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Gunsmoke: Old West Stories

Cow Doctor: A Debt Beyond Money

Posted January 15, 2026 · 24 min

About this episode

Originally Aired: July 28, 1957 In Gunsmoke #277, “Cow Doctor,” Doc Adams is lured out to the homestead of Ben Pitcher under false pretenses—only to find he's been summoned not for a man, but to treat a cow. Doc does his duty, but the deception proves costly when his absence leads to a woman’s death back in Dodge. Enraged, Pitcher turns violent and stabs Doc, who barely survives. But when Pitcher himself falls gravely ill, it's the same Doc who risks his life again to save him. A powerful tale of stubborn pride, moral duty, and unexpected redemption on the frontier. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis Tags: Western, medicaldrama, WilliamConrad, HowardMcNear, forgiveness, frontier, betrayal, redemption, gunsmoke, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicwestern, morality, cowdoctor, stubbornpride

From Gunsmoke: Old West Stories by OTR.FM Network. Visit the show’s website.

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