Gunsmoke fans were first introduced to Abelia Johnson and her two children Jonathan and Marianne in Season 14's "Abelia." The family is featured again in this story dealing with Abelia's mysterious past.
In the earlier episode, Abelia stated she was a widow, but we learn in this story that was not true. Her husband (or ex-husband, a fact that is never made entirely clear), who now calls himself Will Smith, was in prison for robbing a train. He served five years, but he is out now with the $10,000 in stolen gold.
Smith knows he cannot spend gold coins that have never been circulated, as they will immediately attract suspicion. He is a pitiable character because he has no one to help him. As the episode begins, he has made his way back to the farm where Abelia and the kids live to solicit Abelia's help.
Abelia wants nothing to do with Smith, as she has moved on with her life and fabricated a story for her children and others she meets about being a widow. Smith uses Abelia's pride and intense desire to have him out of her life (and perhaps some lingering affection?) to coerce her to help him launder some of the gold coins for cash he can then use to escape to Mexico. Of course, things do not work out quite as Smith plans.
Festus Haggen has at least a mild romantic interest in Abelia, and he clearly loves Marianne and Jonathan. There is a subplot where Abelia and the children pay a rare visit to Dodge City for a fair that is taking place. Their visit leads to Festus becoming suspicious of some of Abelia's actions.
Earl Holliman as Smith and Jacqueline Scott as Abelia work great together. Abelia has no interest in rekindling their relationship, but she likewise has no interest in reporting Smith to the Marshal.
Holliman was a talented, well-known actor who was first known in the 1950s for prominent roles in films such as Forbidden Planet, The Big Combo, Giant, and Gunfight at the O. K. Corral. By the 1960s, he transitioned from film work to more television roles, especially his recurring role on the series Police Woman with Angie Dickinson. This is his first involvement in a Gunsmoke episode, although he would appear again later in Season 15's "Hackett," and in Season 18's "Shadler." Holliman also played a key role in the first Gunsmoke movie, Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.
Val Avery plays Bull Anders in this story. Avery enjoyed a lengthy career that spanned both film and television. He appeared in several films directed by John Cassavetes and was apparently a favorite of the acclaimed director. He often played tough guys, sometimes good and sometimes not so good, as he does here. This is his final role of four appearances in a Gunsmoke episode.
I am a fan of the work of actor Sid Haig, who often was relegated to bit parts. He is credited in this episode as "Buffalo Hunter." He appears in one scene inside the saloon where Abelia first approaches Bull Anders about buying the gold coins. I love the creepy nature of his character in that scene. (Haig made a career of playing creepy characters.)
Also look for William Fawcett to make another of his nine Gunsmoke appearances as a prospector.
Jacqueline Scott, Mike Durkin, and Susan Olsen all return as Abelia, Jonathan, and Marianne Johnson. The Abelia character would make a third and final appearance in Season 17's "The Predators," but Jodie Foster and Brian Morrison replace Olsen, who had gone on to play Cindy Brady in The Brady Bunch series, and Durkin in that episode.
According to some people who claim to know, consideration was given to making the Abelia character part of the regular Gunsmoke cast, but the Gunsmoke producers ultimately chose against the idea.
This is a solidly entertaining episode filled with excellent performances. However, the resolution of the situation between Smith and Anders raises several troubling questions. I do not want to spoil the fun. You can watch it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.
In the earlier episode, Abelia stated she was a widow, but we learn in this story that was not true. Her husband (or ex-husband, a fact that is never made entirely clear), who now calls himself Will Smith, was in prison for robbing a train. He served five years, but he is out now with the $10,000 in stolen gold.
Smith knows he cannot spend gold coins that have never been circulated, as they will immediately attract suspicion. He is a pitiable character because he has no one to help him. As the episode begins, he has made his way back to the farm where Abelia and the kids live to solicit Abelia's help.
Abelia wants nothing to do with Smith, as she has moved on with her life and fabricated a story for her children and others she meets about being a widow. Smith uses Abelia's pride and intense desire to have him out of her life (and perhaps some lingering affection?) to coerce her to help him launder some of the gold coins for cash he can then use to escape to Mexico. Of course, things do not work out quite as Smith plans.
Festus Haggen has at least a mild romantic interest in Abelia, and he clearly loves Marianne and Jonathan. There is a subplot where Abelia and the children pay a rare visit to Dodge City for a fair that is taking place. Their visit leads to Festus becoming suspicious of some of Abelia's actions.
Earl Holliman as Smith and Jacqueline Scott as Abelia work great together. Abelia has no interest in rekindling their relationship, but she likewise has no interest in reporting Smith to the Marshal.
Holliman was a talented, well-known actor who was first known in the 1950s for prominent roles in films such as Forbidden Planet, The Big Combo, Giant, and Gunfight at the O. K. Corral. By the 1960s, he transitioned from film work to more television roles, especially his recurring role on the series Police Woman with Angie Dickinson. This is his first involvement in a Gunsmoke episode, although he would appear again later in Season 15's "Hackett," and in Season 18's "Shadler." Holliman also played a key role in the first Gunsmoke movie, Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.
Val Avery plays Bull Anders in this story. Avery enjoyed a lengthy career that spanned both film and television. He appeared in several films directed by John Cassavetes and was apparently a favorite of the acclaimed director. He often played tough guys, sometimes good and sometimes not so good, as he does here. This is his final role of four appearances in a Gunsmoke episode.
I am a fan of the work of actor Sid Haig, who often was relegated to bit parts. He is credited in this episode as "Buffalo Hunter." He appears in one scene inside the saloon where Abelia first approaches Bull Anders about buying the gold coins. I love the creepy nature of his character in that scene. (Haig made a career of playing creepy characters.)
Also look for William Fawcett to make another of his nine Gunsmoke appearances as a prospector.
Jacqueline Scott, Mike Durkin, and Susan Olsen all return as Abelia, Jonathan, and Marianne Johnson. The Abelia character would make a third and final appearance in Season 17's "The Predators," but Jodie Foster and Brian Morrison replace Olsen, who had gone on to play Cindy Brady in The Brady Bunch series, and Durkin in that episode.
According to some people who claim to know, consideration was given to making the Abelia character part of the regular Gunsmoke cast, but the Gunsmoke producers ultimately chose against the idea.
This is a solidly entertaining episode filled with excellent performances. However, the resolution of the situation between Smith and Anders raises several troubling questions. I do not want to spoil the fun. You can watch it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.