Gunsmoke

In Gunsmoke #180, “Indian White,” a young boy torn between two worlds must choose who he truly is—a Cheyenne warrior, or a white child stolen long ago.

Marshal Dillon steps in when a knife fight nearly turns deadly in Dodge. The boy at the center of it—raised by the Cheyenne and now known as Vihocan—is white by birth but Indian in every other way. His adoptive mother, Mrs. Cullen, claims him as her own, but even she admits: he may not be her biological son.

When news breaks that a group of Cheyenne, including the boy’s former tribe, are returning, tensions rise—and Vihocan disappears. Dillon tracks him deep into Indian territory, only to find him reunited with Little Wolf and a band of warriors. A powerful standoff follows, and a final word from the boy—“Medicine River”—reveals a heartbreaking twist: he was Mrs. Cullen’s son all along.

📜 Episode Highlights:

Vihocan fights a grown man and stirs up fear in Dodge

Mrs. Cullen confesses the boy may not be her child—but raises him anyway

The Army tries to use the boy to locate a renegade Cheyenne group

Vihocan runs away to rejoin the Indians

A final reveal uncovers his true identity—and it’s too late

🎙️ Originally aired: September 24, 1955
⚖️ A deeply emotional story about identity, belonging, and the impossible choices forged by war and time.