The father-son bond in The Rifleman is still among the best in television history even sixty years later.
For many houses where people grew up in the late 1950s, this Western classic—which imparted timeless values like integrity and respect—was a must-watch.
Beyond its unforgettable sequences, The Rifleman contained other hidden mistakes, blunders, and fascinating facts only committed viewers would know of.
See as we unveil the hidden jewels inside this fable Western.
Who gives a damn about early Westerners such as The Rifleman having historical mistakes? They’re still a lot of fun to watch and offer more complete characters than anything on TV today. Every episode provided a worthwhile lesson, usually stressing basic human values with a poignant moral resonance.
The legendary Chuck Connors portrayed Lucas McCain, a rancher and great marksman widowed and raising his son Mark, who was played by the charming Johnny Crawford in The Rifleman. Their strong bond and thrilling Old West exploits captivated spectators.
Though the show is hailed as among the best ever produced, even the best of the best can have flaws. Let’s go behind-the-scenes and discover some knowledge most of us spectators were ignorant of!
Lucas McCain a trendsetter
Cowboy Lucas McCain’s preference for jeans is not surprising, but it turns out that he was around fifty years ahead of fashion! In “End of a Young Gun,” one of the first episodes with Michael Landon, viewers with keen eyes may have noticed a sequence in which Lucas fixes a wagon wheel without a shirt.
He is wearing Wranglers, as you can see by the “W” sewn on the back pocket of his trousers. The catch? Although the series takes place in the 1880s, the production of those jeans did not begin until the 1940s. A remarkable trendsetter and undoubtedly ahead of his time, Lucas McCain is more than just a stylish cowboy!
Connors’ real son
The father-son bond was one aspect of the show that I truly enjoyed, as I previously stated. However, did you know that the series has an appearance by Chuck Connors’ real-life son? In the “Tension” episode, Mark and Lucas go to the McCains’ friend Sid Halpern’s funeral.
There are the widow and her black-clad son, Toby. Jeff Connors, Chuck Connors’ second son with Faith Quabius, had two lines and played that young Toby. Unfortunately, Jeff died in 2014.
Getting Chuck wasn’t easy
It was difficult to cast the main character in The Rifleman.
Chuck Connors had to beat out forty other performers to get the part, but it was not a given. He initially declined ABC’s modest wage offer since he might make more money working as a freelance actor.
But in the end, Connors found a surprising way to land the part. It all began when the producers took their kids to see Connors play a strong father figure in Old Yeller. The producers returned with a far better offer, which included a five percent ownership stake in the show, after that encounter, most likely after the children had given their opinions. It was all set in an instant!
The 1892 Winchester rifle
Chuck Connors demonstrated his extraordinary abilities by firing a seemingly never-ending stream of rounds with his saddle-ring carbine at the beginning of each episode of The Rifleman. He would cast a frightening gaze straight into the camera as he swung the rifle, tossed it with ease from his right to his left, and inserted a fresh cartridge with theatrical flair.
Source: Wikipedia
The production used two identical 1892 Winchester rifles, one for filming and the other as a backup, to create these famous scenes.
The opening scene with the 1892 Winchester guns may have given the impression that it was staged or trick photography. In actuality, though, Connors was really that quick and nimble with his carbine. He had remarkable talents and coordination that made such swift motions appear natural because he was a former athlete who played professional baseball and basketball in both major and minor leagues before turning to acting. However, we are aware that the weapon was modified to allow for quick fire by varying the lever action.
The Duke connection
More than just a prop, Lucas McCain’s reliable Winchester rifle was a scene-stealer with a fascinating history.
Since The Rifleman was set in the 1870s and 1880s, the Winchester rifle from 1892 could not have been around at that time.
However, this legendary gun had already appeared on the big screen, first appearing in Stagecoach, a great John Wayne picture from 1939. Producer Arnold Levin later revealed the thrilling information: the gun that Lucas McCain used was the same one that the Duke used in his iconic movie.
The Madera Hotel
Throughout the series, the Madera Hotel was a well-known landmark in North Fork and was featured in several episodes.
However, the restaurant was renamed California House in the premiere episode, The Sharpshooter. Nobody truly knows why the establishment abruptly changed its name, although there were rumors of a potential ownership shift in between events.
Johnny Crawford got blacklisted
Johnny Crawford first appeared on television at an audition when he was three years old. However, it was a failure; in fact, his portrayal as a 3-year-old actor led to his blacklisting.
Source: Needpix
”I don’t remember the picture and I wound up on the cutting room floor anyway. But I played one of a bunch of refugee children and I was in a scene where Rosalind Russel was supposed to give us all chocolate bars. I think I got blacklisted after this film because the scene had to be reshot and I refused to give back my chocolate bar for the second take,” Johnny Crawford told The Miami Herald in 1973.
”Hazardous” task of casting a new female lead
The series included a number of romantic partners, but widower Lucas McCain’s primary emphasis was on raising his son. It appeared as though Lucas and Joan Taylor’s character Milly Scott were about to start dating in the third season.
This plotline, however, was abandoned when Milly quit the program in season four, citing a hazy excuse that she had to return east.
As a result, producers were looking for a new female lead, and Lou Mallory was born. Finding an actress that not only suited the part but also had a strong chemistry with Chuck Connors was difficult.
13 Rifleman episodes airing on AMC (231) on March 14 from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (EST) The Broken Idol (S4, etc.)
Johnny Crawford published this on Thursday, March 12, 2015.
Chuck was fully involved in the casting process to guarantee a successful match. This proved to be more difficult than expected, though. Chuck conducted interviews with more than a dozen ladies who appeared to be ideal for the role but fell short.
”A few months ago, I was handed what I thought was a dream assignment. At least it started out on a dreamlike note but almost snowballed into becoming a nightmare,” the actor shared.
Patricia Blair, a lovely red-haired beauty from Texas, was the final decision after more than 60 women were carefully considered.
Recognize this baseball hall-of-famer?
Lucas McCain was a very talented baseball player, as was already mentioned. But he was never able to equal the skill of Duke Snider, a former Dodgers player who appeared on the show as a guest. Throughout his Major League Baseball career, Chuck Connors only managed to hit two home runs.
Source: Getarchive
In the episode The Retired Gun, the well-known baseball star known as “the Duke of Flatbush” played the role of Wallace. Don Drysdale was another former baseball star who appeared on the show.
Johnny Crawford’s brother popped up
The Rifleman was the first network television show to show a single parent raising a child, and it was largely focused on family themes.
In addition to Jeff Connors, Johnny’s brother Bobby Crawford also appeared as a relative of the show’s stars.
In the episode Second Witness, he portrayed Freddy, and he and Johnny both gave performances so outstanding that they were nominated for an Emmy in 1959. Bobby, whose real name is Robert Lawrence Crawford Jr., carried on with his acting career, playing Andy Sherman on the 1959–1960 season of Laramie on NBC. He is eighty years old and still alive today.
Over-protective of Johnny Crawford
As is already well known, Chuck Connors raised young Johnny, and the two actors had a strong friendship off-screen after the series concluded.
Johnny Crawford had always idolized Chuck Connors, especially for his love of baseball. Crawford received priceless lessons from his mentor on and off the set of The Rifleman, and their close relationship became a defining feature of his life.
”It was a fascinating part of my education listening to Chuck tell his baseball stories or he’d be reciting Casey at the Bat or he’d be doing speeches from Shakespeare. This always surprises people, that Chuck Connors knows Shakespeare,” Crawford told The Buffalo News.
The timeless image below beautifully captures their unique bond, highlighting their intense regard and togetherness.
Another actor who felt a strong sense of duty for Crawford was Paul Fix, who portrayed Marshal Micah Torrence on The Rifleman.
He took on the role of Crawford’s extra father during the shoot and ensured that all of the guns were locked up. Paul Fix’s preoccupation with Crawford’s safety was a personal one.
When Fix was younger, he was playing with his brother when a weapon misfired, almost killing him. Fix only narrowly escaped death from the bullet; his survival was a miracle.
Buddy Hackett twist
The comedic genius Buddy Hackett played the father of an actor who was actually four years younger than him, which was an unexpected casting choice.
Buddy Hackett plays Daniel Malakie, a father who learns that his two kids, Ben and Jud, have been arrested in one episode of The Rifleman. Remarkably, Hackett was born in 1924, whilst Christopher Dark, who portrayed the “boy” Ben, was born in 1920. The creative casting that results from this age dynamic demonstrates Hollywood’s talent for subverting traditional family roles and age expectations.
Baby girl was played by a baby boy
Are you familiar with Robert Anacher? No? That makes sense! His portrayal of the cute newborn girl Fancy in the episode The newborn Sitter was his most well-known part. However, the girl turned out to be a boy.
Shot dead with a pistol
Chuck Connors played John McCain in the pilot, which was initially slated for Gunsmoke (1955). He was a dead shooter with a pistol and had no children, according to IMDB.
Sammy Davis Jr. impressed the crew
Know as “Mr Show Business” and “the greatest entertainer ever to grace a stage in these United States” – Sammy Davis Jr. is a dearly missed superstar who forever carved himself into American history.
However, were you aware that he appeared in The Rifleman? Sammy Davis Jr. played the role of outlaw Tip Corey in the episode Two Ounces of Tin. His ability to draw a rifle quickly and perform amazing twisting moves was astonishing. The amazing thing is that Davis did all of these acts by himself, without the assistance of a substitute!
The hair styles
The majority of the actors in The Rifleman wore hairstyles that reflected the fashions of the 1950s and 1960s, when the show was really filmed, even though the story takes place in the 1880s.
The fact that many of the men wore full-front button-down shirts, a style that didn’t even come into being until the 1920s and didn’t become popular until the 1930s, further emphasizes this anachronism. This intriguing fusion of historical background and mid-century style gives the traditional Western a surprising new dimension!
Chuck Connors’ headstone
Famous for his athletic ability, Chuck Connors smoked three packs of Camel cigarettes every day. Surprisingly, he was one of just twelve sportsmen in history to play in the NBA and Major League Baseball.
Pneumonia sent Connors to the hospital in the fall of 1992. Sadly, he passed away from lung cancer three weeks later. He was buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery, where the logos of the three sports teams he played for—the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Boston Celtics—are prominently displayed on his monument.
From April 10, 1921, to November 10, 1992, Kevin Joseph “Chuck” Connors was one of the twelve athletes in the history of…
Posted on Friday, November 10, 2023, by the Hollywood Page of Death
It is evident that The Rifleman has made a lasting impression on television history as we come to the end of our exploration of its legendary world.
The show’s enduring appeal stems from its enduring father-son relationship, endearing characters, and flawless fusion of action and moral precepts. Even now, I continue to watch the replays. RIP, Chuck and Johnny❤️
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