A mild-looking cowboy discovers that it's easy to steal, and, soon thereafter, that it's easy to kill as well.A mild-looking cowboy discovers that it's easy to steal, and, soon thereafter, that it's easy to kill as well.A mild-looking cowboy discovers that it's easy to steal, and, soon thereafter, that it's easy to kill as well.
George D. Wallace
- Tobin
- (as George Wallace)
- Director
- Writers
- John Meston(uncredited)
- Norman MacDonnell(uncredited)
- Charles Marquis Warren(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
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Featured review
Unconventional Character, Unconventional Story
Elmo Sippy is an unconventional cowboy: funny name, tall, skinny, and he wears glasses. He does not care for typical cowboy work, and his moral compass is more than a little off. John Meston apparently loved creating these characters, because there are a number of amoral, Sippy-like characters in the Gunsmoke oeuvre.
This episode is a basic cat-and-mouse scenario, where Sippy runs around committing an increasingly terrible series of crimes, while Marshal Dillon and Chester Goode follow his trail of carnage, usually showing up just too late to help. What's more, Sippy is just clever enough (or lucky enough) to avoid leaving any kind of definitive incriminating evidence behind.
This episode leaves me wondering how often this kind of activity might have actually occurred in the Old West, where people sometimes lived in remote areas distant from any town, and law enforcement was sometimes virtually non-existent.
The ending isn't too surprising, but Matt Dillon's conclusion about the events is, which ultimately makes this an unconventional episode.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this episode is the veritable treasure trove of character actors involved. Andrew Prine is perfect as Elmo Sippy -- just quirky enough to play the offbeat character. Carl Reindel, who appeared in two earlier episodes of Gunsmoke as a character named Cale, plays Emmett Calhoun, Sippy's short-lived, naïve partner. George Wallace of Commander Cody fame plays Ham Tobin, a gambler that consistently bests Sippy. Chubby Johnson is an unfortunate victim as a kindly man who is unlucky enough to have Sippy stop at his home. There are other recognizable, veteran character actor faces, including Orville Sherman, Charlie Briggs, Sam Edwards, Shug Fisher, and Dave Willock.
Prine's performance as the narcissistic Elmo Sippy carries this episode. The character begins as an amiable, oddball cowboy who foolishly gambles away his money. As the episode evolves, Sippy quickly progresses from petty thief to cold-blooded murderer. The character is one of the more memorable single episode characters in the series.
This episode is a basic cat-and-mouse scenario, where Sippy runs around committing an increasingly terrible series of crimes, while Marshal Dillon and Chester Goode follow his trail of carnage, usually showing up just too late to help. What's more, Sippy is just clever enough (or lucky enough) to avoid leaving any kind of definitive incriminating evidence behind.
This episode leaves me wondering how often this kind of activity might have actually occurred in the Old West, where people sometimes lived in remote areas distant from any town, and law enforcement was sometimes virtually non-existent.
The ending isn't too surprising, but Matt Dillon's conclusion about the events is, which ultimately makes this an unconventional episode.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this episode is the veritable treasure trove of character actors involved. Andrew Prine is perfect as Elmo Sippy -- just quirky enough to play the offbeat character. Carl Reindel, who appeared in two earlier episodes of Gunsmoke as a character named Cale, plays Emmett Calhoun, Sippy's short-lived, naïve partner. George Wallace of Commander Cody fame plays Ham Tobin, a gambler that consistently bests Sippy. Chubby Johnson is an unfortunate victim as a kindly man who is unlucky enough to have Sippy stop at his home. There are other recognizable, veteran character actor faces, including Orville Sherman, Charlie Briggs, Sam Edwards, Shug Fisher, and Dave Willock.
Prine's performance as the narcissistic Elmo Sippy carries this episode. The character begins as an amiable, oddball cowboy who foolishly gambles away his money. As the episode evolves, Sippy quickly progresses from petty thief to cold-blooded murderer. The character is one of the more memorable single episode characters in the series.
helpful•64
- wdavidreynolds
- Nov 4, 2020
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Stage 3, CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA(Dodge City Western Street)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3
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