When Matt is too busy to escort Kitty to a gold mine she inherited, she travels there alone and meets with claim jumpers and other difficulties.When Matt is too busy to escort Kitty to a gold mine she inherited, she travels there alone and meets with claim jumpers and other difficulties.When Matt is too busy to escort Kitty to a gold mine she inherited, she travels there alone and meets with claim jumpers and other difficulties.
Rudy Doucette
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Carol Henry
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Michael Jeffers
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Richard LaMarr
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaKitty Russell states that Thad is 6' 4" but Roger Ewing, who plays Thad, is listed as 6' 5 1/2".
- GoofsAs Kitty is checking in at the hotel, the camera moves in and its shadow is seen on the left side of the screen.
Featured review
Entertaining Episode with Numerous Head-scratching Moments
Kitty Russell sets out to claim a gold mine she inherited in Pickaxe, Kansas. The fact she inherited a gold mine in Kansas seems strange enough, but Kitty decides to leave Dodge City to go to a lawless town to work this mine...apparently all by herself. Although the Long Branch Saloon has been a good, money-making venture up until now, Kitty is suddenly worried enough about the sustainability of the future of the saloon that she thinks she needs to pursue this mining opportunity, and she has no plan for how she will accomplish this plan.
To add to the circumstances, Kitty is angry with Matt Dillon, because he had to leave town and could not escort her to check out the mine. When the Marshal returns and learns that Kitty has gone to Pickaxe, he sends Thad Greenwood to help her and send a letter back to Dodge with an assurance she is safe.
At first, Kitty's foolish decisions appear to place her in jeopardy. The town of Pickaxe is a lawless place, and the men there all leer and make lude comments when they see a woman. Fortunately, there is a kindly woman and her mute son that offer help to Kitty. The episode then takes a turn toward the comedic as Kitty encounters a family of bungling goofballs who have been working the mine and have no intention of giving it up.
There is a big fight that results in most everyone being covered in mud. There is a rather hapless Thad who just can't seem to follow through with the Marshal's orders to send a letter back to Dodge letting him know if Kitty is safe. There is a very frustrated, overworked Matt Dillon.
This is the only episode of Gunsmoke directed by the actor/director/writer Abner Biberman, although he directed numerous episodes of other television shows, including The Virginian, 77 Sunset Strip, Ironside, and The Twilight Zone, among others. Biberman even directed an episode of Gilligan's Island around the same time he directed this episode of Gunsmoke.
The writing credit for the episode goes to Scott Hunt and Beth Keele. Both were involved in writing the earlier Season 11 episode "The Reward," which also featured a rare Kansas gold mine as a central plot element.
The veteran actress Argentina Brunetti plays the part of Louise Danby, the kindly woman who helps Miss Kitty in Pickaxe. Brunetti appeared in many films and television shows over a long career that stretched from her film debut in It's A Wonderful Life (she was Mrs. Martini) all the way into the early 2000s. She appeared on everything from General Hospital to Everybody Loves Raymond.
Tom Nardini plays Louise Danby's mute son, Richard. Nardini was a Golden Globe nominee for his performance in the film Cat Ballou.
The bumbling Gibbijohn brothers are played by veteran character actors John Anderson, Paul Carr, and Michael Vandever, none of which were strangers to Gunsmoke.
This whole episode is kind of a confusing mess, but it still manages to entertain.
To add to the circumstances, Kitty is angry with Matt Dillon, because he had to leave town and could not escort her to check out the mine. When the Marshal returns and learns that Kitty has gone to Pickaxe, he sends Thad Greenwood to help her and send a letter back to Dodge with an assurance she is safe.
At first, Kitty's foolish decisions appear to place her in jeopardy. The town of Pickaxe is a lawless place, and the men there all leer and make lude comments when they see a woman. Fortunately, there is a kindly woman and her mute son that offer help to Kitty. The episode then takes a turn toward the comedic as Kitty encounters a family of bungling goofballs who have been working the mine and have no intention of giving it up.
There is a big fight that results in most everyone being covered in mud. There is a rather hapless Thad who just can't seem to follow through with the Marshal's orders to send a letter back to Dodge letting him know if Kitty is safe. There is a very frustrated, overworked Matt Dillon.
This is the only episode of Gunsmoke directed by the actor/director/writer Abner Biberman, although he directed numerous episodes of other television shows, including The Virginian, 77 Sunset Strip, Ironside, and The Twilight Zone, among others. Biberman even directed an episode of Gilligan's Island around the same time he directed this episode of Gunsmoke.
The writing credit for the episode goes to Scott Hunt and Beth Keele. Both were involved in writing the earlier Season 11 episode "The Reward," which also featured a rare Kansas gold mine as a central plot element.
The veteran actress Argentina Brunetti plays the part of Louise Danby, the kindly woman who helps Miss Kitty in Pickaxe. Brunetti appeared in many films and television shows over a long career that stretched from her film debut in It's A Wonderful Life (she was Mrs. Martini) all the way into the early 2000s. She appeared on everything from General Hospital to Everybody Loves Raymond.
Tom Nardini plays Louise Danby's mute son, Richard. Nardini was a Golden Globe nominee for his performance in the film Cat Ballou.
The bumbling Gibbijohn brothers are played by veteran character actors John Anderson, Paul Carr, and Michael Vandever, none of which were strangers to Gunsmoke.
This whole episode is kind of a confusing mess, but it still manages to entertain.
helpful•94
- wdavidreynolds
- Jul 6, 2019
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3
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