The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968): Cast & Plot
The Shakiest Gun in the West is a 1968 comedy western directed by Alan Rafkin, starring Don Knotts as Dr. Jesse W. Heywood, Barbara Rhoades and Ruth McDevitt. It runs 1 hour 41 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 41m (101 min)
- Director
- Alan Rafkin
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Universal Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Shakiest Gun in the West About?
The premise of The Shakiest Gun in the West without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
After graduating dental school in Philadelphia in 1870, Jesse W. Haywood (Don Knotts) heads west to work as a dentist. He is forced into a marriage with “Bad Penny” Cushing (Barbara Rhoades), who hopes a pardon for hunting a gun‑smuggling ring. The ruse drags Haywood into outlaw land, where he becomes “Doc the Haywood” after shooting Arnold the Kid. His clumsy heroics even earn the joke that he was scalped by a cigar‑store Indian.
The Shakiest Gun in the West Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- female gunfighter
- stagecoach robbery
- 1870s
- pistol duel
- remake
- wagon train
- singer
- singing
- held at gunpoint
- big spring texas
- stagecoach driver
- comanche indian
+38 more Show fewer
- u.s. marshal
- deception
- farce
- parody
- dental school
- dental student
- reluctant dental patient
- burlesque
- saloon girl
- dental school graduate
- philadelphia pennsylvania
- awkwardness
- corrupt horse seller
- crossdressing
- betrayal
- quick draw
- twitch
- graduation speech
- baby
- teepee
- bushwhacker
- nervous dentist
- gunfire
- trick
- treachery
- twitchy dentist
- false accusation
- bravado
- confusion
- slapstick
- cowboy
- parody comedy
- agent
- shot in the chest
- back hand slap
- punch in the belly
- strongbox
- crate of rifles
The Shakiest Gun in the West Cast & Characters
Don Knotts leads the cast as Dr. Jesse W. Heywood, with Barbara Rhoades as Penelope 'Bad Penny' Cushings and Ruth McDevitt as Mrs. Olive Heywood. Directed by Alan Rafkin; 51 actors are credited in all.
- Director Alan Rafkin
- Don Knotts as Dr. Jesse W. Heywood
- Barbara Rhoades as Penelope 'Bad Penny' Cushings
-
Ruth McDevitt as Mrs. Olive Heywood - Robert Yuro as Arnold the Kid
Also Starring in The Shakiest Gun in the West
· 47 more- Charles Horvath Indian Warrior (uncredited)
- John Aniston Indian (uncredited)
- Peggy Mondo Indian Woman in Stagecoach
- Dub Taylor Pop Cushings
- Pat Morita Wong
- I. Stanford Jolley Bearded Stage Passenger (uncredited)
- Arthur Space Sheriff Tolliver
- Fred Aldrich Passerby (uncredited)
- Paul Bryar Man at Bar (uncredited)
- Myron Healey Stage Passenger (uncredited)
- Don 'Red' Barry Rev. Zachary Gant
- Noble 'Kid' Chissell Townsman (uncredited)
- Benny Rubin Man at Bar (uncredited)
- Jackie Coogan Matthew Basch
- Argentina Brunetti Squaw (uncredited)
- Frank Coghlan Jr. Man at Bar (uncredited)
Show all 51 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Eddie Quillan Train Porter (uncredited)
- Vaughn Taylor Rev. Longbaugh
- Tina Menard Squaw (uncredited)
- Dorothy Neumann Mrs. Eva Longbaugh
- Bill Quinn U.S. Marshal Arthur Bates
- Frank McGrath Mr. Remington
- Hope Summers Celia
- Jim Boles Big Spring Townsman (uncredited)
- Greg Mullavey Phelps - Dental Student
- Claudia Bryar Mrs. Remington
- Terry Wilson Welsh
- Rodd Redwing White Buffalo (uncredited)
- Leonard Stone Bartender (uncredited)
- Gil Lamb Slosh White - Drunk
- Ed Peck Sheriff
- Edward Faulkner Marshal Sam Huggins
- Naomi Stevens Squaw (uncredited)
- Carl Ballantine Abel Swanson
- Lorna Thayer Saloon Girl (uncredited)
- E.J. André Will Banks
- King Moody Ernie
- Herb Voland Dr. Friedlander
- Mickey Finn Father (uncredited)
- William Christopher Hotel Manager (uncredited)
- Boyd Stockman Stage Driver (uncredited)
- Dick Wilson Black Eagle (Indian chief)
- Fay DeWitt Violet
- Warde Donovan Townsman (uncredited)
- Clyde Howdy Man (uncredited)
- James McHale Conductor (uncredited)
- Kathryn Minner 96-Year-Old Woman (uncredited)
The Shakiest Gun in the West Plot Summary
What happens in The Shakiest Gun in the West from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Jesse W. Heywood Don Knotts graduates from dental school in Philadelphia in 1870 and heads west to practice as a frontier dentist, a big swing from city life that leaves him navigating a rough, unfamiliar terrain with a mix of curiosity and clumsy courage. He soon finds that the West does not come with a map, and the social rules are just as hard to crack as the landscapes he crosses.
Full summary
The whole story of The Shakiest Gun in the West, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Shakiest Gun in the West?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
What profession did Jesse Heywood practice before heading west?
The Shakiest Gun in the West Also Known As
5 alternative titles, including “El pistolero más tembloroso del Oeste” and “Le Gun dans l'Ouest plus précaire”.
- Also known as
-
- El pistolero más tembloroso del Oeste
- Le Gun dans l'Ouest plus précaire
- Najgorszy rewolwerowiec Dzikiego Zachodu
- Най-разтрепераният пищов на Запада
- Дантист на диком западе
Seen The Shakiest Gun in the West?
Movies Like The Shakiest Gun in the West
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Out West, Support Your Local Gunfighter and The Gun That Won the West.
The Shakiest Gun in the West FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Shakiest Gun in the West, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Shakiest Gun in the West?
The Shakiest Gun in the West runs 1 hour 41 minutes (101 minutes).
When was The Shakiest Gun in the West released?
The Shakiest Gun in the West was released on July 10, 1968.
Who directed The Shakiest Gun in the West?
The Shakiest Gun in the West was directed by Alan Rafkin.
More films by Alan Rafkin Who is in the cast of The Shakiest Gun in the West?
The Shakiest Gun in the West stars Don Knotts as Dr. Jesse W. Heywood, Barbara Rhoades as Penelope 'Bad Penny' Cushings and Ruth McDevitt as Mrs. Olive Heywood, among 51 credited actors.
Does The Shakiest Gun in the West have a post-credit scene?
No. The Shakiest Gun in the West has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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