Dooley Surrenders

Few character actors of the period were more distinctively memorable than the scrawny Strother Martin. Despite his lack of heft, he could be quite menacing in the right role (Cool Hand Luke). Here his knack for offbeat characters is on display as a quirky buffalo skinner named Dooley. He's convinced that he's killed a man in camp and insists Matt lock him up. But Matt's skeptical after Doc examines the nature of the wounds. So Matt turns him loose in an effort to lure the real killer into town.

Some good byplay between Matt and Kitty in the mercantile store as Amanda Blake's lines fairly sparkle with coy good humor. Still, writer Meston's flair for unusual characters remains the entry's highlight. Dressed in dirty rags, Martin certainly looks the grubby skinner part, at the same time his demeanor alternates from pitiable pleading ("Please Marshal, can I come visit some time") to drunken menace ("I get plain mean when I drink whiskey"). Even so, the climax leaves Matt pondering what it's all about. I wish Meston had connected Dooley's odd behavior with life on the isolating great plains of the buffalo hunt. The harshness of those elements is enough to unhinge most anyone. Anyway, it's a better-than-average 30 minutes.

Emmett Dooley comes to Dodge City to surrender to Marshall Dillon for committing murder. He got roaring drunk and when he woke up from tying one on, he was told by Colpitt, one of the men he was skinning buffaloes for, that he had shot and killed Faber, Colpitt's partner. Colpitt and the cook of the group broke camp and moved on.

Dillon is just not going to take this story at face value regardless of how convinced Dooley is that he's a murderer nor how mean a drunk Dooley is. Matt does lock Dooley in the jail while he investigates. He goes to where Dooley said the killing occurred and Doc's investigation of the body shows that Faber was stabbed, not shot. They both figure that Colpitt has committed the murder and pinned it on Dooley, with Dooley believing he's the killer.

Dillon comes up with a pretty clever plan to entrap the murderer, but the problem is that he doesn't tell Doc about his plan, nor has he told Dooley that he is not the killer. Complications ensue.

Strother Martin plays Dooley, and this episode which has a heavy ending is light through the middle because of how Martin plays Dooley as a likeable character, but not someone you'd take seriously. That turns out to be a mistaken impression.

Another typicalllly overwrought "chew the scenery" performance by Strother where he tries not to,leave room for anyonw else. He' never heard of less is more.

Any time Strother Martin is in any film or TV show I will always watch if just for Martin. He always steals any scene he's in, whether a serious one (Cool Hand Luke) or a comedic scene(True Grit). The man knew how to act and he knows it. Probably very easy to direct also. He was on Gunsmoke 11 times which tells me they loved having him. He was on several other TV series as a guest but always seemed to show his stuff best on Gunsmoke. This episode was no exception.

How do you not absolutely love Strother Martin? One of THE best character actors in movies or television. Doesn't matter who he plays, he just grabs the screen.

His character in this is just so likeable, regardless of the guy's antics, and the conversational interactions between he and Matt really bring home the level of this man's talent and ability to occupy his characters so fully. You honestly forget (at least I do) that he's an actor, and isn't really some poor drunk guy Dooley.

And, of course, the regulars - James Arness, Dennis Weaver, Milburn Stone - round out the episode well, as usual, to make this another good watch. But, Strother Martin really is the best part of it.