Aunt Thede

The man credited as townsman is actually HapGlaudi, then sports director of WWL TV in New Orleans. He probably earned this cameo appearance because WWL is one of the highest rated cbs stations in the country. Another actor making a very brief appearance is Jenny Arness, daughter of James Arness and neice of Peter Graves. Dyan Canon went on to marry Carey Grant just a few short months after this episode aired. Howard Macnear played a storekeeper named Howard. He is most known as Floyd the barber on the Andy Griffith Show. And then there is Frank Cady who played the part of Sam Drucker on Green Acres.

Great visual angles by cinematographer Harry Stradling Jr.

I rather enjoyed this episode, and I liked more insight into Festus' amusing family - I, like other reviewers, don't mind the Festus character too much, and I like to see the Haggen clan show up every once in awhile. This aunt especially - Jeanette Nolan, a wonderful actress in anything she's in, does a great job of down home quirky and is fun to watch, at least to me. It was also nice to see a young Dyan Cannon, so lovely and good on her role.

Another commenter mentioned how tragic James Stacy's life turned out, and though that was certainly true, I cant help but think how much of that he brought on himself (read up on Google his list of self-caused legal issues), and it's a shame such a talent went so south.

Overall, I found this episode a pleasant change from such baddies and really awful people that populated so many of the episodes surrounding this one. Silly in parts maybe but, rather a relief from all the dark ones.

The above review quite adequately describes the episode. However, I find the humor of the rather broad Western fashion of humor (numerous fights without any lasting damage, faux authentic rustics uttering humorous regional observations) that wears thin quickly.

Festus plays such a character but he remains Matt's foil rather than the primary thematic thrust of an entire episode. It runs a bit thin for an entire episode, however.

For some reason the music was particularly irritating. Perhaps because it complimented the humorous rustic theme.

There remains underneath the humor is the often-used trope of abused women. Gunsmoke was one of the first series to highlight powerless women abused by men whose only source of power was their gender.

Doc and townsperson just have met Aunt Thede Hagen. The townsperson says: "Who was that?" Doc replies: "She;'s a Hagen, can't you tell? You know they all look alike.".... Too funny.