Harrison Ford Played Two Completely Different Characters On Gunsmoke

Whether he’s piloting the Millennium Falcon, cracking a whip, or telling Gary Oldman to get off his planeHarrison Ford is one of our great movie stars. He’s possessed with a sly charisma that can’t be matched, even when he’s playing a grump. In his golden years, Ford’s grown very selective about his big screen roles, often relegating himself to installments in franchises like “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “Blade Runner,” and (with “Captain America: Brave New World”) the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He loves money, and I can’t blame him.

For all of the riskier roles Ford has avoided in the world of film, his late career pivot to television, however, has been a welcome surprise. He’s hilarious in the Apple TV+ comedy series “Shrinking” as Paul, a senior therapist who also acts as the mentor figure for just about every character on the show. (The image of Ford blazed out of his mind, while devouring a bag of Doritos, will forever live in my mind.) On the other side of that is his role as patriarch Jacob Dutton in “1923,” the second spin-off series for Taylor Sheridan’s hugely successful “Yellowstone” franchise.

Ford’s embrace of television may have come as a surprise, considering his strict focus on being a movie star prior to that. However, as is the case with most up and coming young actors, the early stages of his career saw him taking on a number of guest appearances on popular shows, including a few episodes of “The Virginian,” “The F.B.I.,” and “The Mod Squad.” The most prolific of these programs was the long-running television western “Gunsmoke,” where Ford played not one but two different characters (and in the same season, no less).

In the season 18 episode “The Sodbusters,” itself a term used for farmers, Ford plays a supporting role as Print. He’s a hired hand for Lamarr Underwood (Morgan Woodward), an impulsive cattle rancher who would rather settle his issues by way of violence than peaceful negotiations. Farmer Clarabelle Callahan (Dawn Lyn) is a single mother living with her two children who also happens to own the water rights from outside the series’ central setting of Dodge City. Hence, her farm becomes a target for Underwood as he rides up with gunfighter Dick Shaw (Robert Viharo) to settle their differences.

What Underwood comes to learn is that Pete Brown (Alex Cord), one of Callahan’s farmers, is actually a talented gunfighter that used to go by another name. Shaw is bested quite easily, which draws the attention of series lead Marshall Matt Dillon (James Arness) to the conflict. Every attempt to make peace only leads to further antagonistic confrontations, though, with Print in tow.

It’s not a meaty role for Ford, as he’s often relegated to the background of most of his scenes. However, he does make a notable presence in the final shootout at Underwood’s headquarters. Print is the first of his men to get shot by a wounded Brown, but makes it to the end as the last man standing. Right as he’s about to get the drop on Brown from the balcony, however, Marshall Dillon swoops in to take him out.

Usually, if an actor guest stars as a different character on a television show, they’ll put some distance between their appearances. Ford, on the other hand, returned to the world of “Gunsmoke” no less than nine episodes later.

In a slightly more prominent role this time around, Ford stars in the episode “Whelan’s Men” as a rogue outlaw named Hobey. He’s part of a gang run by a man named Dan Whelan (Robert Burr), who leads his men into Dodge City and takes over the town. In truth, their goals go beyond merely stealing, killing, and jailing some of the series’ central characters. Rather, Whelan is essentially biding time until Marshall Dillon arrives back in town, where he intends to kill him for a past transgression.

In the meantime, Whelan and his crew hole up in the Long Branch Saloon. It’s a Kitty-centric episode that allows Amanda Blake the chance to hold her own in Arness’ absence. Whelan’s men settle in for a game of poker, but the game takes a turn when Kitty exposes one of them for cheating. They’re disturbed by the betrayal, which causes Hobey to murder him on sight. Kitty then joins the game and takes them down from the inside one by one. The thing about these outlaws is that, while they may kill at a moment’s notice, they also claim to live by a code (of sorts) and promise to honor their bets.

Ford, looking unkempt with a near exposed chest full of scruff, is more prominent in the episode’s first half. Hobey’s mostly having a good time being a playful scoundrel until the cheating player sours the mood. Weirdly, though, the character disappears in the final stretch when Kitty takes center stage to confront Whelan at his own game (one that he’s a real sore loser about).

Every episode of “Gunsmoke” is currently streaming for free on Pluto TV.