Latest / Gunsmoke | Old Time Radio / Gunsmoke - "Doc's Visitor" (Old Time Radio, 1961)
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: A visiting physician arrives in Dodge City carrying news of
- 0:03Speaker 1: Doc Adams' former medical colleague and an opportunity that puts
- 0:08Speaker 1: Doc's frontier practice in a new light. From June 11th, 1961,
- 0:14Speaker 1: this is Gunsmoke, episode 479, Doc's Visitor. William Conrad is
- 0:21Speaker 1: Marshal Matt Dillon, with Howard McNear as Doc Adams, Georgia
- 0:25Speaker 1: Ellis as Kitty Russell, and Parley Bear as Chester. Marion
- 0:31Speaker 1: Clark wrote the story under the direction and production of
- 0:35Speaker 1: Norman MacDonald. As Doc's visitor sees the demands of medicine
- 0:39Speaker 1: on the frontier, Dodge City gathers at the Long Branch
- 0:43Speaker 1: and in Doc's office. And now, our story begins.
- 0:59Speaker 2: Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there's
- 1:02Speaker 2: just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers,
- 1:05Speaker 2: and that's with a U.S.
- 1:06Speaker 3: Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
- 1:09Speaker 4: © BF-WATCH TV 2021.
- 1:28Speaker 2: Gunsmoke, starring William Conrad. The story of the violence that
- 1:32Speaker 2: moved west with young America. And the story of a
- 1:36Speaker 2: man who moved with it.
- 1:38Speaker 4: I'm that man. Matt Dillon, United States Marshal. The first
- 1:42Speaker 4: man they look for and the last they want to meet.
- 1:46Speaker 4: It's a chancy job. And it makes a man watchful.
- 1:51Speaker 3: And a little lonely. Just a minute.
- 2:19Speaker 5: I'm coming.
- 2:19Speaker 3: I'm coming.
- 2:23Speaker 1: Don't give a man a chance to tend to his business.
- 2:26Speaker 3: Oh, yes, sir.
- 2:27Speaker 2: What can I do for you?
- 2:28Speaker 3: I'd like a room. Oh, yes, sir. I have a
- 2:32Speaker 3: nice one on the second floor up front. If you
- 2:34Speaker 3: would just sign the register. All right.
- 2:41Speaker 1: There, that's fine.
- 2:43Speaker 3: I didn't mean to sound out of sorts. That's quite
- 2:46Speaker 3: all right.
- 2:47Speaker 6: I thought it was one of them cowhands pestering for
- 2:49Speaker 6: something again.
- 2:50Speaker 3: Can you tell me where I can find Dr. Adams? Dr. Adams? Well, sure. Oh, say,
- 2:56Speaker 3: I sure hope you ain't ailing. No, no, I feel fine. Well,
- 3:00Speaker 3: that's good.
- 3:01Speaker 6: Doc Adams ain't exactly what you'd call fancy, but, oh,
- 3:05Speaker 6: I suppose he's all right for an ordinary doctor.
- 3:07Speaker 3: Can you direct me to his office? Oh, yes, sir,
- 3:10Speaker 3: I certainly can. Now, you go down to the end of.
- 3:13Speaker 6: The block, across the street and up the stairs on
- 3:16Speaker 6: the side of the building.
- 3:18Speaker 3: There's a sign. Dr. C. Adams, it says. Yes, thank you. Now,
- 3:23Speaker 3: if you'll see that my bag is taken up to
- 3:25Speaker 3: my room... Oh, I certainly will do that, Mr... Webber. Dr. Webber.
- 3:33Speaker 3: Good day.
- 3:33Speaker 5: Yes, certainly, Dr.
- 3:36Speaker 3: Webber. Now, there's a man that looks like a doctor
- 3:40Speaker 3: ought to look. Pardon me, sir. How's that? I wonder
- 4:04Speaker 3: if you could give me some information. What do you
- 4:06Speaker 3: want to know, mister? I'm looking for Dr. Adams. That's
- 4:10Speaker 3: his office up there? Yes, I've just been there, but
- 4:12Speaker 3: he isn't in. He ain't, huh? I was hoping you
- 4:15Speaker 3: might know where I could find him. I ain't got
- 4:18Speaker 3: no use for a doctor. Oh, I see. Well, in
- 4:22Speaker 3: that case... We looked in the Long Branch. The Long Branch? Yes. Saloon,
- 4:26Speaker 3: down the street there. Oh, no, no, I haven't.
- 4:29Speaker 7: Doctor's likely to.
- 4:30Speaker 3: Be there as anywhere else. He spends a lot of
- 4:33Speaker 3: time there. I see. Much obliged.
- 4:46Speaker 7: It must be a slow day in Dodge to get
- 4:48Speaker 7: both of you in here in the middle of the afternoon.
- 4:50Speaker 3: Yeah, don't tempt fate.
- 4:52Speaker 4: Well, Kitty, you better not talk about it or the
- 4:54Speaker 4: whole town might bust loose.
- 4:56Speaker 3: That happens every Saturday night. Well, I just assumed it
- 4:59Speaker 3: didn't happen on a Wednesday. Me too, Matt.
- 5:01Speaker 7: Patching up a bunch of brawling cowhands isn't my idea
- 5:05Speaker 7: of a quiet weekend.
- 5:06Speaker 3: Maybe we could get Kitty to stop selling whiskey, Doc.
- 5:08Speaker 3: That might quiet things down a little bit. How about that, Kitty?
- 5:11Speaker 7: Well, if you two would guarantee to support me for
- 5:14Speaker 7: the rest of my life, I.
- 5:16Speaker 3: Are you looking for somebody, mister? Yes, I am looking
- 5:20Speaker 3: for Dr. Adams. Well, I'm Dr. Adams. Well, how do
- 5:23Speaker 3: you do? My name is Weber. Dr. William Weber. Oh.
- 5:29Speaker 3: Pleased to meet you. This is... This is Kitty Russell. Russell. Hello, Doctor.
- 5:33Speaker 3: Marshal Dillon. Marshal. Doctor. Would you care to sit down, Dr. Webber? Oh,
- 5:38Speaker 3: thank you, Miss Russell. Actually, I have come to talk
- 5:40Speaker 3: business with Dr. Adams.
- 5:41Speaker 1: Oh, well, in that case, Doctor, we'll leave the table
- 5:44Speaker 1: to you.
- 5:45Speaker 3: Won't we, Matt? Well, sure, Kitty. Oh, please, no. I
- 5:47Speaker 3: didn't mean to.
- 5:48Speaker 5: Oh, we'd be glad to.
- 5:49Speaker 3: Now, just wait a minute, Kitty. I have an office
- 5:52Speaker 3: of my own. Yeah, you do at that. And I
- 5:54Speaker 3: can conduct my business affairs there. So, you just come
- 5:58Speaker 3: with me, Dr.
- 5:58Speaker 5: Webber.
- 5:59Speaker 3: Certainly, Dr. Adams. Good day, Miss Russell. Marshal. Bye. So long.
- 6:06Speaker 3: Doc sounded kind of happy to me. Ah, he's not happy, Kitty.
- 6:09Speaker 3: It's his professional pride.
- 6:11Speaker 4: He doesn't often get a chance to show it.
- 6:36Speaker 3: Sit down. Oh, here. Thank you. Well, it's.
- 6:45Speaker 7: Never easy to learn of an old friend's death.
- 6:49Speaker 3: We doctors run into it all the time, but it's
- 6:51Speaker 3: never easy. Yes, I'm sorry to bring the news, Dr.
- 6:54Speaker 6: Adams, but Dr. Wilson wanted it that way. You must
- 6:58Speaker 6: have been very close at one time. Yes, yes, very close.
- 7:02Speaker 3: Henry and I went through medical college together. Yes, sir.
- 7:06Speaker 3: Started up in practice, and then the war came. Life
- 7:11Speaker 3: has many dislocations, Dr. Webber. It does indeed. My purpose
- 7:17Speaker 3: in coming here, Dr.
- 7:18Speaker 6: Adams, was not merely to bring you the unhappy news
- 7:21Speaker 6: of Henry Wilson's death.
- 7:24Speaker 3: It was to outline some of his last wishes... They
- 7:27Speaker 3: concern you. Concern me? Yes, sir. Dr. Wilson wanted your help. Well,
- 7:33Speaker 3: I don't know what you're getting at, Dr. Weber.
- 7:35Speaker 7: It doesn't make sense. A successful man like Henry Wilson
- 7:39Speaker 7: wanting help from me?
- 7:40Speaker 3: It's because of his success. Well, I don't understand. Yes, well, Dr.
- 7:46Speaker 3: Wilson had established a clinic in Philadelphia. Yes, I've heard
- 7:49Speaker 3: of it. That's why I'm here. He wanted you to
- 7:52Speaker 3: take charge of it after his death. He, uh... He
- 7:57Speaker 3: wanted me? He had a high professional opinion of you, Dr. Adams.
- 8:04Speaker 3: We handled some interesting cases together. Very interesting. But even
- 8:09Speaker 3: more than your professional ability, Dr. Wilson respected your judgment
- 8:13Speaker 3: in handling people. I don't understand.
- 8:15Speaker 6: There are some fine young doctors at his clinic, but
- 8:19Speaker 6: he felt the.
- 8:20Speaker 3: Man in charge should be an older doctor. I'm older,
- 8:22Speaker 3: all right.
- 8:23Speaker 6: A man of seasoned judgment as well as professional skill.
- 8:26Speaker 3: A man of.
- 8:28Speaker 3: Varied experience. Well, a man like you, Dr.
- 8:30Speaker 5: Adams.
- 8:31Speaker 3: I see. It would mean a life of greatly.
- 8:34Speaker 6: Increased medical opportunity for you. Advanced methods, research, and it.
- 8:40Speaker 3: Would mean a life of greater, well, comfort. That would
- 8:47Speaker 3: be something, wouldn't it?
- 8:48Speaker 7: After all these years, a chance to go back to...
- 8:53Speaker 7: Practice medicine as I started out to practice it.
- 8:56Speaker 3: It would be a position of considerable importance and influence, Dr.
- 8:59Speaker 5: Adams.
- 9:00Speaker 6: And I should think of considerable financial satisfaction.
- 9:04Speaker 3: Dr.
- 9:04Speaker 6: Wilson wanted to be sure the job was attractive to you.
- 9:07Speaker 3: He wanted you to come. Yes, that would be something. Doc! Doc!
- 9:13Speaker 3: Come in, boy.
- 9:14Speaker 5: It's Billy.
- 9:15Speaker 3: Oh! It's his arm, Doc.
- 9:17Speaker 5: Moss said you was to look at it.
- 9:18Speaker 3: Oh, well, sure, sure. Come on in, Billy. Thank you. Well,
- 9:23Speaker 3: you won't be able to ride that new coat with
- 9:25Speaker 3: a bum arm, will you? All right, then, come in,
- 9:27Speaker 3: come in. It won't hurt you none, Billy. Now then, boy,
- 9:32Speaker 3: let's have a look at it. Oh, yes, yes.
- 9:36Speaker 7: Looks like you're falling off that coat already.
- 9:39Speaker 3: That's right, Doc, he sure did. Well, we'll have to
- 9:41Speaker 3: put this back together for you then, Billy.
- 9:44Speaker 2: Oh, Dr.
- 9:44Speaker 7: River, would you mind getting some gauze and splints out
- 9:46Speaker 7: of that cupboard over there?
- 9:47Speaker 3: Why, yes, yes, certainly. Now, let's see here, Billy.
- 9:52Speaker 7: I guess the first thing to do is to get
- 9:54Speaker 7: that shirt off.
- 9:56Speaker 3: Here they are, Dr.
- 9:57Speaker 6: Adams.
- 9:57Speaker 3: Oh, thank you. All right now, Billy. We'll fix you
- 10:03Speaker 3: up as good as new. Thank you, Doc.
- 10:15Speaker 5: Bye. Bye, boys.
- 10:20Speaker 6: The youngsters stood that very well, didn't they?
- 10:22Speaker 3: Oh, they have to learn to scan things when they're
- 10:25Speaker 3: young on the prairie. It's a harsh land. Well, you know, Doctor,
- 10:32Speaker 3: if you stop to think of the proposal I brought
- 10:34Speaker 3: with me... I've been thinking of it.
- 10:36Speaker 6: Life wouldn't be quite so harsh in Philadelphia.
- 10:41Speaker 3: Though I must say, little boys break their arms there, too. Well,
- 10:44Speaker 3: they always did.
- 10:45Speaker 5: Ahem.
- 10:49Speaker 3: Yes, Dr. Webber. Life would be easy. That's not what
- 10:54Speaker 3: I'm thinking about the most. It's the thought of the equipment.
- 10:59Speaker 7: The chance to use the latest method. To talk things
- 11:03Speaker 7: over with doctors.
- 11:05Speaker 3: Be near libraries. I'd have to learn how to act, Dr. Weber. No, Dr.
- 11:11Speaker 3: Wilson didn't worry about that. Henry was an old and
- 11:14Speaker 3: faithful friend. Doc! Doc! Doc!
- 11:19Speaker 2: All right, Chester, all right.
- 11:20Speaker 1: Well, Doc, there's a fellow that was just rung into jail,
- 11:23Speaker 1: and he's been shot, and Mr.
- 11:24Speaker 3: Dillon said for you to come. Was he bleeding bad, Chester? Oh, my, yes,
- 11:28Speaker 3: like a stuck hog. I'll be right there. Now, this
- 11:31Speaker 3: is Dr. Weber, Chester. Hello, Chester. Hi, Doc. Hey. Well,
- 11:35Speaker 3: I reckon I'll get back downstairs. Yeah, but go on, Chester.
- 11:37Speaker 3: Go on. I'm coming out. Here's your bag, Dr. Adams. Oh,
- 11:42Speaker 3: thank you. Thank you. Say, you'd make a good assistant, Dr. Webber.
- 11:45Speaker 7: Would you like to come with me?
- 11:48Speaker 3: I would indeed.
- 11:52Speaker 7: You know, sometimes the gunshot wounds cause a lot of trouble.
- 11:58Speaker 3: Even if they don't hit a vital spot.
- 12:00Speaker 7: You know, bleeding, infection, and constant danger of locked jaw.
- 12:05Speaker 5: Yeah.
- 12:06Speaker 3: A gun can cause many problems. Too many, Dr.
- 12:09Speaker 5: Webber. Dr.
- 12:12Speaker 3: Adams? Oh, hello, Mrs.
- 12:13Speaker 5: Hoffman.
- 12:13Speaker 3: Oh, we're just coming to see you, doctor. It'll have
- 12:15Speaker 3: to be a little later then, Mrs. Hoffman.
- 12:17Speaker 6: It ain't that I need you, Dr. Adams.
- 12:19Speaker 2: I just want to thank you.
- 12:20Speaker 1: Why, there ain't hardly anybody who'll believe.
- 12:22Speaker 3: I'm up and around so soon. That's fine, fine, but
- 12:24Speaker 3: we're in kind of a hurry now. And the baby?
- 12:26Speaker 6: You wouldn't know, there's been a bit of trouble about him.
- 12:28Speaker 6: He's eating like he was trying to catch up with
- 12:30Speaker 6: his pa.
- 12:30Speaker 3: Well, that's good, but you'll have to excuse me now.
- 12:33Speaker 1: I just wanted to say a word of thanks to you, doctor.
- 12:35Speaker 3: Bonnie likes to care if you say a thing. Sounds
- 12:38Speaker 3: like a satisfied customer. Previa placenta. That was a dangerous delivery, doctor.
- 12:46Speaker 3: She's lucky.
- 12:49Speaker 6: You can't very well afford to specialize, can you, doctor?
- 12:53Speaker 3: I specialize in dog sitting. Let's see about that bullet wound.
- 13:12Speaker 7: Well, it isn't exactly Philadelphia food, Dr. Webber, but it
- 13:16Speaker 7: keeps us going.
- 13:18Speaker 3: All doctors learn to eat when they get the chance.
- 13:21Speaker 6: Though I must say, our pace is generally slower than yours.
- 13:25Speaker 3: I guess so. Your morning has been rather full. A
- 13:29Speaker 3: broken arm, a bullet wound, a pair of twinges. Don't
- 13:33Speaker 3: forget the sick horse I read. I'm not likely to
- 13:36Speaker 3: forget that. No, seriously, Dr. Adams, don't you think... The
- 13:40Speaker 3: practice I can offer you in Philadelphia would give you
- 13:43Speaker 3: a more productive life. Well, I'm trying to get the
- 13:47Speaker 3: time to think about it, Dr. Weber. I can't deny
- 13:51Speaker 3: that it is an interesting idea. It's very interesting. The opportunities.
- 13:57Speaker 6: The opportunities for participating in medical advances would be tremendous.
- 14:02Speaker 6: And I should think most satisfying... And there's something else, Doctor,
- 14:07Speaker 6: that I don't wish to sound presumptuous about.
- 14:09Speaker 3: Oh, don't you worry about it. I know. I'm getting older.
- 14:12Speaker 3: It's just that life might be easy.
- 14:15Speaker 5: Doc.
- 14:17Speaker 3: Doc. It's Mary. She's fainted dead away. I can't rouse her.
- 14:21Speaker 3: Where is she? She's out to the place. I had
- 14:23Speaker 3: a ride to get you. All right, Tom. Go on
- 14:25Speaker 3: back to her. I'll come. Right away, Doc? Right away.
- 14:31Speaker 3: You stay on and finish your dinner, Doctor. Certainly not.
- 14:35Speaker 3: I don't want to miss any of this. Oh, Doc. Doc,
- 14:48Speaker 3: I'm glad you got here so fast. She's, uh, roused some,
- 14:53Speaker 3: but it hurts her awful bad. All right, Tom. Oh,
- 14:56Speaker 3: this is Dr. Webber from Philadelphia. Hello. We'll look at
- 14:59Speaker 3: it together. Hello, Tom. Doc? Yes, Tom? You sure this
- 15:03Speaker 3: fellow's a good doctor? I'm sure he is, Tom. Let's go.
- 15:07Speaker 3: Is he as good as you are, Doc? Well, most
- 15:10Speaker 3: people say he was better. I'd want to be sure
- 15:12Speaker 3: before he came married. You can be sure.
- 15:15Speaker 5: Okay.
- 15:18Speaker 3: I'll tell her you're here. Thanks for your recommendation, Doctor.
- 15:24Speaker 3: A man wouldn't get far without a... No, they just
- 15:28Speaker 3: know me. In here, Doc. Well, hello, Mary. This is Dr. Weber.
- 15:41Speaker 1: Doc.
- 15:43Speaker 3: Doc.
- 15:45Speaker 6: Can you help me?
- 15:47Speaker 3: If you'll let me. That operation? I told you, Mary.
- 15:53Speaker 3: You should have had it before. It's the only chance
- 15:56Speaker 3: you've got.
- 15:58Speaker 1: Tom.
- 16:00Speaker 3: I can't say no again, Mary. You just took too bad.
- 16:06Speaker 3: You go ahead, Doc. Would you assist me, Dr. Wilkins?
- 16:10Speaker 3: I'd be proud to, Dr. Adams. Dr. Adams. Dr. Adams. Oh,
- 16:33Speaker 3: I'm sorry. I was thinking. I wondered if you'd noticed me. Well,
- 16:39Speaker 3: it looks to me like I got an Indian waiting
- 16:42Speaker 3: there by the road. Oh, yes. Yes, I see him. Well,
- 16:46Speaker 3: I guess the best way is to pay no attention
- 16:48Speaker 3: to him, isn't it? No, no. Dr. Adams. He wants
- 16:52Speaker 3: to talk to me. Are you sure you should? Well, hello,
- 17:02Speaker 3: strong bird. I bring room. There you are. That is
- 17:09Speaker 3: a fine robe, Strongbird. You killed a big buffalo. The
- 17:13Speaker 3: robe is for my son's eyes. You didn't need to
- 17:17Speaker 3: bring a gift, Strongbird. I was glad to help you.
- 17:20Speaker 6: White doctor brings sight back to son.
- 17:23Speaker 3: Strongbird brings thanks from his people. You tell your people
- 17:27Speaker 3: that they're welcome. I thank them for the robe. Strongbird, go. Dr. Webber,
- 17:40Speaker 3: can you hold this rope for me? Mm-hmm. Oh, yes, certainly.
- 17:46Speaker 5: Yes, certainly.
- 17:56Speaker 3: Dr. Adams, you treat Indians, too? Well, only when they
- 18:01Speaker 3: let me, Dr. Webber. Only when they let me. Dr. Adams... Yes?
- 18:11Speaker 3: We have a lot.
- 18:12Speaker 6: Of things to offer you in Philadelphia, but I was
- 18:14Speaker 6: wrong about one thing.
- 18:16Speaker 3: We can't offer you more variety.
- 18:19Speaker 6: I have seen some astounding things today. I just watched
- 18:24Speaker 6: you perform a delicate and dangerous operation under the crudest circumstances.
- 18:30Speaker 3: And perform it with as much skill as though you
- 18:32Speaker 3: had the latest equipment. Well, you learn to use what
- 18:35Speaker 3: you've got, Dr. Webber. And I've seen you receive thanks
- 18:39Speaker 3: from the wild Indians. Oh, Indians are people. You know,
- 18:46Speaker 3: I wasn't so sure at first, Dr. Adams. But now
- 18:51Speaker 3: I know. We would be very lucky to have you
- 18:54Speaker 3: in Philadelphia. If you feel you can come. Well, I'd
- 19:02Speaker 3: like to come, but... But you're not coming, are you? No,
- 19:09Speaker 3: I guess I'm not. A man has to stay where
- 19:12Speaker 3: he's needed. I haven't made much of a mark in medicine.
- 19:17Speaker 3: Then maybe I'd have more of a chance of that, but...
- 19:21Speaker 3: But I'm needed here, Dr. Webber. I'm needed here. Can
- 19:29Speaker 3: you understand that? I can understand it, Dr.
- 19:32Speaker 5: Adams.
- 19:34Speaker 3: And I can even injure you.
- 19:37Speaker 5: Here's your bag.
- 19:49Speaker 3: Here's your bag, Dr. Weber. Thank you. And here's this
- 19:52Speaker 3: payment for my bill. Thank you, sir. I hope you
- 19:57Speaker 3: had a pleasant stay in Dodge City. Oh, yes. Yes, indeed.
- 20:00Speaker 6: It was certainly a pleasure having a man like you
- 20:03Speaker 6: visit us.
- 20:04Speaker 4: I hope you'll come again.
- 20:06Speaker 3: Thank you.
- 20:06Speaker 7: We don't get a chance to see a fine doctor
- 20:09Speaker 7: in Dodge very often.
- 20:13Speaker 3: Oh, yes, you do, Mr. Dobie. Yes, you do. Every day.
- 20:20Speaker 3: THE END Gunsmoke.
- 20:52Speaker 2: Produced and directed in Hollywood by Norman McDonald, stars William
- 20:55Speaker 2: Conrad as Matt.
- 20:57Speaker 3: Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
- 20:59Speaker 2: The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Marion Clark,
- 21:02Speaker 2: with editorial supervision by John Metzen. Featured in the cast
- 21:06Speaker 2: were John Daner, Virginia Gregg, Vic Perrin, Ralph Moody, Sam Edwards,
- 21:10Speaker 2: and James Nutter. Harley Bear as Chester, Howard McNair as Doc,
- 21:15Speaker 2: and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
- 21:18Speaker 1: You've been listening to Gunsmoke, Doc's Visitor. Follow Gunsmoke for
- 21:22Speaker 1: more classic broadcasts.