Ash

Ben Gault (John Dehner) and Ash Farior (Anthony Caruso) are two country traders that become friends while in Dodge. They are such good friends that they decide to give up their roaming life and become partners in a freight business inside the town of Dodge.

Both mean are becoming well respected members of the community as they do everything to help the farmers out even to the point of billing some for later payment.

One day Ben is unloading a wagon when a 55 gallon barrel hit him in the head. He is rushed to Doc Adam's place where he finally regains consciousness. But something is not correct, Ben is not the same.

Instead of being his pleasant self he seems to turn on everyone. Including his former best friend, Ash, and customers to the office. The blow on the head has left him with another personally so strong that he goes to the Long Branch confronts a young saloon woman named Tilly, hits Ash and then goes after Ms Kitty. Matt intervenes and places Ben in jail.

For some reason Ben has it in his head that Tilly is going to marry him. When she tells him that she is engaged to Emmett Hall, he become enraged and goes gets a rifle. Ash knows that with the sickness Ben is either on his way to kill Emmett or even Tilly- something must be done.

This is one of those episode that when the credits roll you know you have seen a great show. It was a bonanza for this show to have two fine actors in Dehner and Caruso playing characters that appeal to all viewers. The story was easy to understand- two good friends. Another fine episode from season 8.

Wow, I didn't think anyone would remember Pete from Fury, " who cut his teeth out of branding iron." Fury was seen on Sat morning tv which starred Peter Graves, Bobby Diamond, and Fury!

Good drama on the tragedy of head trauma as well as the meaning of friendship and loyalty of two good men. John Dehner and Anthony Caruso play the friends and business partners affected. Collaterally involved is Dee Hartford as a saloon gal, later of "Lost In Space" and tv's "Batman", who is escorted here by Adam West, Batman himself. On hand too is spindly westerner William Fawcett, who gave up an academic career to go into acting and was best known as Pete in "Fury" on screen for five years before this.

Absolutely one of the best of many Gunsmoke episodes. The end was so tragic and seeing Ben lose his mind, Ash like a true friend stood by him until the end. Then Ben speaking as a dying man, relieved of the ills of his actions....Ash had to live with that killing the rest of his days. So Matt let him go? He spent the rest of his life without his friend and a whole lot of guilt. Wonderfully written

One of my favorite Gunsmoke episodes. An emotional one if you have a best friend.