8.9/10313 votes#1 - Seven Hours to Dawn
Season 11 Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1965
Mace Gore's gang has taken over Dodge. When Matt is believed killed, Festus and Doc have a plan to lure Gore into a trap, even though his usual plan is to leave by dawn.
Director: Vincent McEveety
Writer: N/A
8.1/10198 votes#2 - The Storm
Season 11 Episode 2 - Aired 9/25/1965
A man is convicted of robbing and murdering his partner, but the sons of Matt's old friend are responsible. Matt must arrest the remaining son after the other's dying declaration and make it to Hays City in time to stop the hanging.
Director: Joseph Sargent
Writer: Paul Savage
8.0/10202 votes#3 - Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood
Season 11 Episode 3 - Aired 10/2/1965
Thad, son of and deputy to an Oklahoma sheriff, arrives in Dodge pursuing vandals on his father's warrant, not realizing the Oklahoma warrant isn't executable in Dodge.
Director: Joseph Sargent
Writer: N/A
8.6/10230 votes#4 - Ten Little Indians
Season 11 Episode 4 - Aired 10/9/1965
Someone has placed a fabulous price on Matt's head, and there are many competing to earn it.
Director: Mark Rydell
Writer: George Eckstein
7.7/10181 votes#5 - Taps for Old Jeb
Season 11 Episode 5 - Aired 10/16/1965
After a successful search for gold, two prospectors hire a man, who shows up at their campfire, as a bodyguard.
Director: James Sheldon
Writer: N/A
7.8/10180 votes#6 - Kioga
Season 11 Episode 6 - Aired 10/23/1965
A young Pawnee arrives in Dodge to seek his own revenge on a murderer, not trusting in the white man's justice.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: Robert Lewin
8.6/10203 votes#7 - The Bounty Hunter
Season 11 Episode 7 - Aired 10/30/1965
Lured out of retirement with the promise of land, a bounty hunter is aimed by his boss at the man who killed his son; however, he neglects to tell his hound that the reward and charges had been dropped.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: Paul Savage
8.0/10164 votes#8 - The Reward
Season 11 Episode 8 - Aired 11/6/1965
A man who persuaded the good folks of Dodge to invest their money in a mine is out of prison and back to prove that there really is gold in the mine.
Director: Marc Daniels
Writer: Gilbert Ralston
7.2/10177 votes#9 - Malachi
Season 11 Episode 9 - Aired 11/13/1965
While Matt's out of town, his friends play along with a drifter's innocent impersonation of the marshal, but a man comes to town determined to get revenge on the marshal, and he's not playing.
Director: Gary Nelson
Writer: N/A
7.9/10196 votes#10 - The Pretender
Season 11 Episode 10 - Aired 11/20/1965
An elder brother took the blame for the younger as both were sent away for cattle rustling. When they return home, the younger is not done with doing wrong, nor with asking his brother to cover his tracks.
Director: Vincent McEveety
Writer: N/A
8.1/10185 votes#11 - South Wind
Season 11 Episode 11 - Aired 11/27/1965
A twelve-year-old boy recovers in Doc's office and then goes with a gun after the man who robbed and killed his father.
Director: Allen Reisner
Writer: N/A
8.2/10200 votes#12 - The Hostage
Season 11 Episode 12 - Aired 12/4/1965
Twenty-two men escape from a territorial prison. The remaining 4 kidnap Matt hoping to get safe passage into Mexico. One of them has another agenda which he reveals to Matt as they get closer to the border.
Director: Vincent McEveety
Writer: N/A
8.1/10193 votes#13 - Outlaw's Woman
Season 11 Episode 13 - Aired 12/11/1965
After a risky train robbery and with two posses on their trail, four men hurriedly ride to some fresh horses. Dillon wounds one of the gang carrying the stolen money and it turns out to be a young woman.
Director: Mark Rydell
Writer: N/A
8.3/10206 votes#14 - The Avengers
Season 11 Episode 14 - Aired 12/18/1965
A retired judge and his sons abduct Kitty, Festus, and Doc after Festus shoots his other son in order to defend Kitty. The judge "tries" Kitty and Festus for murder, pressing Doc into service as their defense attorney.
Director: Vincent McEveety
Writer: N/A
7.0/10190 votes#15 - Gold Mine
Season 11 Episode 15 - Aired 12/25/1965
When Matt is too busy to escort Kitty to a gold mine she inherited, she travels there alone and meets with claim jumpers and other difficulties.
Director: Abner Biberman
Writer: N/A
8.0/10158 votes#16 - Death Watch
Season 11 Episode 16 - Aired 1/8/1966
Two Bounty hunters bring in a wounded Mexican bandit worth $30,000 and find out the Mexican government might not pay for a man who dies a natural death, so they get the idea of shooting him dead.
Director: Mark Rydell
Writer: N/A
6.9/10198 votes#17 - Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs
Season 11 Episode 17 - Aired 1/15/1966
Festus's nephew arrives, seeking a bride who can read and write. He soon finds one, but runs into difficulties earning the money he needs for her dowry.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.7/10233 votes#18 - The Raid (1)
Season 11 Episode 18 - Aired 1/22/1966
A band of robbers have hit numerous banks with uncanny precision, planning and ease. They have their sights on Dodge now but they must remove a big obstacle before they can proceed - Marshal Dillon.
Director: Vincent McEveety
Writer: N/A
8.6/10202 votes#19 - The Raid (2)
Season 11 Episode 19 - Aired 1/29/1966
When one of the gang is hurt after robbing Dodge, the Doc is taken to patch him up. The posse was preparing to go after them but a new problem has been set they must take care of before they can recover their friend.
Director: Vincent McEveety
Writer: N/A
8.4/10216 votes#20 - Killer at Large
Season 11 Episode 20 - Aired 2/5/1966
In Matt's absence, Festus is accused of drawing first on a drunken man. Though innocent, Festus leaves town to avoid Matt having to arrest him, and takes refuge across the border with a widow and her son.
Director: Marc Daniels
Writer: N/A
7.2/10183 votes#21 - My Father's Guitar
Season 11 Episode 21 - Aired 2/12/1966
A talented guitarist impresses all who hear him on an instrument that is more precious to him than a man's life.
Director: Robert Totten
Writer: N/A
8.8/10208 votes#22 - Wishbone
Season 11 Episode 22 - Aired 2/19/1966
Festus has a habit of using the wishbone from a dead chicken for making wishes on. When he comes across Doc Adams, alone and snakebit, he uses that wish to help him, if it can. Meanwhile, Matt searches for three outlaws who held up a stage, killing the driver and guard.
Director: Marc Daniels
Writer: Paul Savage
7.7/10173 votes#23 - Sanctuary
Season 11 Episode 23 - Aired 2/26/1966
An outlaw gang shoots it out fleeing Dodge City. When one of them is injured real bad, he hides out in the church where the reverend is fearful but not for himself.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
7.2/10177 votes#24 - Honor Before Justice
Season 11 Episode 24 - Aired 3/5/1966
The Osage Council has found Two Bears guilty of murder. His daughter rides into Dodge seeking Matt's help. Matt is out of town chasing horse thieves, so Thad tries to help. He finds out that he and Matt are really riding the same trail.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
7.8/10181 votes#25 - The Brothers
Season 11 Episode 25 - Aired 3/12/1966
Billy has always looked up to his brother Ed. During a robbery gone wrong, he is arrested. Matt begins to open Billy's naive eyes when his brother tries to free him from jail.
Director: Tay Garnett
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Gunsmoke Season 11
Every episode of Gunsmoke Season 11 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Gunsmoke Season 11!
Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and...
Genres:WesternAction & AdventureDrama
Network:CBS
Season 11 Ratings Summary
"Seven Hours to Dawn" is the best rated episode of "Gunsmoke" season 11. It scored 8.9/10 based on 313 votes. Directed by Vincent McEveety and written by N/A, it aired on 9/18/1965. This episode is rated 0.8 points higher than the second-best, "The Storm".