Letter of the Law: Gunsmoke (June 18, 1961)

“Letter of the Law” is an episode of Gunsmoke, the old-time radio show, first broadcast June 18, 1961. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Matt Dillon receives a court order from Judge Ramble to evict Brandon Teake from his land near Wagon Mountain because Teake failed to register his deed at the Land Office. When Matt arrives to serve the eviction, he finds Teake has built a home there with his wife Sarah, who is expecting their child. Teake initially resists but ultimately decides not to fight the law for his wife's sake.

Dodge City and the surrounding territory, including Wagon Mountain and Wichita

Characters: Matt Dillon, Kitty, Chester, Brandon Teake, Sarah Teake, Judge Ramble, Lee Sprague

Listen for: The tension between Brandon Teake's fierce independence and his newfound desire to keep peace for his wife and unborn child; Matt Dillon's conflict between enforcing the law and sympathizing with Teake's situation.

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.