The Rooks: Whiskey, Trouble, and a Shot in the Dark

Originally Aired: October 6, 1957 In Gunsmoke #287, “The Rooks,” Marshal Matt Dillon returns from a grueling trial in Wichita only to find Dodge City under siege by two cocky cowhand brothers, Clay and Jess Rook. With Dillon laid up by illness, the Rooks bully their way through saloons, smashing bottles and pushing townsfolk to their limits. When the violence escalates to murder, Dillon must rise from his sickbed to restore order. A tense showdown in a dark livery stable brings grim resolution—and the question of what makes a man pull the trigger. Cast: William Conrad, John Dehner, Vic Perrin, Harry Bartell, Lawrence Dobkin, James Nusser, Barney Phillips, Don Diamond, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis Tags: western, drama, gunfight, DodgeCity, WilliamConrad, Gunsmoke, 1950sradio, cowboyjustice, classicradio, shootout, lawandorder, oldtimeradio, saloon, frontierlife, brotherhood, USMarshal