This is the best Episode in Season One. Hack Prine was initially intended as the Pilot Episode for "Gunsmoke," but was pushed way back to the 26th episode in the first season. The series and the props (Matt's office furniture and layout, Matt's handgun configuration, the Long Branch saloon, the Dodge House hotel, and the town's layout) were not fully structured when this episode was filmed. You can read about the changes made immediately after this episode by viewing the Trivia section on this IMDB page. There are significant changes to the props and characters during the first 25 episodes, but everything stabilizes with episode 27, and remains that way through most of the series. Remember that Episode 26 was actually intended as the first (Pilot) episode.
The story is not complicated. A small group of corrupt businessmen in Dodge wants to eliminate Marshal Dillon, and they hire the gunfighter Hack Prine (Leo Gordon) to do the job. Hack is an old friend of Matt Dillon, but is still willing to shoot the Marshal down. Matt is not as inclined to kill Hack (he saved Matt's life years before) but considers his obligations to enforce the law as a US Marshal more significant than any perceived loyalty to an old friend.
Leo Gordon was one of the few actors capable of presenting a menacing character against the 6-foot/7-inch Marshal Dillon. The episode ends with a great gunfight that is staged in a realistic and exciting action sequence. This is certainly one of the very best Gunsmoke" episodes. It is a great "Pilot that did not end up as the Pilot."
The story is not complicated. A small group of corrupt businessmen in Dodge wants to eliminate Marshal Dillon, and they hire the gunfighter Hack Prine (Leo Gordon) to do the job. Hack is an old friend of Matt Dillon, but is still willing to shoot the Marshal down. Matt is not as inclined to kill Hack (he saved Matt's life years before) but considers his obligations to enforce the law as a US Marshal more significant than any perceived loyalty to an old friend.
Leo Gordon was one of the few actors capable of presenting a menacing character against the 6-foot/7-inch Marshal Dillon. The episode ends with a great gunfight that is staged in a realistic and exciting action sequence. This is certainly one of the very best Gunsmoke" episodes. It is a great "Pilot that did not end up as the Pilot."