Festus's nephew arrives, seeking a bride who can read and write. He soon finds one, but runs into difficulties earning the money he needs for her dowry.Festus's nephew arrives, seeking a bride who can read and write. He soon finds one, but runs into difficulties earning the money he needs for her dowry.Festus's nephew arrives, seeking a bride who can read and write. He soon finds one, but runs into difficulties earning the money he needs for her dowry.
Robert Random
- Sweet Billy
- (as Bob Random)
Loren Brown
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Forest Burns
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Rudy Doucette
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Gustave Field
- Norman MacDonnell(uncredited)
- John Meston(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAt the time this episode aired Diane Ladd was married to Bruce Dern who had been on Gunsmoke many times. Judy Carne was only a few months divorced from Burt Reynolds who appeared on the show fifty times.
- GoofsAfter the mules disappear, Festus walks toward Doc and Kitty, who are standing outside the Long Branch, and a boom mic shadows appears on the Long Branch sign.
- SoundtracksSweet Betsy from Pike
(uncredited)
Music by John A. Stone
Performed by unseen pianist in Long Branch Saloon
[background music]
Featured review
Great Cast, Silly Story
Once again, we have a Gunsmoke episode that features members of Festus Haggen's family. This story harkens back to Season 10, Episode 23, "Eliab's Aim." Eliab Haggen comes to Dodge City with the intent of shooting off "the hangy-down part" of Festus's ear. In that episode, Festus manages to negotiate a "King's X" for a year with his nephew Eliab -- a one year promise not to shoot Festus's ear in return for a pair of fancy boots Festus had acquired.
Festus's nephews Sweet Billy, Emery, and Lambert arrive in Dodge with the boots Festus had given Eliab. Eliab has given the boots to Sweet Billy. When Festus first sees his nephews, he instantly assumes they are in Dodge to shoot off his ear, but they explain they are there to convince their uncle to help Sweet Billy find a woman to marry. Since Festus is the only "big city Haggen," they are sure he can help. The primary requirement for this would-be bride is that she can read and write, because Haggen men lack that ability.
Unfortunately, Festus does not have a lot of luck finding "the best she-male in Dodge City" for his nephew. Orabelle Beal sees Sweet Billy around Dodge City and they quickly become engaged -- only after Emery and Lambert give their approval. The only remaining obstacle to Orabelle's and Sweet Billy's union is Orabelle's father, Pony Beal.
Pony Beal is not one to miss an opportunity for financial gain. While he agrees to allow Sweet Billy and Orabelle to marry, he demands a "dowry" of $500 -- $250 for readin' and $250 for writin'.
Festus and his nephews decide to start a freight business -- a "coperation" -- to try to earn the money to pay Pony. Of course, operating a business comes with some risk, especially when the business is operated by several Haggens and Pony Beal is involved.
There is quite a cast of great character actors involved in this episode. Emery Haggen is played by Shug Fisher in one of his 27 different Gunsmoke appearances. Fisher tended to always play the same character in anything where he was featured. Royal Dano, a veritable staple of television from its earliest days to the early 1990s, is Lambert Haggen. (Note: Dano would later play almost the same character, a bumbling goofball named Jefferson Dooley, in the Season 13 episode, "Hard Luck Henry." The difference is Dooley is an enemy of the Haggens.) Robert "Bob" Random is Sweet Billy in this story. Random appeared a few episodes earlier in Season 11 in "South Wind."
The great Slim Pickens makes his first Gunsmoke appearance since Season 9's "Once A Haggen" as Pony Beal. Brooke Bundy, who guest starred in many television shows over the years, plays Pony's daughter, Orabelle. Bundy had previously appeared in the excellent Season 9 episode, "The Magician."
There are two notable small roles included in this episode. Judy Carne plays Pearl, one of the women Festus targets for Sweet Billy (unfortunately, she couldn't read or write). Carne was married to Burt Reynolds around the time Reynolds was playing Quint Asper on Gunsmoke. They were divorced by the time this episode aired. Diane Ladd briefly appears in one scene as one of Kitty Russell's saloon girls and another of the possible Sweet Billy prospects, Lulu. Ladd was married to another occasional Gunsmoke actor, Bruce Dern, during this time. Their daughter is the acclaimed actress Laura Dern.
There is a likely historical error in this episode. In the scene in the restaurant where Pony and Orabelle Beal are first shown, Pony is eating what appears to be spaghetti. Spaghetti was rarely eaten in the United States during the time this episode is set, and it is highly unlikely it would have been served in a restaurant in Kansas. Pasta became more common in the U.S. after Italian immigrants arrived later in the 19th and early 20th century, and it only became more popular nationwide after World War II as soldiers returned from Europe where they had been exposed to pasta dishes.
This is another mildly entertaining episode, although I can certainly understand some people finding the attempts at humor annoying. I think the episode is worth watching for the excellent cast alone, but in the end, it falls far short of many of the better episodes in the series.
Festus's nephews Sweet Billy, Emery, and Lambert arrive in Dodge with the boots Festus had given Eliab. Eliab has given the boots to Sweet Billy. When Festus first sees his nephews, he instantly assumes they are in Dodge to shoot off his ear, but they explain they are there to convince their uncle to help Sweet Billy find a woman to marry. Since Festus is the only "big city Haggen," they are sure he can help. The primary requirement for this would-be bride is that she can read and write, because Haggen men lack that ability.
Unfortunately, Festus does not have a lot of luck finding "the best she-male in Dodge City" for his nephew. Orabelle Beal sees Sweet Billy around Dodge City and they quickly become engaged -- only after Emery and Lambert give their approval. The only remaining obstacle to Orabelle's and Sweet Billy's union is Orabelle's father, Pony Beal.
Pony Beal is not one to miss an opportunity for financial gain. While he agrees to allow Sweet Billy and Orabelle to marry, he demands a "dowry" of $500 -- $250 for readin' and $250 for writin'.
Festus and his nephews decide to start a freight business -- a "coperation" -- to try to earn the money to pay Pony. Of course, operating a business comes with some risk, especially when the business is operated by several Haggens and Pony Beal is involved.
There is quite a cast of great character actors involved in this episode. Emery Haggen is played by Shug Fisher in one of his 27 different Gunsmoke appearances. Fisher tended to always play the same character in anything where he was featured. Royal Dano, a veritable staple of television from its earliest days to the early 1990s, is Lambert Haggen. (Note: Dano would later play almost the same character, a bumbling goofball named Jefferson Dooley, in the Season 13 episode, "Hard Luck Henry." The difference is Dooley is an enemy of the Haggens.) Robert "Bob" Random is Sweet Billy in this story. Random appeared a few episodes earlier in Season 11 in "South Wind."
The great Slim Pickens makes his first Gunsmoke appearance since Season 9's "Once A Haggen" as Pony Beal. Brooke Bundy, who guest starred in many television shows over the years, plays Pony's daughter, Orabelle. Bundy had previously appeared in the excellent Season 9 episode, "The Magician."
There are two notable small roles included in this episode. Judy Carne plays Pearl, one of the women Festus targets for Sweet Billy (unfortunately, she couldn't read or write). Carne was married to Burt Reynolds around the time Reynolds was playing Quint Asper on Gunsmoke. They were divorced by the time this episode aired. Diane Ladd briefly appears in one scene as one of Kitty Russell's saloon girls and another of the possible Sweet Billy prospects, Lulu. Ladd was married to another occasional Gunsmoke actor, Bruce Dern, during this time. Their daughter is the acclaimed actress Laura Dern.
There is a likely historical error in this episode. In the scene in the restaurant where Pony and Orabelle Beal are first shown, Pony is eating what appears to be spaghetti. Spaghetti was rarely eaten in the United States during the time this episode is set, and it is highly unlikely it would have been served in a restaurant in Kansas. Pasta became more common in the U.S. after Italian immigrants arrived later in the 19th and early 20th century, and it only became more popular nationwide after World War II as soldiers returned from Europe where they had been exposed to pasta dishes.
This is another mildly entertaining episode, although I can certainly understand some people finding the attempts at humor annoying. I think the episode is worth watching for the excellent cast alone, but in the end, it falls far short of many of the better episodes in the series.
helpful•75
- wdavidreynolds
- Feb 12, 2021
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- Runtime1 hour
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- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3
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