The Peace Officer: A Marshal’s Mission and a Saloon Girl’s Escape

Originally Aired: August 18, 1957 In Gunsmoke #280, “The Peace Officer,” U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon rides to Tascosa to help replace a corrupt sheriff, only to find himself the target of a deadly ambush. Along the way, he encounters Stella Harkney, a saloon girl desperate to escape the clutches of Clegg Rollins—the very man Dillon’s been sent to confront. As the two flee across the prairie, pursued by gunmen and haunted by secrets, they forge a fragile alliance. But back in Dodge, the danger hasn’t passed—and the final showdown is as personal as it is violent. A tale of justice, jealousy, and quiet heroism on the frontier. Cast: William Conrad, Virginia Christine, Lawrence Dobkin, John Gaynor Tags: Western, drama, frontierjustice, WilliamConrad, StellaHarkney, Tascosa, 1950sradio, gunsmoke, oldtimeradio, corruptsheriff, saloongirl, escape, classicradio, lawandorder, westernpodcast, vintageaudio