Hound Dog: A Boy’s Mistake and a Lonely Man’s Forgiveness

Originally Aired: December 30, 1956 In Gunsmoke #247, “Hound Dog,” Marshal Dillon finds himself mediating an unlikely and emotional conflict when a reclusive trapper’s beloved old dog is shot and killed. At first, suspicion and resentment fall on a nearby homesteader—but the truth is far more complicated, involving a frightened boy, a mistaken shot, and the deep loneliness of a man who had only his dog for company. As tensions rise and tempers flare, Dillon must defuse a situation that could easily turn deadly. A tender and surprisingly hopeful story about redemption, friendship, and healing in the unforgiving West. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis Tags: drama, redemption, dog, friendship, forgiveness, western, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, loneliness, comingofage, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, classicdrama, boyanddog, suspensepodcast, LesCrutchfield