The relationship between the father and son in The Rifleman is still considered one of the best in TV history, even after 60 years.
For people who grew up in the late 1950s, this classic Western was a favorite in many households, teaching important lessons about respect and honesty.
But aside from its memorable scenes, The Rifleman also had some hidden mistakes, funny bloopers, and interesting facts that only the biggest fans might catch.
Keep watching as we reveal the secrets behind this legendary Western…
Those early Westerns, including The Rifleman, might have had some historical errors, but who really minds? They’re still super fun to watch and feature deeper characters than most shows today. Each episode offered a valuable lesson, often highlighting simple human values with a touching moral at the end.
The Rifleman featured the iconic Chuck Connors in the role of Lucas McCain, a single dad and expert marksman who was raising his son, Mark, portrayed by the talented Johnny Crawford. Their strong relationship and exciting escapades in the Old West really drew in viewers.
While the show is often considered one of the best ever made, even top shows can have their mistakes. So, let’s dive into some behind-the-scenes secrets that many of us didn’t know about!
Lucas McCain a trendsetter
Cowboy Lucas McCain always liked wearing jeans, and guess what? He was actually ahead of his time by about fifty years! If you pay close attention, you might remember a scene from “End of a Young Gun,” one of the first episodes with Michael Landon, where Lucas is fixing a wagon wheel without a shirt on.
You can spot a “W” sewn onto the back pocket of his jeans, and believe it or not, he’s really wearing Wranglers. The twist? The story takes place in the 1880s, but those jeans didn’t come out until the 1940s. So, Lucas McCain isn’t just a stylish cowboy; he’s a real trendsetter and way ahead of his era!
Connors’ real son
One thing I really enjoyed about the show was the bond between the father and son. Did you know that Chuck Connors’ actual son shows up in the series? In the episode called “Tension,” Mark and Lucas go to the funeral of Sid Halpern, who was a friend of the McCains.
The widow and son, Toby, are there dressed in black. It was Jeff Connors, Chuck Connors’ second son with Faith Quabius, who played that young Toby and he had two lines. Sadly, Jeff passed away in 2014.
Getting Chuck wasn’t easy
Getting the main part in The Rifleman was really tough.
Chuck Connors had to compete against 40 other actors, and there was no guarantee he would get the role. At first, he said no because ABC offered him a low salary, and he could make more money working as a freelance actor.
But then, Connors got the part in a surprising way. It all began when the producers took their kids to watch Old Yeller, where Connors played a strong dad. After seeing how much the kids liked him, the producers returned with a much better deal, which included a five-percent share of the show. And just like that, everything was set!
The 1892 Winchester rifle
In each episode of The Rifleman, Chuck Connors amazed everyone with his incredible talent as he fired a nonstop stream of shots using his saddle-ring carbine. He added a touch of drama by spinning the rifle, smoothly switching it from his right hand to his left, and loading a new bullet, all while staring intensely at the camera.
To create these memorable moments, the crew used two matching 1892 Winchester rifles—one for the actual filming and the other as a spare.
Some people might think that the first scene with the 1892 Winchester rifles was just a clever camera trick or edited in some way. But actually, Connors was really that quick and nimble with his carbine. Before he became an actor, he was a professional athlete who played basketball and baseball in both the major and minor leagues, which gave him amazing skills and coordination. This is why his fast movements seemed so easy. It’s also important to note that the rifle was specially modified to allow for quick firing by using its lever action.
The Duke connection
Lucas McCain’s reliable Winchester rifle wasn’t just a simple prop; it really stole the show and had a cool history behind it.
The Rifleman was set in the 1870s and 1880s, which means the 1892 Winchester rifle couldn’t have actually been around back then.
But this famous rifle had already made a name for itself in movies, first appearing in John Wayne’s classic film, Stagecoach, from 1939. Producer Arnold Levin later shared an exciting fact: the rifle that Lucas McCain used was the exact same one that John Wayne held in that legendary film.
The Madera Hotel
The Madera Hotel was a well-known landmark in North Fork throughout the series, frequently appearing in various episodes.
However, in the pilot episode, The Sharpshooter, the establishment underwent a name change to California House. Speculation arose regarding a possible ownership change between episodes, but no one really knows why the establishment suddenly switched names.
Johnny Crawford got blacklisted
At the age of 3, Johnny Crawford made his debut in front of the cameras during an audition. But it wasn’t a success – in fact, he got blacklisted after his performance as a 3-year-old actor.
”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
Lucas McCain, a widower, mainly dedicated his time to raising his son, but the show also included some romantic storylines. In the third season, it looked like Lucas and Milly Scott, played by Joan Taylor, were starting to develop feelings for each other.
Unfortunately, this romance didn’t go anywhere when Milly left the series in season four, with a vague reason that she had to return to the East.
This left the producers needing a new female character, which led to the introduction of Lou Mallory. They had the tough job of finding an actress who not only suited the role but also had great chemistry with Chuck Connors.
13 RIFLEMAN episodes MARCH 14 on AMC (231) from 6am until 12:30pm (Eastern Time)6:00 AM The Shattered Idol (S4,…Posted by Johnny Crawford on Thursday, March 12, 2015
To ensure a successful match, Chuck was actively involved in the casting process. However, this turned out to be more challenging than anticipated. Chuck interviewed over a dozen women who seemed perfect for the part but just didn’t quite click.
”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.
After looking at more than 60 women, the final decision was made to choose the gorgeous red-haired Patricia Blair, who came from Texas.
Recognize this baseball hall-of-famer?
As previously mentioned, Lucas McCain was an incredibly skilled baseball player. However, he could never match the prowess of former Dodgers star Duke Snider, who made a guest appearance on the show. (Chuck Connors hit only two home runs during his Major League Baseball career).
A famous baseball player known as “the Duke of Flatbush” played the role of Wallace in the episode called The Retired Gun. Another baseball legend, Don Drysdale, also showed up on the show.
Johnny Crawford’s brother popped up
The Rifleman focused a lot on family issues and was the first show on network television to show a single dad raising his kid.
Besides Jeff Connors, another family member of one of the stars appeared on the show: Bobby Crawford, who is Johnny’s brother.
He played a character named Freddy in the episode called Second Witness, and both he and Johnny gave such great performances that they were nominated for Emmys in 1959. Bobby, whose full name is Robert Lawrence Crawford Jr., kept acting and played Andy Sherman on the NBC show Laramie from 1959 to 1960. He is still alive today and is 80 years old.
Over-protective of Johnny Crawford
Chuck Connors took care of young Johnny, and even after their show ended, they stayed close friends. Johnny Crawford looked up to Chuck from a young age, especially because Chuck loved baseball. Their strong friendship during The Rifleman was really important to Johnny, as he learned so much from Chuck both in acting and in life.
Johnny shared, “Listening to Chuck tell his baseball stories was a big part of my learning. He would recite Casey at the Bat or even do speeches from Shakespeare. People are often surprised to find out that Chuck Connors knew Shakespeare,” he told The Buffalo News.
You can see their amazing bond in the classic photo below, which shows the friendship and respect they had for each other.
Actor Paul Fix, who played Marshal Micah Torrence on The Rifleman, also felt a great responsibility for Crawford.
While they were filming, he took on a fatherly role for Crawford and made sure that all the weapons on set were kept safe. For Paul Fix, his concern for Crawford’s safety was very personal.
When Fix was a kid, he had a scary moment when he was playing with his brother and a gun accidentally went off. The bullet came really close to hitting him, and it was a miracle that he lived through it.
Buddy Hackett twist
In a surprising turn of events, Buddy Hackett, famous for his funny performances, took on the role of a dad to an actor who was actually four years younger than him.
In one episode of The Rifleman, Buddy Hackett plays Daniel Malakie, a father who finds out that his two sons, Ben and Jud, have been arrested. What’s really interesting is that Christopher Dark, who played the son Ben, was born in 1920, while Hackett was born in 1924. This unusual age difference shows how Hollywood can mix up typical family roles and age norms in unexpected ways.
Baby girl was played by a baby boy
Have you ever heard of Robert Anacher? If not, that’s okay! He is best known for his role as the cute baby girl named Fancy in the episode called The Baby Sitter. But here’s the twist: the character was actually a boy!
Shot dead with a pistol
In the pilot, which was originally intended for Gunsmoke (1955), Chuck Connors’ character was named John McCain. According to IMDB, he didn’t have any children and was a dead shot with a pistol.
Sammy Davis Jr. impressed the crew
Sammy Davis Jr. is often called “Mr. Show Business” and is known as the greatest entertainer to ever perform on stage in the United States. He is a legendary superstar who is greatly missed and has left a lasting mark on American history.
But did you know he made an appearance in The Rifleman? In the episode Two Ounces of Tin, Sammy Davis Jr. portrayed the outlaw Tip Corey. He showcased impressive skills with a gun, demonstrating quick draws and impressive twirling maneuvers. What’s remarkable is that all of these stunts were performed by Davis himself, without a stand-in!
The hair styles
Even though The Rifleman takes place in the 1880s, many of the actors had hairstyles that looked more like those from the 1950s and 1960s, which is when the show was actually made.
This mix-up is even more obvious with their clothing, as a lot of the men wore button-down shirts that buttoned in the front. This style didn’t even show up until the 1920s and didn’t really become popular until the 1930s. It’s really interesting how they combined old-timey settings with a modern twist from the mid-20th century, making the classic Western feel a bit different!
Chuck Connors’ headstone
Chuck Connors was famous for being super athletic, but he had a habit of smoking three packs of Camel cigarettes every day. He was one of just twelve athletes ever to play in both Major League Baseball and the NBA, which is pretty impressive!
In the fall of 1992, he got really sick with pneumonia and ended up in the hospital. Sadly, just three weeks later, he passed away from lung cancer. He was buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery, and his gravestone shows off the logos of the three sports teams he played for: the Boston Celtics, the Chicago Cubs, and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Kevin Joseph “Chuck” Connors (April 10, 1921 – November 10, 1992)He is one of only 12 athletes in the history of…Posted by Hollywood Page Of Death on Friday, November 10, 2023
As we finish exploring the amazing world of The Rifleman, it’s obvious that this classic Western show has made a lasting impact on TV history.
The strong relationship between the father and son, the unforgettable characters, and the mix of exciting action with important life lessons make the show still popular with viewers today. I still enjoy watching the reruns. Rest in peace, Johnny and Chuck.
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