Old Gunfighter: Gunsmoke (October 25, 1959)

“Old Gunfighter” is an episode of Gunsmoke, the old-time radio show, first broadcast October 25, 1959. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

An old gunfighter named Charlie B. hangs around Dodge City sharing stories about legendary gunslingers from his past, including tales of Rio Joe. When young men pester him on the street, Chester attempts to help but gets a black eye for his trouble. Doc and Matt worry that Charlie's romanticized stories about the old days of gunfighting are influencing the young men dangerously.

Dodge City, Kansas - the Long Branch Saloon and surrounding streets

Characters: Matt Dillon, Chester, Doc, Kitty, Charlie B.

Listen for: Stories of Rio Joe and other legendary gunfighters from the frontier past; discussion of the dangers of glorifying gun violence; Charlie B.'s persistent reminiscences of his younger days

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.