Bently

A mystery to be solved! Not to give too many spoilers, but this episode is a good one. I've seen it many times, and it never gets old. Marshall Dillon would be real proud of Chester as he single handily breaks a murder case which has a twist. He catches a real scoundrel. In an alternate reality, I like to think Chester made the right decision to leave Dodge and move to Californ-I-A with his guitar and strike it big as a successful singing cowboy.

Some of his compositions include: "Run Rabbit Run" & "Pack Up My Bag to Californ-I-A".

He later changed his identity to Chester McCloud, LOL. Bentley.

Ned Wright was tried and acquitted for killing a man named David Bently. While people that know Wright well consider him incapable of committing murder, many of the Dodge City residents still suspect Wright is guilty, and they shun Wright and his wife Clara. When Wright falls ill with a sickness that will prove to be fatal, he confesses to the murder on his death bed.

Most people that care enough to have an opinion appear to be willing to accept Wright's confession and move on, but Chester Goode finds the situation troubling. Chester thinks Wright confessed to alleviate pressure on his widow.

Albert and Emily Calvin are wealthy residents of Dodge. David Bently worked for the Calvins before he was killed. The couple takes pity on the newly widowed Mrs. Wright and invite Clara to move into their home.

Chester refuses to accept the notion that Ned Wright killed David Bently and begins airing his doubts to anyone that will listen. The guilty party soon becomes worried Chester will discover the truth and sets about attempting to make sure the truth is never revealed. The funny thing is, Chester has no evidence, only suspicions. If the real killer simply left matters alone the likelihood of the truth ever being known is virtually nonexistent.

John Kneubuhl wrote this script. He also wrote the script for the earlier Season 9 episode, "The Magician." Although those were the only Gunsmoke scripts Kneubuhl ever provided, both were compelling, entertaining stories. It is a bit curious that the episode is named "Bently," but we never see the David Bently character.

Jan Clayton plays the role of Clara Wright. Although she appeared in many television shows during her career, Ms. Clayton was perhaps best known in the role of Ellen Miller, Jeff's mother in the Lassie television series. (The early episodes of the series that featured the Miller family were retitled Jeff's Collie in syndication.)

Of course, this episode is especially noteworthy as the last appearance of Dennis Weaver as the Chester Goode character. This episode was actually filmed earlier, but the airing was delayed until much later for some reason.

I grew up watching the later episodes of Gunsmoke that featured the Festus Haggen character. Many years later, I had the opportunity to see the earlier episodes of the series, and I admit I initially considered the earlier episodes without Ken Curtis inferior. However, I soon learned to appreciate Dennis Weaver's outstanding work as the Chester Goode character.

This is an excellent finale for this iconic character. In earlier years, Chester was often portrayed as a lovable, often bumbling, sometimes incompetent person that Matt Dillon often kept around despite his flaws. In the few Season 9 episodes where Chester is seen, he has clearly evolved into a more dependable, sometimes shrewd individual. In both this and the earlier "Quint's Trail" episodes, Chester perseveres despite doubts by the people around him. It is fitting that the closing scene shows Chester walking away from the camera alone along a Dodge City sidewalk.

I much prefer the earlier episodes of Gunsmoke. I think the series worked better in the half hour format, but let's just say I like the B&W episodes. This was a good episode, and one of the earlier ones that made it clear that the ensemble cast could carry an episode without James Arness.

He had already started to reduce his participation in the show, a tendency that would grow, and continue to the end of the series. Chester was a great character, and it was the show's good fortune that they were able to find Ken Curtis, as Festus, to take his place as the marshal's side kick.

There was much less (mainly none) attention paid to tying up loose ends in series TV in those days (this was 1964). I can't be the only one who finds the handling of Chester's disappearance frustrating at least, and an insult to the memory of the character. An episode that included a story explaining his exit would have been not just appropriate, but probably wildly popular (during sweeps maybe?).

Man, I wish this character was on the whole length of the show. What an interesting guy Chester is. I know why Dennis Weaver chose to leave, and it made sense but, I thoroughly enjoyed all his appearances. Thats why I gave it a 10, based solely on his performance. I loved how the writers brought out another facet not normally seen in him, and his exchange with the episode's antagonist on the street was cleverly handled.

This episode wasn't perfect, much of the action in it and the behaviors of some of the characters were somewhat hard to believe but, I'm glad Dennis Weaver's last appearance on the show was more well-rounded than usual.

That's the oddball, elegant but slightly creepy actor Gene Lyons, with his big ears and droopy eyes, NOT exactly your average gunfighter/killer. His scene in the office with Chester is probably the highlight of this VERY entertaining episode. "Well, if that doesn't beat all", says the guy with the limp after Lyons rides off.

A GREAT send-off for Chester, who somehow managed to insert himself into dangerous situations, rarely get involved in any gun play, yet still come out a winner.

A WONDERFUL script full of unexpected turns, and an excellent, sensitive performance by Jan Clayton (the original Julie Jordan in "Carousel" on Broadway, 1946).

Another top-tier episode from Gunsmoke's real "hey-day"-- the hour-long, B&W episodes ('61-65), before they went to color and things got too crazy, deranged and violent (in order to compete for viewers in the increasingly "mod" late '60's.) LR.