Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 2, Episode 1 - Cow Doctor - full transcript

ANNOUNCER:

Starring James Arness
as Matt Dillon.

Dodge...

It sure is a wild camp.

Like they say,
it's still got the hair on.

And when men come
to meet there,

likely as not it's in order
to tear each other apart.

They do it often enough.

It's a good thing
we got somebody around

to pick up the pieces.

Somebody like Doc Adams.



I'd hate to see anything
happen to him.

I need him too.

Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.

Mr. Dillon, heh,
look who I got with me.

Oh, hello, Kitty.
How are you?

I just happened to run
into Chester on the street,

and he insisted
I come along with him.

Well, I'm mighty glad you did.

Come on, sit down.
Thanks.

I'm not disturbing you,
am I?

Not a bit. I was just
hanging around here,

waiting for Chester
to get back.

I mailed them letters
and things

down at the depot,
Mr. Dillon.



Oh, good, Chester.

I took that circular
over to Mr. Hightower.

Uh, he said
he'd get some printed up

in a couple of days.

Fine, Chester.

That's all that you wanted,
wasn't it?

Yes, that's all.

I mean, uh,
there's nothing else

that you need me for.

I mean, right now, is there?

No. There's not a thing,
Chester.

Everything's going along
pretty good, ain't it?

Yeah, everything's going along
fine except for one thing.

Huh?
That, uh, buzzing in your head.

Uh, my head?

Yeah.

Look, come on,
why don't you tell us

what it's all about, huh?

Well, it- Uh-
It's not that, uh-

Well, I did run
into a friend of mine

just a couple
of minutes ago.

He's- Heh.

I haven't seen him in years.

I knowed him a long time ago,
when I was in the Army.

Uh, you know how it is.

Go on.

Didn't I ever tell you
about him?

He's- He's stationed
right out here

at Fort Dodge.

He's just 5 miles away.

Imagine that.

Chester,

I got an idea.

Oh?

Why don't you go
see your friend?

Oh, really?

Go on,
take a couple of days.

There's nothing for you
to do around here, anyway.

Well, a, uh,
couple of day-

You- You're sure
that's a good idea, Mr. Dillon?

Well, it was my idea,
wasn't it?

Yeah.

Yeah, it's your idea.
I mean, yeah.

Well, I guess
I better get started.

There's no sense
wasting time here.

Goodbye, Chester.

Oh, goodbye, Miss Kitty,
and, uh, thanks.

I won't be gone

but a couple of days,
Mr. Dillon.

Oh.

Have a good time,
Chester.

Bye.

So that's why
he wanted you here, huh?

I guess he thought
it might help.

He forgot to mention
one thing, though. This, um-

This friend of his has

a very interesting job
in the Army.

Oh, really?
What's that?

He's a mess sergeant.

A mess sergeant?

Couple of days out there,
I'll have to go back

and get him in a wagon.

You may never
see him again.

Marshal Dillon!

Whoo.

Well, what's the trouble, son?

I'm looking
for the doc.

Have you tried his office?

I've been there.
I've been everywhere.

I gotta find him,
marshal.

I was sent
to fetch him.

Somebody sick?

Well, my pa told me

to bring him out to our place.

Say, aren't you
Ben Pitcher's boy?

Yes, sir.

My name's Jerry.

Well, now, your pa
must be awful sick

if he's the one sending
for Doc.

I know,
he hates doctors.

He don't believe in 'em,
but he wants Doc now, marshal.

He told me
I had to find him.

There's a backroom
at the Dodge House, Jerry.

Doc sometimes plays
a little poker in there.

Thank you, lady.
I'll go look.

And you tell him
I want to see him

before he leaves, will you?

I'll tell him,
marshal.

And, look, Jerry,
if you don't find him,

you come on back
and I'll help you.

See?
Yes, sir.

That's funny.

I heard Ben Pitcher
hates doctors.

Yeah, and his wife's just
as bad as he is.

They say he got cut up
in a knife fight once

and then threatened to kill Doc
if he came anywhere near him.

That's right.

And he almost bled
to death as a result.

I'm gonna ride out there
with Doc, Kitty.

Something very wrong
about this.

Whoa, whoa.

I don't see anybody around.

Well, you don't expect
a sick man to be waiting

on the front porch
for you, do you?

Well, I'd expect almost
anything of Ben Pitcher.

Yeah,
people can change, Doc.

Yeah, some people,
but not Ben. No, sir.

Well,
we'll soon find out.

All right.

Hey, you know I think
this is the first time

you ever rode
in my buggy with me.

Yeah, and I think
it'll be the last too.

I think I'll walk
back to town.

What's the matter?
Scare you?

You drive
like a maniac, Doc.

Hello, Mrs. Pitcher.

Well, what you doing here,
marshal?

I just came along
to keep Doc company.

How do, Mrs. Pitcher?

Hello, Doc.
Where's the boy?

Oh, he said to tell you
he'd be along directly.

Why didn't he come with you?

Well, he said you gave him
a list of things to buy in town.

Oh, I forgot.

Uh, Mrs. Pitcher,
where's Ben?

Oh, he's out back.

Out back?
In the barn.

What's he doing
in the barn?

Well,
you go ask him, Doc.

I don't interfere
in my husband's way

of doing things.
Well, is he sick or isn't he?

He's in the barn.
You go talk to him.

I got work to do.

That woman would
drive me crazy.

Maybe that's what happened
to the old man, huh?

Yeah,
between the two of them,

I don't think that youngster's
got much of a chance.

Oh, he seems like
a nice enough kid, Doc.

Yeah, he's a nice boy
but with those folks,

I don't know...

Better let me
go in first, Doc.

All right, go on.

Pitcher?

I'm back here.

I thought it was Doc.

He's here.

What are you
doing in here

in the barn with that cow,
aren't you sick?

No, it ain't me
that's sick, Doc.

Then who is?

My cow.

What?!
Yeah.

She's got the colic
or something.

I done everything
I can for her.

Well, it's not funny, Matt.

You mean to tell me
that you had me come

all the way out here from town
to doctor that cow?

Well, I wouldn't let you
doctor no humans.

Not in my family anyways.

But a cow's different.

I don't mind so much
you working on a cow.

Listen.

She's hurting bad, Doc.

I ought to kick you
right in the head.

Well, don't take it out on me

that you doctors
don't know nothing.

If you're so smart,
do something for my cow-

before she dies.

Well, I'm here now,
I might as well.

But you don't deserve it, Ben.

Well, you ain't
doing it for me.

You bet your life
I'm not doing it for you.

Now, get out of my way
and let me in here.

Take your time, Doc.

I'm in no hurry.

Here's your knife.

You went and stuck her with it,
didn't you?

Sure, I stuck her.

Well,
I could've done that.

Well, then
why didn't you do it?

It's the oldest remedy
in the world for a bloated cow.

And it's not painful.

Now, give her
all the water she wants,

but don't feed her anything
for a couple days.

She gonna live?

I don't know.

Well, if she dies,

I ain't gonna pay you.

I don't want
your money anyway.

What's wrong
with my money?

Nothing wrong
with your money.

It's you.

Let's get out of here,
Matt.

Doc, you missed
all the excitement.

What?

It happened
right after you left.

Well, everybody
was running around

and looking for you.
Well, what happened?

Well, you see,
old Mrs. Hill-

She was just walking
down the street,

and I guess the sun was
too much for her or something

'cause she fainted
and she fell right through

the general store window
and she cut her arm real bad.

Nobody could stop
the bleeding.

That's why they were
all looking for you.

I told 'em you'd come here,
but they wouldn't believe me.

Well, what happened
to Mrs. Hill, son?

She died, Doc,
just before I left.

Now, take it easy, Doc.

Look, this is not your fault,
you know.

A woman died.

I could've saved her,
but she died.

Don't you talk
at me like that.

She died because of you
and your rotten, twisted-

Hey, you couldn't
have done nothing.

None of you doctors
is any good.

Doc!

Pa's got a knife!

Pa?

Doc.
Matt,

he ripped me
with that knife.

Let's get you
in the house, come on.

Hey,
what about pa?

You let me know
when he comes to,

I'll knock him out again.

Matt, by golly,
I can't see a thing.

From here,
how's that look to you?

Now, Doc,
it's bleeding pretty bad.

It is, huh?
Yeah.

I don't care for the mess

you're making, marshal.

Get some more hot water,
will you, Mrs. Pitcher?

You ordering me
around my own house?

Hurry up.

Now, Matt, I tell you,

I don't think that knife
has ruptured anything in there.

But I know
there's a couple veins

gotta be tied off.

And then it's gotta
be sewed up.

I can't do it from here,

so you're gonna have
to do it for me.

Now, look, Doc, I-

There's needles
and thread in my bag.

You get 'em, bring 'em in here,
I'll show you how.

But, Doc, I-

I just don't think
I can do it.

Well, by thunder,

I'm gonna bleed to death
if you don't.

I'll do it.

Marshal-
Get out of here.

You- You hit me awful hard.
Did I?

He jumped me first.
You saw it.

I-I was only trying
to protect myself.

Pitcher, if Doc doesn't
come out of this,

I'm gonna quit
being a marshal

and I'm gonna come
after you as a plain man.

And so help me,
I'll kill you.

You're threatening me.

Get out of here.

Get out of this house
and stay out.

Hello, Doc.

Kitty?

Mm-hm.
What are-?

What are you doing here?

Trying to act
like a nurse.

Whoa, how did I get here?

Matt brought you in
on the wagon.

The wagon?

Well, I guess you did
a pretty good job, Matt.

Glad that you're all
in one piece, Doc.

But I'll
tell you something,

I felt like I had
fence posts for fingers.

Yeah.

Well, let me-

Oh, no, you don't.

You're gonna rest in bed
a few days

because you lost
a lot of blood.

Well, now, who's-?

Who's the doctor
around here?

You are,
but I'm the nurse.

Hm.

Hmph.

Matt.

Yeah.

Oh, is he awake?

Mm-hm.

And you know
what he wants now?

What?

Well, he says he's tired
of drinking plain water

and that if we don't start
cutting it with some good corn,

he won't drink anymore.

Ah...

Well, let him go thirsty.

He won't hold out
for long.

Oh, I won't, huh?

No public servant's gonna
tell me what's good for me.

Now, I've been here four days
and I'm getting sick of it.

Get out of here
and get me some whisky.

Now, you listen
to me, Doc.

We've gone to a lot of trouble
to keep you alive.

We sure have.

Well, don't worry yourselves
about me none.

I could get out of here
right now if I wanted to,

only I kinda like
having you two wait on me.

Now, who's that?

Well, that's a dumb question
if I ever heard one.

Maybe you'd find out
if you went out the door.

Say,
I never thought anything

could make you ornerier
than you've always been, doctor,

but, by golly,
I think that stabbing did it.

Why don't you quit
talking too much

and go answer the door?

Come on in!

Oh, what manners.

Come on in, I said.

Listen to that bull.

All right,
fire me, then.

Doc?

Who's that?

Oh, Jerry,
come on in, son.

Well, what brings you
to town, Jerry?

I- I come for Doc.

Well, what's the matter
with you?

Pa's sick.

He's about to die,
he's so sick.

Now, wait a minute,
Jerry.

What's this all about?

I know.
He made me lie last time.

He don't even know
I'm here now.

He don't know
you're here now?

He's too sick.
He don't know nothing.

It's- It's like he was
out of his head or something.

What about your ma?
Does she know you're here?

She'd have stopped me.

Doc?

Now, look, Jerry,
Doc's in very bad condition.

He can't be moved.

Please, Doc?

All right.

I'll go with you, Jerry.

Now, Doc-
I'm a doctor, Matt.

There's a man dying.

Don't make no difference
who it is.

Doc, you're crazy.

You'll open that wound up,
riding out there.

You're not strong enough.

That's taking too much
of a chance, Doc.

Jerry.
Yes, sir?

How'd you get in town?

Well, I-I figured you'd need it
so I brought the wagon.

That's just fine, son.

I'll go with you.

Well, are you gonna stand there
or are you gonna help me?

All right,
I'll help you.

Come on.

These confounded bumpy roads!

Whoa there.

Jerry, get the horses tied up.
Yes, sir.

Now, Doc.
Huh?

Look, you just sit
right there.

I'll get out
and give you a hand here.

Now, wait a minute.
I don't need a hand.

What I need is
to figure this thing out.

Just a minute, now.
Now, wait just a minute.

Now, here.

Well, now,
take it easy. Put-

All right.

Look, put your weight
on my shoulder.

No, here, you take-
Wait a minute.

Don't push me, now.
Take hold of my hand.

All right.
There.

Okay, now,
come on, easy.

That's fine.
How do you feel?

I'm fine, I'm fine.

Just bring my bag,
I'm gonna need that.

Come on, now.
Hold on.

Come on, easy.

Think he's gonna
be all right?

Don't you worry
about Doc, Jerry.

Got a lot of fight
in him yet.

Well, come on.
Come on, I got a job to do.

What's the matter?

I'll get a whupping for this.

Ah, don't worry
about that, Jerry. Come on.

Ma's probably
in the bedroom.

Jerry,
where you been?

Mrs. Pitcher.

What are you
doing here?

Well, Jerry came
in town to get me.

We don't want no doctors.

Well, your husband's sick,
ain't he?

He's terrible sick,
but you can't do no good.

Well, I can try.

Jerry,
I'm gonna whup you.

No, Mrs. Pitcher,
you're not.

Don't you tell me
what I'm gonna do, marshal.

Now, you listen to me.

Doc is in no condition
to be here at all, but he came.

He came to help a man
who tried to kill him.

And you're not going
to stop him, Mrs. Pitcher.

Would you please
get out of the way?

He looks pretty sick,
doesn't he?

Marshal!

You leave that alone, Jerry!

Ma, don't!

Let go of that gun,
Mrs. Pitcher.

I'm gonna kill you.
You and the doc both.

No, you're not.

You don't even deserve
Doc being here, Mrs. Pitcher.

You don't deserve it
at all.

Marshal.

Yeah.

I been thinking.

I been sitting here
all night, thinking.

I don't want him to die.

I can't have him die.

Well, Doc's doing everything

he can for him, Mrs. Pitcher.

But can he save him?

Do you think
he can save him?

Well, I don't know.

Doc, how is he?

Well, he-

He's past the worst,
I guess, Mrs. Pitcher.

He'll- He'll be all right,
I think.

Can I see him?
Can he talk?

Well, just-
Just a little while.

He- He needs
a lot of rest now.

You look like you could
use some rest too, Doc.

Let's you and me go
back to Dodge.

And I promise you I'll-
I'll sleep all the way.

Doc.

He wants to talk to you.

Well, Pitcher?

My...

My wife says
you was here all night.

She says
you saved my life.

Well,
I might've helped, maybe.

Yeah, maybe.

But what I want to say is:

I ain't gonna pay you.

I never asked you
to pay me.

Now, wait a minute, Doc.

Pitcher,

Doc here saved your life.

But I ain't gonna pay him.

Why not?

'Cause my cow died.

Because your cow died?

Matt, come on.

Pitcher, I-

Doc.

Hm?

He means
what he says, Doc.

I can't change him.

It's all right, ma'am.

I can't change him,

but there's something
I gotta say.

I'm proud to have you
in my house, Doc.

Real proud.

I can't say no more.

Hm.

What do you think
of that?

I think
you've been paid, Doc.

Paid pretty good.