In anticipation of a raid by the deadly Wagner outlaw gang, the townsfolk of Virginia City want to replace their ageing sheriff Roy Coffee, whom they feel is not equal to the task of standing up to the Wagners. Adam Cartwright is among the few who insists that Coffee remain in office-but even he has second thoughts when the Sheriff appears to be suffering from a latent case of cowardice. Written by Jerry Adelman, this episode was a tour de force for veteran character actor Ray Teal, here given a rare opportunity to deliver a performance that transcends the standard two-dimensionality of Sheriff Roy Coffee. Parley Baer, the original "Chester" on the radio version of Gunsmoke, is here cast as Mr. Amistead. "No Less a Man" originally aired March 15, 1964.
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
