Tuck Frye loves to gamble, and to brag about his fast horse. Festus realizes that his priorities are mixed up and devises a scheme he hopes will get Tuck to give more attention to his wife.Tuck Frye loves to gamble, and to brag about his fast horse. Festus realizes that his priorities are mixed up and devises a scheme he hopes will get Tuck to give more attention to his wife.Tuck Frye loves to gamble, and to brag about his fast horse. Festus realizes that his priorities are mixed up and devises a scheme he hopes will get Tuck to give more attention to his wife.
Collin Wilcox Paxton
- Bess Frye
- (as Collin Wilcox-Horne)
Bill Borzage
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Ted Christy
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsAbout 12 minutes into the show when Tuck and Anne leave the bar after Tuck has turned down $550.00. Annes shawl changes position on her shoulders' from shot to shot.
Featured review
Weak Treatment of a Potentially Interesting Story
Tuck Frye has become obsessed with his horse Jubilee, a fast horse he raised from a colt. Jubilee becomes more important to Tuck than anything else in his life, including his wife, children, and the farm they own. He is so confident in the horse's ability to outrun other horses; he gambles money his family can ill afford to lose on the outcome of the races he runs with Jubilee.
Tuck's wife, Bess, and his kids Annie and Caleb often have to go without needed items because of Tuck's obsession with the horse. The citizens of Dodge City gossip about the way Tuck neglects his family and farm, but any attempts to convince Tuck of the error of his ways are rebuffed.
A gambler in Dodge named Ed Wells offers to buy Jubilee for $550, and then later raises his offer to $800, but Frye absolutely refuses to consider selling the horse.
Festus Haggen takes special interest in the Frye family. He brings them food and a deer he killed while hunting. Annie and Caleb call him "Uncle Festus."
When Festus hears about the $800 offer from Wells, he is astounded that Tuck turned it down and is quite vocal about his disapproval. Tuck dismisses Haggen's protestations and insults Festus's mule, Ruth.
Festus challenges Tuck to a race from the Frye farm to Dodge. Festus agrees to work for six months on the farm for free if Ruth loses, but if the mule wins, Tuck must sell Jubilee to Wells. Festus knows he has a chance, because the road into Dodge from the farm goes around a gorge. The trip on the road is around six miles, but by going through the treacherous gorge, the trip is only about a mile -- something a horse cannot do but a mule might. Of course, Festus and Ruth win the race, and Tuck is forced to sell Jubilee to Ed Wells.
Meanwhile, gambler Dave Chaney has arrived in Dodge. He and Ed Wells are old rivals. Now that Wells owns Jubilee, he and Chaney organize a race between Jubilee and a horse Chaney owns named Goldrush. Tuck is willing to bet everything Wells paid him for Jubilee plus his farm on Jubilee to win the race.
Tom Skerritt appears for the fifth and final time in a Gunsmoke episode in this story. He plays the Tuck Frye character with the appropriate amount of stubborn aloofness. Actress Collin Wilcox-Horne (later Collin Wilcox Paxton) fills the role of Bess Frye, Tuck's wife, in her only Gunsmoke appearance. Little-known child actors Lori Rutherford and Todd Cameron play the Frye children.
This story includes one of three appearances in the series by actor Scott Brady. He plays the character Ed Wells in this episode. A post-Gilligan's Island Alan Hale, Jr. Appears for the third and final time in a Gunsmoke installment. He fills the role of Dave Chaney here.
Since the story is set in and around Dodge City during a time of celebration in the town, the regular cast, including the Doc Adams, Kitty Russell, Newly O'Brien, and Matt Dillon characters, in addition to Festus, are all present. Some of the familiar faces like Nathan Burke and Mr. Lathrop also make appearances. There are many uncredited extras posing as town visitors.
Variations on the gambling addict theme are common in television. However, Tuck Frye appears to be more invested in the horse and its abilities than he is addicted to gambling. His misplaced confidence in Jubilee's speed feeds his confidence that he can amass wealth easily by gambling on the horse.
The problem with this story is not the theme, as familiar as it might be. The content consists of weak, watered-down plot elements that are easily anticipated before they occur. The ending is particularly awful. If the writers had a magic genie suddenly appear and resolve all conflicts, it would have not been much worse. There is absolutely nothing surprising in the whole story. The acting in this episode is first-rate, which makes the poor handling of the story seem even worse.
Tuck's wife, Bess, and his kids Annie and Caleb often have to go without needed items because of Tuck's obsession with the horse. The citizens of Dodge City gossip about the way Tuck neglects his family and farm, but any attempts to convince Tuck of the error of his ways are rebuffed.
A gambler in Dodge named Ed Wells offers to buy Jubilee for $550, and then later raises his offer to $800, but Frye absolutely refuses to consider selling the horse.
Festus Haggen takes special interest in the Frye family. He brings them food and a deer he killed while hunting. Annie and Caleb call him "Uncle Festus."
When Festus hears about the $800 offer from Wells, he is astounded that Tuck turned it down and is quite vocal about his disapproval. Tuck dismisses Haggen's protestations and insults Festus's mule, Ruth.
Festus challenges Tuck to a race from the Frye farm to Dodge. Festus agrees to work for six months on the farm for free if Ruth loses, but if the mule wins, Tuck must sell Jubilee to Wells. Festus knows he has a chance, because the road into Dodge from the farm goes around a gorge. The trip on the road is around six miles, but by going through the treacherous gorge, the trip is only about a mile -- something a horse cannot do but a mule might. Of course, Festus and Ruth win the race, and Tuck is forced to sell Jubilee to Ed Wells.
Meanwhile, gambler Dave Chaney has arrived in Dodge. He and Ed Wells are old rivals. Now that Wells owns Jubilee, he and Chaney organize a race between Jubilee and a horse Chaney owns named Goldrush. Tuck is willing to bet everything Wells paid him for Jubilee plus his farm on Jubilee to win the race.
Tom Skerritt appears for the fifth and final time in a Gunsmoke episode in this story. He plays the Tuck Frye character with the appropriate amount of stubborn aloofness. Actress Collin Wilcox-Horne (later Collin Wilcox Paxton) fills the role of Bess Frye, Tuck's wife, in her only Gunsmoke appearance. Little-known child actors Lori Rutherford and Todd Cameron play the Frye children.
This story includes one of three appearances in the series by actor Scott Brady. He plays the character Ed Wells in this episode. A post-Gilligan's Island Alan Hale, Jr. Appears for the third and final time in a Gunsmoke installment. He fills the role of Dave Chaney here.
Since the story is set in and around Dodge City during a time of celebration in the town, the regular cast, including the Doc Adams, Kitty Russell, Newly O'Brien, and Matt Dillon characters, in addition to Festus, are all present. Some of the familiar faces like Nathan Burke and Mr. Lathrop also make appearances. There are many uncredited extras posing as town visitors.
Variations on the gambling addict theme are common in television. However, Tuck Frye appears to be more invested in the horse and its abilities than he is addicted to gambling. His misplaced confidence in Jubilee's speed feeds his confidence that he can amass wealth easily by gambling on the horse.
The problem with this story is not the theme, as familiar as it might be. The content consists of weak, watered-down plot elements that are easily anticipated before they occur. The ending is particularly awful. If the writers had a magic genie suddenly appear and resolve all conflicts, it would have not been much worse. There is absolutely nothing surprising in the whole story. The acting in this episode is first-rate, which makes the poor handling of the story seem even worse.
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- wdavidreynolds
- Sep 14, 2021
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