marshal. Come in. Thank you, Marshal. Sit down. Make yourself at home. I just had a talk with Doc Adams about Pete Moreland's boy. He, uh, tells me that you laid hands on him last night... uh, brought him out of a coma. Well, there seems to be some slight dispute between the medical and the theological departments on that point. Let's just say we're all very grateful that the lad survived. I'll agree to that. What did you want to talk to me about, Marshal? I understand you're a temperance preacher. You understand right. Six towns in 17 weeks and I'm just gettin' up steam. Drinking here in Dodge is legal. Under the law. Under your law but not under His, Marshal. Well, I guess we could argue that point. I just want to say that if you're gonna try and change the drinking habits here in Dodge... you'd better do it with ballots and not bullets. Oh, I just use this for varmints. Till yesterday, I never even pointed it at a man. What happened yesterday? It's not important. Anything else, Marshal? Well, just this: Dodge is a rough town, Reverend. I'd hate to see you and your daughter get into trouble. Well, I'm grateful for your concern. Don't worry about me, and as far as that girl's concerned, I wish I was as sure of my salvation as I am of her character. Her mother was different, though. Her... mother had a taste for the fancy life. She was a good woman, but she had a taste for the satin and the roses, if you know what I mean. But that girl, Bess, she's solid and sure. Got her feet firmly placed on the path to righteousness. Well, it isn't her character that worries me, it's her safety. You try to stop people from drinking here in Dodge, some of 'em are gonna get dangerous. The Lord is my shield and my strong right arm. Thank you for the coffee, sir. And if the Lord happens to be looking the other way, I ain't exactly ashamed of my left, either. Miss Bess, it ain't gonna do nobody a lick of good. Ain't gonna stop nobody from drinking. All it's gonna do is just stew up a pot of trouble for your pa. Pa ain't scared of trouble. He heard the call. Yeah, but... He could've just a-heard the north wind a-blowing south, but that ain't no reason he's got to dry up Dodge City. Well, he's gotta try. Well, here, if you're bound and determined... Hold this. Let me do the hammering. Now give me a nail. You see, it's like pushing water upstream. No more chance... Why, there's men in this town that ain't never tasted water. Men that was weaned on whiskey. Right straight from milk to red-eye. Why, it'd be like telling them not to breathe no more. You ain't a-gonna take their whiskey away from 'em. Miss Bess... you don't reckon there's a chance you could soft-talk him out of it, is there? No, I'm afraid not. You see... Pa's... Pa's kind of set in his ways. Hello, Kitty. How are you? You seen these? Yep, all over town. Kind of upsets you, don't it? What makes you say a thing like that? Well, for heaven's sakes, a temperance preacher in town, shootin' off his mouth, all this talk about drying up Dodge, I... Well, you're right, that's-that's what it is, talk. Just nothing but talk. There's no preacher on earth that can get away with this. Is there? Well, I-I don't know. All he'd have to do is get a hundred people to sign a temperance petition and he could bring it to a vote. Only a hundred? DOC: Well, sure, that's all it'd take, you see, to put it on the ballot. And then a simple majority'd put you right out of business. Well, I don't think there's a hundred people in Dodge that would sign a petition like that. Is there? I wouldn't want to bet on it. You, uh, understand, Miss Kitty, this is strictly, uh, against hotel policy. I understand. You won't tell anyone I let you in... I won't if you won't. Well, I... Well, he is a preacher, Miss Kitty, and that ought to make a difference. It's right here. I'll tell you what I'll do, Howie. What, Miss Kitty? I'll leave the door open. Now, you can go on down and take care of that desk. All right, Miss Kitty. CAMPBELL: Come in! Ma'am. I made the clerk tell me which room you were in, so don't blame him. Blame? For turning a hotel room into a palace? If I'd known there was this kind of beauty in Dodge City, I'd have come here years ago. Don't you know who I am? Don't care who, just want to know what. Nobody can tell me that because a face so purely pretty couldn't hide anything but goodness and truth. Sit down, ma'am. Sit down. Now, what'd you want to talk to me about? Well, about the posters for the meeting... You've come to join up? - Uh, Reverend... - You've come to show the rest of them the way! You come to tell me that you got the call. I came to tell you that I own the Long Branch Saloon. My name is Kitty Russell. You don't say. The Long Branch? Well, just goes to show that you've got a mind as well as a pretty face. From what I hear, it's the liveliest spot in town. I do very well. Understand you being worried. Do I close you up, it could hurt a mite. That's what I came to talk to you about. I own a legal business. I wanted to point it out to you. You got folks? Folks? Ever think what it means to them, how it hurts them, how it sorrows their hearts to know that every day you put in some man's hand the means of his own destruction? I don't force anybody to drink. (laughs) When a man's looking at an angel's face, he ain't apt to know when the devil grabs him. Now, you think on that for a while. We'll talk about it later, maybe. I appreciate your interest. I'll see you back. I-I didn't come here to talk... Don't say me no. A town as sin-heavy as Dodge, a man couldn't really call himself a man if he allowed a handsome woman like you to walk out alone. Wait a minute. Wait. Would you believe that? Evening. Uh, Miss Kitty. You, uh, you got yourself a new beau? Not around here, boy. I'm too old and you're too dumb. (laughing) Hyah! What's the matter, ma'am? Well, I don't know what you'd call it, but I call it a miracle. (hammering) Well... look at that now. Um, Mr. Haggen... Pa, he, uh... he put up most of the posters this afternoon and he's been helping me with the speaking platform. Ah... Well, if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes... Appears like you and me both got kicked by the same mule, Miss Kitty. The Lord chooses all kinds of vessels. You gotta look inside, Pa. He knows the books. Oh, fiddle, well, that ain't nothing, there. Is that right, son? Go ahead, Mr. Haggen. Like you said 'em to me. - Well... - Come on. Go on, boy. Well, there's... Genesis, Exodus... Uh-huh. FESTUS: Leviticus... Ah... Numbers... Deuteronomy... Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings... Excuse me. I have a business to run. You learn something new every day. - Well, Miss... - Son, I'm sure proud of you. To think I took you for a drinking man. I reckon I have did my share. Until He touched you on the shoulder - and said, "No more," right? - Well, no... - He didn't... - I knew He'd send somebody to help me. I knew He'd put a sword in my hand. Son, I want you to get up there. Get up there where the light can touch you, boy! - Get up there! - Well, but I explained... - Right now! - No, I-I reckon... Let the folks take a look at you! Get up there! - I promised Moss Grimmick... - Be proud, don't be shy! - That I'd come over and... - Brothers and sisters, hark! Hark here, will you? Brothers and sisters, come close! Come in here! I want to tell you the Word! I want to show you something and I want to tell you the truth! Brothers, come in. Sisters, please move in here! Move in here. I'm gonna give you something. It's for free. Ain't gonna cost you one thin dime, no part of a dollar. And for nothing I am going to give to you, in your very hands I am going to give to you the answer to health and happiness. Now, there's no lies, no tricks, no fraud here. No fast shuffle. All I'm going to show to you is one sinner. One sinner! Redeemed! That's all. This man... brothers and sisters, this man... this man here, who has been redeemed. He has been snatched and delivered from the gates of hell. A man who once carried in his soul the poison of despair. Am I seeing what I think I am? You are. Well, that's ridiculous. Festus giving up drinking? I can't believe it. Well, I wouldn't put any store in appearances, Doc. Appearances? Well, I... that's Festus, ain't it, up there? Yeah, it's him. But I doubt very much if he's taken the pledge. I think he's just caught up in that old man's buzz saw. A man who wrestled with the angel of darkness and overcame him and put away from him the evil of drink and wrapped himself in the robes of virtue. Robes of virtue? This man... brothers and sisters, this man... this man here, who has been redeemed. A man who has made himself an upstanding citizen, who can walk these streets - and everybody's gotta respect him. - Reverend... What's the matter, boy, you feel you gotta speak the truth - steaming up in you, is it? - I gotta get down. I... - Oh, no, son, wait a minute. - I get up this high - and I get dizzy. - Son... (laughing) (laughing): Well, I... I reckon you can't hardly blame him. A man who's come up from the valley of the shadow just naturally's got to find the pure air of virtue a mite thin. - (crowd laughs) -Brothers and sisters, think right now on one thing, and one thing only... He glommed on to me when I wasn't a-looking. Wait a minute, Doc. Golly Bill, you don't believe all that stuff he was a-spoutin' about me up there? Just shows you how you can be fooled about somebody. You have coffee every day with him for three years or more and you think you know all about him. And then all of a sudden, you discover that all along he's been clothed in the robes of virtue. Now you quit that. CAMPBELL: the people of Dodge City, and you can do anything with Dodge City that you so desire, because, brothers and sisters, it's in your hand. It's there in your hand! The right and the obligation and the means to change Dodge City. The means, brothers and sisters, is the ballot. And with the ballot... The secret ballot, the most important weapon ever invented in the name of freedom... With the ballot you can change this town from a center of sin to a center of virtue. And you can do it, you can do it by voting, and all you got to do to get the vote is to get 100 signatures. 100 signatures on a petition. Now my daughter Bess and Brother Moreland are gonna pass among you with just such a petition. And I want each and every one of you to place your John Henrys on a dotted line. And... and then I want you to take some pencils and paper that they're going to pass among you and I want you to hustle around and get the signatures of all your friends and neighbors. And for those of them that need persuading, there's gonna be another meeting tomorrow night at Brother Moreland's barn! (crowd talking) Would you like to sign? CAMPBELL: I am certain, if you drink yourself... Howdy, Miss Campbell. You are the most nervous girl I ever saw. I ain't gonna hurt you, honey. Would you leave me alone? You love that old man out there? He's my father. Well, then, you ought to try and be extra nice to me. I don't understand. CAMPBELL: Where are they going to go to spend that gold, brothers and sisters? That old buzzard made me eat crow. The last man that did that to me is pushing up daisies. Could happen to your pa. Unless, of course, you, uh... CAMPBELL: We are going to return! Change my mind for me, honey. (Campbell continues indistinctly) (whooping, laughing) Oh! Well, now, sweetie, the fun's right inside. - (screams) - You join me right here. - Ha, ha! Looky here! - (men cheer) (overlapping shouting) You get right up there, you sweet little thing. (men clamoring) I don't see a ring on her finger. Care to dance, ma'am? (men clamoring) I'm not gonna have any part... Break it up, break it up. Now, lookit, if you want entertainment, I pay my girls real well. Help her down. - Yes, ma'am. - Go on. Beat it. Looks to me like you made the wrong turn. Uh-huh. What are you doing, Kitty, recruitin'? Oh, if I were a man, I'd break you in half. If you was a man, it'd sure be a waste. You'd better stay here with me till your father's through with that meeting. What's the trouble, Miss Kitty? CAMPBELL (in distance): Friends and neighbors, sisters and brothers... What'd you say to her, anyway? Aw, heck, nothing. Just tryin' to help is all. Just warning her, that old buzzard out there means business. CAMPBELL: Brothers and sisters... Why, he ain't nothing but a bag of wind. Oh, just don't fool yourself. (scoffs) He's just beginning to get in his stride. CAMPBELL: With the ballot you can change this town. Why, in a couple of days, he'll have this whole town knotted up. I'll tell you what: I'll give you... eight to five that by Friday morning this place isn't even open. And friends, think what it's gonna mean. Now just, please, think what it's gonna mean. It's gonna mean... that a man, a man can come home to his little house, to his wife and his young'uns and he's gonna have his full month's pay still in his pocket! Yeah, well, with my wife that won't last very long. (laughing) - Brother! - What? Brother, you made one wrong pick. Don't make it worse! (crowd laughs) Folks, I'll tell you, whiskey dims the eye and it sets the hand a-shakin' and it sours the stomach and it makes your heart beat faster and it makes a man feel weak and low. Reverend... I don't feel weak or low. (laughing) Brother, brother, brother, brother, in your condition I don't think you can feel anything. (crowd laughs) I reckon if the devil come and stuck you with his pitchfork right now, that you wouldn't even know your pants was burnt. (laughing) You hear that? - Do you hear that? - Hmm. He's got 'em laughing now. But he can just as easy turn 'em mean. CAMPBELL: with the jawbone of an ass. - (crowd laughs) - I seen him do it. CAMPBELL: Folks, I'll tell you, whiskey dims the eye and it... Tell me, uh, is it really true that your pa dried up six towns this year? Yes, ma'am. And it's just like here. People don't think he can do it and they don't pay him no heed, but when he talks to folks with young'uns and storekeepers and regular preachers at the churches, he gets people so stirred up at these meetings, the first thing you know, he's got people voting. Well, you can't tell me that he got more'n half the people in these six towns to vote for temperance. No. He didn't have to. A lot of the people in favor of drinking... well, they never bother to vote at all. Oh. I see. Uh, you know, it strikes me that, um... you're not as concerned with all this temperance business as your pa is. It's not... it's not that, Miss Kitty. It... (sighs) It's just that... well, Pa's been beat up half a dozen times and shot at twice, and... (sighs) and now this. Dingo says he's gonna get even with Pa for... for throwing him in the mud. I understand. You know what? I'm gonna have a little talk with the marshal. Oh, I'd sure be beholden to you, ma'am. Pa's old. At times he's-he's cantankerous, but... he's all I got since Ma died, and... if something ever happened to him... Don't you worry. It won't. Ooh... Miss Kitty... It's perfume, from Paris. Must've cost you a fortune of money. It was sort of presents. - Here, uh... try some. - Oh... Pa ever catched me smelling that good, he'd keep baptizing me till the devil was gone. Is that why you've never done anything about your clothes or hair? Pa'd have a fit. For the first few minutes, maybe. But I never knew a man yet who objected to a pretty girl. Come on. Sit down. Well, I say he can't do it here. Nah, that's what they said in Hutchinson and Cottonwood Falls and he still dried 'em up. This ain't Cottonwood Falls! This is Dodge. It don't make no difference. If you're gonna stop him, you gotta stop him now. Before he gets that petition signed and it goes to a vote. Once them ballots is in, there ain't nothing anybody can do. Well, what are we waiting for? Wally? Let's go. All right, hand 'em up here. Hand 'em up here, folks. That's it. Oh, that's fine. That's grand. Now, don't forget the meeting tomorrow night. And don't forget to bring all your friends. - Are there any more? - Reverend, Reverend... - Hand 'em out out there. - Reverend, Reverend, - Reverend... - What is it? What is it, Mr. Moreland? "The Lord hath girded me with His strength to battle." That's Second Samuel 22. Good Book don't care for a coward. Hold your places, folks; hold your places. I got an idea that the Lord is about to test the mettle of His believers. "Do not provoke violence, but if it comes, "let us teach them the strength that is in the arm of the righteous." (crowd murmuring) These fellers mean business, Mr. Campbell. Yeah, that's the impression I got, too. We got no quarrel with you. Well, you got it with the Long Branch, you got it with us. I never knew a drinking man who was any good in a fight without a gun. Preacher says no guns, boys. Just, uh... man to man? Man... to man. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Hallelujah! Amen! (grunting, shouting) (grunts) Ow! (screams) (men shouting) The man said no guns. Oh... oh, yeah. - (gunshot) - Hold it! Hold it! That's enough! All right, it's all over. Now get up from there. Break it up. Move on. Leave that gun alone. You can all pick up your guns at my office afterward. Now get off the street. All of you. You all right? Just gettin' my wind. I'll tell you, Matthew, you'd been here a minute later and I'd've had 'em all skinned twixt the fat and the feathers. Mm-hmm. Do you supposed you can pick up the rest of these guns and take 'em down to the office? Sure. (breathing hard) - You all right, Mr. Campbell? - Hey, Marshal, Marshal! How are you? Strange, I seem to have loosened a tooth. - (laughing) -Well, you're lucky you didn't do more than that. I hope you're satisfied. Well, it's not Sodom and Gomorrah, but it's a beginning. Well, I'm afraid you're wrong there. It's the end. Now, if you can't control your people any better than this, I'm not gonna let you hold any more meetings here in Dodge. Control my people? Marshal, we were holding a peaceable meeting here and we were attacked. Now, I'm not a violent man, but when violence is visited upon me, I find it hard not to reply in kind. And I want to talk to you, Marshal! I want to talk to you about protection for my temperance meeting tomorrow night at Moreland's farm! Mr. Campbell, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't protect you and your group against the entire town if this is the way things are gonna go. Oh. I hope you understand that. Oh, yes, yes, I understand that, Marshal. I understand. Mr. Haggen. Mr. Haggen, you done nobly. I'll see you tomorrow night, sir. Where's my daughter? Well, I don't know, sir. She hasn't been in her room since early this morning. Somebody must have seen her. Why don't you try the Long Branch, Reverend? What? I said, why don't you try the Long Branch? That's where she was last time I saw her. I wouldn't believe you if you was dying. All you gotta do is go look for yourself. - Liar! - All you gotta do is go look for yourself. Ooh... I just never... I just, honest to goodness, never would... Well, it's high time you did. You look absolutely beautiful. I want you to keep the dress. Oh... oh, thank you, Miss Kitty, but I just couldn't. Ooh, if Pa ever catched me wearing this... Well, he doesn't have to catch you. Why don't you just pack it away until you get married? Don't look like I'm ever gonna get married. Pa keeps me so... Well, it's high time your pa learned that he just can't. Now, come on with me. - But... the dress... - Come on, come on. (indistinct chatter and laughter) Where is she? Where is who, sir? My daughter. I was told she was here. Well, I-I don't know, sir. I... KITTY: Gentlemen, I want you to meet the prettiest girl west of the Mississippi. (men whooping, cheering) Miss Kitty... it's Pa. You... You'd do this to me? You'd hold me up for shame? I didn't mean to hurt you, Pa. Didn't mean to hurt me? You come to... the pleasure palaces of the devil and you didn't mean to hurt me? Oh, I-I'm-I'm not standing agin you, Pa. It was an accident, my coming here. And-and Miss Kitty here, she didn't do nothing but just try to make me pretty. Oh! Now... you get upstairs. You take this off. - Now just a minute... - You stay out of this! Don't you raise your voice to me, you stiff-necked old billy goat! A Reverend or no Reverend, I'll have you kicked right out of here on your ear. Why, he ain't no Reverend, Miss Kitty. He just calls himself that. My daughter! That's right. Your daughter. Your young, pretty, flesh and blood daughter who has the right to feel like a woman instead of a dried-up testimonial to a man who's so narrow-minded, he can't even see what he's done to her! I can see what you've done to her. Does the fact that she's prettier than you've ever seen her automatically make her bad? It... it's all right, Miss Kitty. It's all right. I'm going now, Pa. I'm sorry I made you ashamed. I wouldn't... never have come here at all if it hadn't been for him. Him? He been at you again? I come here to get away from him. He said if... if I wasn't nice to him, he's gonna kill you. You stay away from me, you old coot. Tried to teach you the... path of righteousness once, boy. Looks like I'm gonna have to... give you another lesson. You stay away from me, you hear? ♪♪ No, Pa! What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you?! Are you crazy? I'll kill you! (gunshot) ♪♪ (groans, grunts) All right, Reverend, hold on now. Hold on. That's enough. Get him out of here, boys, Take him to jail. - Yes, sir. - Arm down, Reverend. All right, all right, Reverend, are you hurt? Matthew, look here at this. The Lord... is my shepherd... Marshal. (panting) ♪♪ Pa? Oh, Pa! I... think this is yours. You, uh... you smell mighty nice. Just like your ma. You kind of... kind of look like her, too. Now, look here... you get upstairs... and you take off that dress. I got to give it back? Who said anything about giving it back? That's no kind of dress to wear when you're trying to get temperance petitions signed. Temperance petitions? Pa, you ain't gonna keep on with that now? Girl... the world ain't changed just because you growed up in the last few minutes. Now, we got work to do, so git. Marshal, thank you for all you done. Miss Kitty... thank you for taking care of my little girl. My pleasure. Now if you'll excuse me, I got some... petitions to get signed. Well, what are you gonna do now, Kitty? I'm gonna make sure that all my friends are registered to vote. KITTY: Wally, Pat, come on, boys. We got some work to do. I'm gonna need all the help I can get. Come on. What are you grinning about, Matthew? Well, I was just thinking, for the first time in his life, the Reverend Campbell may be in for a lickin'. ♪♪
Behind the Scenes of Dry Road to Nowhere
Regarding the bullet and the Bible, earlier in the episode, Kitty gifted a dress and necklace to the preacher’s daughter. When the preacher noticed her wearing them at the Long Branch, he abruptly removed the necklace, revealing the embedded bullet. Surprisingly, the bullet remained intact, while the necklace did not fare as well.
Looking for More Gunsmoke Episodes?
Make Gunsmoke your next binge-watch choice for relaxing solo time or quality family viewing! This American Western TV series, aired on CBS, ran for an impressive 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975. Dry Road to Nowhere marks the 28th episode of Season 10.
You can find more about any of the Gunsmoke episodes here.