by Ted Davis
Original Air Date: October 27, 1969
Directed by: Vincent McEveety
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this episode!
Synopsis: Long-gone worthless husband, grimy Will ‘Smith’ (Earl Holliman), travels to the Dodge City environs to torment wife Abelia Johnson (Jacqueline Scott), pressuring her to exchange his stolen gold for legitimate bank notes which can be used to stake his escape to Mexico. Deputy Festus Hagen (Ken Curtis), who is sweet on Abelia, does the heavy lifting in this episode, and Marshall Dillion (James Arness) pretty much keeps to the sidelines.
Kitty Cameo: It’s the time of year for the Dodge City Fair, with its Best Animal Contest, a popular draw for the townsfolk and surrounding farmers and ranchers. Festus is anxious to find a holding pen for the blasé dirty white tomcat he hopes to enter into the contest, but tiresome and cranky Doc Adams (Milburn Stone), who, unhappily, is the judge of the contest, is of no help at all.
Once Festus spots Abelia in the crowd, he hands the cat to accommodating townsman Burke (Ted Jordan) and toddles off after her.
Final Mewsings: A no-name cat trumps a man called Smith.
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