The Gunfighters ( TV story ) The Gunfighters was the eighth story of season 3 of " Doctor Who " . It was " Doctor Who " s first attempt at a , and , indeed , the first story in any medium principally set in the United States — though the First Doctor had briefly visited New York City in " The Chase " . The story gave director Rex Tucker his first on - screen credit , despite his heavy involvement in the formative weeks of " Doctor Who " s pre - production in 1963 , before Verity Lambert was hired . It was also the first televised story to have a song written especially for it . The next story to have an original song didn ' t come until " The King ' s Demons " almost twenty years later . Conversely , its final episode , " The O . K . Corral " , was the last individually - titled episode , discounting charity events , until " Rose " . Both conditions — titled episodes and original songs — became more commonplace in the BBC Wales era . " The Gunfighters " was notable for its casting , both proposed and actual . The role of Johnny Ringo was offered to veteran actor Patrick Troughton , soon to be cast as the Second Doctor , but he was too busy . Anthony Jacobs , who played Doc Holliday , was the father of Matthew Jacobs and brought his son onto the set . The younger Jacobs later wrote the 1996 telemovie , somewhat muddying the common fan argument that the Paul McGann movie was the " American " version of " Doctor Who " . Despite its many notable factors , the serial was one of the worst - received in the series ' history . Its poor ratings and low audience appreciation figures strengthened Innes Lloyd ' s argument that historical stories should be axed , though two more were produced before the format was dropped . Synopsis . Arriving in the town of Tombstone , the First Doctor finds himself involved with gunmen out to kill Doc Holliday . Plot . A Holiday for the Doctor ( 1 ) . Three strangers , Ike , Phineas , and Billy Clanton , arrive in Tombstone with one thing on their mind : revenge for their brother ' s murder at the hands of Doc Holliday . Little do they know they are not the only strangers in town . The Doctor and his companions materialise in a nearby lot . The Doctor emerges from the TARDIS with toothache . Steven and Dodo are overjoyed to discover they are in the " wild west " , but the Doctor is unsure if this is the place to fix his teeth . Steven and Dodo go back into the TARDIS to change . Meanwhile , the Clantons meet Seth Harper in the Last Chance Saloon . They talk about their vendetta against Doc Holliday and are overheard by the barman , Charlie , and the singer of the saloon , Kate Fisher . When Steven and Dodo emerge they are dressed as fancy dress cowboy s . Steven tries his best impression of a cowboy , boasting about being " the fastest gun in the west " . This is overheard by the local marshal , Wyatt Earp , who takes his shtick as serious and takes him into custody to protect him against Doc Holliday , who will not take kindly to such boasting . Kate Fisher , who is Holliday ' s lover , goes to warn Doc , who has just set up as a dentist . Doc refuses to leave , despite Kate ' s insistence . They are visited by the town ' s sheriff , Bat Masterson , who warns Doc against causing any trouble . As Masterson leaves Doc ' s surgery , he encounters Earp with the Doctor and his companions . By this time the Doctor has worked up a story : he is Doctor Caligari , a travelling player , with his piano player , Dodo DuPont , and singer , Steven Regret . The Doctor enquires if there is a nearby dentist for his toothache . He is directed to Holliday . When the Doctor sees the primitive conditions he tries to back out , but Dodo convinces him . They agree to meet at the saloon . The Doctor enters and interrupts Holliday and Kate mid - clinch . He tries to use this as an excuse to leave but is sat down by Holliday , pleased to have his first customer . The Doctor asks for some sort of anaesthetic . He is offered alcohol or " a rap on the cranium " . He rejects both . In the Last Chance Saloon , the cowboys are getting restless and begin to shoot bottles from behind the bar . This is interrupted by Steven and Dodo , who come in to reserve some rooms . They sign themselves in as a singer and a piano player — something that interests Charlie on account of his last piano player being shot . As Stephen and Dodo go up to their rooms , the Clantons and Seth overhear them mentioning " the Doctor " , whom they take to be Holliday , and assume Steven is working in cahoots with Holliday . Seth is charged to go and seek out Holliday whilst Billy is told to convince Steven and Dodo to come and join them in the saloon . Back at the dentist , the Doctor has had his tooth pulled , and whilst Holliday is in the back room , encounters Seth . Seth greets him with " Doc ? " to which the Doctor responds , " I am , yes . " Seth then asks " Holliday ? " The Doctor , imagining himself to be on a sort of a holiday , misunderstands and responds with the affirmative . Thinking he has found his man , Seth orders the Doctor to be in the saloon in five minutes . This has all been overheard by Holliday , who seizes the opportunity to get out of his situation . He equips the Doctor with his own gun and sends the Doctor on his way . Seth returns to the bar , and the Clantons force Steven and Dodo to perform a song . Dodo plays the piano while Steven sings " The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon " . The Clantons and Seth ready themselves to shoot Holliday as he comes through the door . Outside , the Doctor approaches the Last Chance Saloon . Don ' t Shoot the Pianist ( 2 ) . Back at the dentist surgery Doc Holliday gloats that he is setting the Doctor up for a fall . He wonders why Kate isn ' t answering him and discovers that she has left heading towards the Last Chance Saloon . Steven and Dodo are still singing and playing the piano when Kate returns and orders Dodo off her piano . She distracts the cowboys by singing to them while Steven plays . Dodo leaves to her room in a mood because of the attention Kate is giving Steven . The Doctor enters and , through a number of misunderstandings , is believed to be Holliday . The Doctor realises their mistake , seemingly remembering the name of the Clantons , and tries to explain . Holliday enters the saloon through a back door and stands on the stair case , listening to the proceedings . The Doctor fails to convince them . Whilst the Doctor brandishes his gun , Holliday fires in such a way to knock Harper ' s gun from his hand . Kate takes control and orders the four men up against the piano whilst the Doctor holds his gun still . Hearing the shot , Dodo comes down to investigate but meets Holliday , who escorts her back to her room . Wyatt Earp and Masterson enter and try to find out what has happened . They arrest the Doctor and lead him from the saloon , allowing the cowboys to continue thinking the Doctor is Holliday . With the Doctor gone the cowboys turn on Steven . Kate joins Dodo and Holliday in her room where they plan on waiting until the trouble has died down , despite Dodo ' s distress at the arrest of the Doctor . The Doctor has been locked in a gaol , with Earp suggesting that it is safer with his status as a wanted man . Masterson agrees with the ploy ; having the Doctor in prison means that the Clantons and Harper will think Holliday is locked up . Earp goes out to find the real Holliday . In the saloon , Steven tries to convince the others of the Doctor ' s innocence , saying that if he had the Doctor here he could prove it . The cowboys take this to mean that he is proposing a prison break and agree to back him up . Upstairs , Doc is thirsty , and Kate reminds him he left a bottle in his dentistry . He says that he ' ll sneak back . On arriving at the dentistry , Earp is there and orders him to leave town before the morning . Earp will tell the Clantons the truth tomorrow morning . He explains that Pa Clanton and his sons are rustlers and that he is biding his time before he and his boys run them out of his town . In the saloon , the Clantons and Harper tell Steven to pass a gun through the gaol - house window to the Doctor with which he can force his way out . They ' ll wait outside to " welcome him back to society " . Steven agrees . Phineas follows him , just in case he makes a run for it with " Holliday " . Dodo asks Kate if she really intends to marry Holliday , an outlaw . Kate replies that she has met many outlaws and that Holliday is the best of the lot , " a real gentleman " . Holliday arrives and tells Kate that they have to leave . Earp is gunning for him and he doesn ' t want to kill a friend . Steven gives the Doctor the gun through a window , telling him that the Clantons still think he ' s Holliday . Once he has gone , the Doctor hands the gun to Earp , asking him to meet Steven outside in his stead and to tell him he wants to remain in gaol as it ' s the safest place for him . In the saloon , the Clantons incite the locals to violence , telling them to break " Holliday " out of gaol and hang him from the nearest tree . Phineas brings Steven in , whom he found running away from the saloon , and they tie him up , saying that if the Doctor refuses to leave gaol they will hang Steven instead . Kate has got her stuff together ready for departure when they see the mob pass with Steven from an upstairs window . Doc makes his way downstairs , and Kate calls after him . Hearing the name " Doc " , Harper , who has been left behind , enquires if he is Holliday . He says yes and draws his gun faster than Harper , shooting his opponent . Doc tells Kate to ready three horses , planning to take Dodo with them when they leave . Dodo is unsure , but finally complies and they leave the saloon . Earp and Masterson let the Doctor out of gaol to see the mob gathers outside . The Clantons announce that they want " Holliday " within two minutes , or Steven will be hanged . Johnny Ringo ( 3 ) . The Doctor tries to leave , but Earp and Masterson hold him back . Earp says he has a plan and disappears around the back . Billy Clanton fronts up to Masterson as the sheriff pulls a shotgun . Just as they ' re attaching the noose , Earp attacks , knocking Phineas out . He frees Steven . Realising they ' re caught in the crossfire of Earp and Masterson , the mob disperses . The bartender , Charlie , arrives and tells the Clantons that Harper is dead , shot by Holliday in the saloon . The Clantons confront Earp , who admits he knew the Doctor wasn ' t Holliday . Earp threatens them until they leave . Charlie , Earp , Masterson and Steven carry the unconscious Phineas into the gaol . The Doctor says goodbye to Earp and Masterson and says he and Steven intend to leave in the morning . In the saloon , Pa Clanton tells his sons that he wants to hire Johnny Ringo to help them fight Earp . His sons protest , but he does not think they are capable . They leave . Steven and the Doctor return to the saloon , and Charlie tells them that Dodo left with Holliday . The Doctor claims that Holliday is his friend , recalling how he removed his tooth . They then retire to their rooms , intent on seeking Holliday out in the morning . Doc , Kate and Dodo find a place to sleep , but Kate wants to continue as they are still near Tombstone . Doc says he doesn ' t want to be too far away as when the Clantons and the Earps meet he wants to be nearby to help his friend . Dodo is pleased with this as she states that she needs to return to the Doctor as soon as she can too . As Doc leaves to get food , they hear gunfire and he returns . He ran into an old friend who has now " lost his appetite " . Meanwhile , Ringo enters the saloon and talks to Charlie . The barman tells him that the Clantons want help dealing with Earp but Ringo already has a target , Doc Holliday . Charlie tells him that they ' re also after Doc but Ringo wants to kill him on his own . Charlie promises that he wont tell anyone . Ringo agrees and shoots him dead . In the morning , Dodo asks Doc if he is going to return her to the Doctor today . He says no . Angered , Dodo takes his gun and threatens him . Doc agrees to take her home and asks Kate to stay . Realising Doc had a gun and was about to shoot her , Dodo faints . Steven and the Doctor come down into the bar in the morning and find the dead Charlie with Johnny Ringo sitting calmly at the table . The Doctor asks Ringo to wait in the bar for Earp to investigate , but Ringo claims that only Holliday would shoot an unarmed barman . Steven tells Ringo they also seek Holliday . Ringo suspects they want him dead too , and the Doctor denies any intention to kill him . Ringo invites Steven to ride with him after Doc and he agree . At the gaol , Wyatt ' s youngest brother Warren has come with bad news : his other two brothers are too busy to come and help Wyatt . Wyatt says that this is no good and says that Warren is too young to fight . The Doctor visits the gaol and tells Earp that Steven has gone after Holliday with Ringo . He points out that photos of Ringo are all over the gaol on wanted posters . Wyatt is concerned that Ringo may side with the Clantons and goes out to search for him with Masterston . He leaves Warren in charge . Ringo and Steven split up and search for Holliday at the saloon where he stayed . Ringo finds Kate , a former girlfriend of his . She lies , telling him Holliday was headed for New Mexico with Dodo , with whom he has run off . Ringo tells Kate that he ' s taking her back to Tombstone as revenge for him spurning her . She refuses , but he threatens her at gunpoint . In the gaol , Phineas taunts the young Warren Earp . Ike and Billy Clanton enter and threaten him into opening the cell . Warren tries to grab his gun . Billy shoots him . They free Phineas and leave . The O . K . Corral ( 4 ) . In the saloon , Masterson , Earp and the Doctor cover Charlie ' s body . Masterson works out that Ringo killed him , but Earp reckons that the Doctor may have had a hand in it . Rather than being accusatory for this act , he recollects how useful and powerful was when the Doctor disarmed the Clantons the first time he met him . Earp deputises the Doctor , giving him a badge and a gun . Again the Doctor shows distaste at being given a firearm . Virgil Earp enters unexpectedly and offers his support in the fight against the Clantons . Masterson and the Earps leave . The Doctor remains in the saloon . The Clantons return to Pa and find Ringo there with Kate and Steven . They boastfully tell Pa about killing Warren , and he tells them that it really is war now . However , Warren is alive . . . barely . His brothers tend to him in the gaol . He tells them it was a Clanton who shot him , then he dies . Wyatt is furious and tells Virgil to inform the Clantons that they ' ll meet at dawn , at the O . K . Corral . Masterson tries to convince him that this isn ' t the way of the lawman . Earp renounces the law . Steven plans to escape to warn the inhabitants of Tombstone about the Clantons , but Kate warns him against the futility of this . The Clantons hear Virgil approach , and Ringo recognises him as the marshal of Dodge City . Virgil gives them his message and asks Steven whose side he is on . Steven tells him he supports the Earps but cannot leave as Pa threatens him . Ringo , who hid upstairs during the talk , returns and lays out a plan to use the Clantons as bait and ambush the Earps from behind while the Clantons go in from the front . Back at the gaol , the Doctor tries to reason with Earp , but his protestations fall on deaf ears . Virgil returns and tells Earp that Kate and Ringo ' s horse were there . He also informs the Doctor that Steven is there . The Earps figure Ringo is siding with the Clantons . The Doctor tells them they cannot take on both the Clantons and Ringo , but as he does so , Doc enters and announces that they won ' t have to . When asked by Wyatt why he has returned , he says a girl forced him to at gunpoint . A celebratory Dodo walks into the gaol and embraces the Doctor . Virgil refuses to fight alongside Holliday due to the fact he is an outlaw , but when Doc is told that Kate is with them , he insists . With Doc back , the Doctor hands over his gun and badge , happy to be rid of them . Doc suggests that if Ringo is involved there will be a tactic . He plans to hang back to observe anything Ringo may be trying to pull . Later that night Dodo and the Doctor are in the saloon when Masterson enters and asks the Doctor to talk the Clantons out of the fight . He is persuaded that it is the only way of avoiding bloodshed and to allow justice to take its course . The Doctor is given his badge back by Masterson and sets off . Despite the Doctor ' s best effort , he arrives at the Clanton ranch after the departure of Ringo and the Clantons . Steven tells the Doctor of Ringo ' s plan to circle around , and the Doctor tells Pa that they predicted Ringo would side with the Clantons and that Holliday has joined the Earps . Pa is furious to discover that he has been lied to by Kate . The Clantons and Ringo arrive at the OK Corral whilst the Earps leave to face them . Masterson tries to persuade Earp one last time . The Earps and Clantons meet and the latter open fire , hoping that they can stop the Earps . Once in range , the Earps also fire . Away from the main fight , Ringo comes across Holliday approaching the fight and is about to shoot Doc when Dodo runs over and alerts him . Ringo takes Dodo hostage while Doc takes cover . He forces Holliday to drop his weapon . Doc throws his weapon down . As Ringo goes to retrieve it , Dodo pushes him down . Doc pulls another gun and shoots him . Holliday tells the dying Ringo he though he would do better . " I will , next time , " Ringo says , then dies . Holliday regroups with Wyatt , telling him Ringo ' s dead . Billy makes a move to kill Doc , but he misses and Doc kills him instead . Virgil hits Phineas , who dies shortly after . Ike , the only man left to oppose the Earps and Doc , tries to run . Doc corners him and Ike fires his gun , only to find that it ' s empty . Doc and the Earps kill Ike . Some time later , the Doctor and Doc are walking together with Dodo , Steven and Kate . He questions Holliday ' s reason for leaving . Kate and Doc unveil a wanted poster Masterson has released with Holliday ' s face upon it . Holliday claims that Wyatt is no longer a lawman , having been involved in the fighting . He gives the poster to the Doctor and then leaves with Kate . The Doctor insists they leave in the TARDIS — much to the disappointment of Dodo . The TARDIS is now in a different setting , and its crew are dressed differently , discussing where they have arrived . Inside , the Doctor tells his companions that he knows exactly what their new destination is : the far future in an age of prosperity . As they leave the TARDIS , the scanner shows a savage figure appearing on the crest of a hill . Home video and audio releases . DVD release . This story was released on DVD in 2011 as part of a boxset called " Earth Story " which also included " The Awakening " . Special features included : Digital releases . This story is available : Video release . This story was released as " Doctor Who : The Gunfighters " .