"The Rifleman" (1958) TV series 1958-1963

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

30 September 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Western

Plot:

The adventures of a Wild West rancher who wields a customized Winchester rifle.

Plot Keywords:

Winchester Rifle | Widower | Rifle | Farm | Family Relationships

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Chuck Connors	...	Lucas McCain / ... (168 episodes, 1958-1963)
Johnny Crawford	...	Mark McCain (168 episodes, 1958-1963)
Paul Fix	...	Marshal Micah Torrance / ... (150 episodes, 1958-1963)

Series Directed by
Joseph H. Lewis		(51 episodes, 1958-1963)
Arnold Laven		(21 episodes, 1958-1963)
Arthur H. Nadel		(10 episodes, 1962-1963)
Gene Nelson		(8 episodes, 1961-1962)
Don Medford		(7 episodes, 1959-1960)
Richard Donner		(7 episodes, 1962)
Lewis Allen		(5 episodes, 1959-1960)
Lawrence Dobkin		(5 episodes, 1962)
Arthur Hiller		(4 episodes, 1958-1960)
Jerry Hopper		(4 episodes, 1958-1959)
Sam Peckinpah		(4 episodes, 1958-1959)
Paul Landres		(4 episodes, 1959-1961)
Don Taylor		(4 episodes, 1959-1961)
Ted Post		(4 episodes, 1959-1960)
William F. Claxton		(4 episodes, 1960-1962)
Lamont Johnson		(2 episodes, 1959-1961)
James Neilson		(2 episodes, 1959)
James Clavell		(2 episodes, 1960-1961)
Dick Moder		(2 episodes, 1960)
John Rich		(2 episodes, 1960)
Paul Wendkos		(2 episodes, 1961-1962)

Series Writing credits
Arthur Browne Jr.		(35 episodes, 1959-1963)
Calvin Clements Sr.		(13 episodes, 1960-1963)
Cyril Hume		(9 episodes, 1958-1963)
Palmer Thompson		(7 episodes, 1958-1961)
Pat Fielder		(7 episodes, 1959-1962)
Sam Peckinpah		(6 episodes, 1958-1959)
Philip Saltzman		(6 episodes, 1959-1962)
Herbert Little Jr.		(5 episodes, 1958-1960)
David Victor		(5 episodes, 1958-1960)
Jack Curtis		(5 episodes, 1959-1961)
Margaret Armen		(5 episodes, 1960-1963)
Jay Simms		(5 episodes, 1960-1963)
Ed Adamson		(5 episodes, 1961-1963)
Ken Kolb		(4 episodes, 1958-1960)
Chuck Connors		(4 episodes, 1959-1961)
Harry Kronman		(4 episodes, 1959-1961)
Albert Aley		(3 episodes, 1959-1960)
George W. George		(3 episodes, 1959)
Judy George		(3 episodes, 1959)
David Lang		(3 episodes, 1959)
Bruce Geller		(2 episodes, 1958-1959)
Barney Slater		(2 episodes, 1958-1959)
William F. Leicester		(2 episodes, 1959-1960)
Teddi Sherman		(2 episodes, 1959-1960)
Ward Wood		(2 episodes, 1959-1960)
Thomas Thompson		(2 episodes, 1960-1963)
Herman Groves		(2 episodes, 1961-1962)
Robert Lewin		(2 episodes, 1962-1963)
Robert Culp		(2 episodes, 1962)
David P. Harmon		(2 episodes, 1962)

Series Produced by
Arthur Gardner	....	producer (165 episodes, 1958-1963)
Jules V. Levy	....	producer (165 episodes, 1958-1963)
Arnold Laven	....	producer (123 episodes, 1959-1963)
Arthur H. Nadel	....	associate producer / producer (70 episodes, 1959-1961)

Series Original Music by
Herschel Burke Gilbert		(155 episodes, 1958-1963)

Series Cinematography by
Howard Schwartz		(109 episodes, 1959-1963)
George E. Diskant		(35 episodes, 1958-1963)
Charles Burke		(8 episodes, 1959-1963)
Guy Roe		(5 episodes, 1958-1959)
Carl E. Guthrie		(2 episodes, 1960-1962)
Fred G. Carson		(2 episodes, 1961)

Series Film Editing by
Marsh Hendry		(23 episodes, 1960-1963)
Frank Sullivan		(19 episodes, 1959-1962)
Norman Colbert		(16 episodes, 1961-1963)
Lester Orlebeck		(14 episodes, 1958-1960)
Lyle Boyer		(13 episodes, 1959-1963)
Samuel E. Beetley		(11 episodes, 1958-1960)
Arthur Hilton		(9 episodes, 1958-1963)
Desmond Marquette		(9 episodes, 1958-1963)
Sherman Todd		(8 episodes, 1959-1960)
Sherman A. Rose		(6 episodes, 1960-1962)
Robert Leo		(4 episodes, 1962)
Chandler House		(3 episodes, 1959-1963)
Fred MacDowell		(3 episodes, 1959-1960)
Jerry Young		(3 episodes, 1959-1960)
Ellsworth Hoagland		(3 episodes, 1959)
Richard V. Heermance		(3 episodes, 1961-1962)
Thomas Neff		(3 episodes, 1962-1963)
Folmar Blangsted		(2 episodes, 1959)
Milton Shifman		(2 episodes, 1960)
Anthony Wollner		(2 episodes, 1961-1962)
Richard L. Van Enger		(2 episodes, 1961)
Stanley E. Johnson		(2 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Casting by
Phil Benjamin		(75 episodes, 1960-1963)
Marjory McKay		(58 episodes, 1958-1960)
Betty Martin		(32 episodes, 1961-1962)

Series Art Direction by
Bill Ross		(159 episodes, 1958-1963)
Gibson Holley		(61 episodes, 1959-1961)
Jan Van Tamelen		(21 episodes, 1959-1963)
George Renne		(7 episodes, 1961-1962)
Frank T. Smith		(6 episodes, 1958-1961)

Series Set Decoration by
Budd Friend		(37 episodes, 1958-1959)
Carl Biddiscombe		(33 episodes, 1959-1960)
Anthony D. Nealis		(30 episodes, 1961-1963)
Glen Daniels		(22 episodes, 1960-1961)
James Roach		(16 episodes, 1962-1963)
Patrick Delany		(11 episodes, 1959-1960)
Frank Wade		(8 episodes, 1960-1963)
Donald E. Webb		(6 episodes, 1961-1962)
Robert C. Bradfield		(4 episodes, 1959)
John Burton		(3 episodes, 1960-1961)
Chester L. Bayhi		(2 episodes, 1959)

Series Costume Design by
Robert B. Harris		(22 episodes, 1958-1959)

Series Makeup Department
Webster Philips	....	makeup artist (83 episodes, 1959-1963)
Jay Sebring	....	hair stylist: Chuck Connors (48 episodes, 1958-1963)
Karl Herlinger	....	makeup artist (31 episodes, 1958-1961)
Sidney Perell	....	makeup artist (23 episodes, 1958-1963)
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist (8 episodes, 1958-1962)
Carlie Taylor	....	makeup artist (6 episodes, 1959-1961)
Paul Malcolm	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1960-1962)
Burris Grimwood	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1961-1963)
John Sylvester	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1959)

Series Production Management
Jack Sonntag	....	production supervisor / production manager (143 episodes, 1959-1963)
Bruce Fowler Jr.	....	production manager / unit manager (125 episodes, 1959-1963)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marty Moss	....	assistant director (70 episodes, 1959-1963)
Jack Sonntag	....	assistant director (18 episodes, 1958-1959)
Norman S. Powell	....	assistant director (17 episodes, 1959)
Mike Salamunovich	....	assistant director (9 episodes, 1959-1961)
Don Torpin	....	assistant director (9 episodes, 1960-1962)
Lloyd Allen	....	assistant director (7 episodes, 1960-1963)
Edward O. Denault	....	assistant director (6 episodes, 1960)
Read Killgore	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1960-1961)
Cy Brooskin	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1960-1963)
Nathan Barragar	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1961-1962)
Ray Taylor Jr.	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1961)
Barry Crane	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1959)
Howard Joslin	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1959)
Bob White	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1961)

Series Art Department
Bill Ross	....	supervisory art director / supervising art director (44 episodes, 1960-1963)

Series Sound Department
Denzil L. Daniels	....	sound (71 episodes, 1960-1963)
Kay Rose	....	sound effects / sound effects editor (65 episodes, 1959-1962)
Clarence Peterson	....	sound (38 episodes, 1959-1963)
Norval D. Crutcher	....	sound effects / supervising sound editor / ... (32 episodes, 1958-1963)
Milton C. Burrow	....	sound effects / sound effects editor (31 episodes, 1960-1961)
Mandine Rogne	....	sound effects / sound effects editor (25 episodes, 1962-1963)
Eugene Grossman	....	sound (16 episodes, 1959)
Tommy Thompson	....	sound (8 episodes, 1960-1963)
Don McKay	....	sound (4 episodes, 1959)
Stephen Bass	....	sound (4 episodes, 1960-1962)
Woodruff H. Clarke	....	sound (4 episodes, 1961-1963)
Don Rush	....	sound (3 episodes, 1959)

Series Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Johnny Crawford (23 episodes, 1958-1959)
Carol Daniels	....	stunt double: Joan Taylor (18 episodes, 1960-1962)
Bobby Somers	....	stunts (13 episodes, 1958-1959)
Fritz Ford	....	stunt double / stunt double: Chuck Connors (6 episodes, 1958-1961)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1958)
Whitey Hughes	....	stunt double / stunt double: Max Wagner (2 episodes, 1959)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert B. Harris	....	wardrobe / costume supervisor (163 episodes, 1958-1963)

Series Editorial Department
Bernard W. Burton	....	editorial supervisor / supervising editor / ... (165 episodes, 1958-1963)

Series Music Department
Al Friede	....	music editor (91 episodes, 1959-1961)
Harry King	....	music editor (55 episodes, 1961-1963)
Herschel Burke Gilbert	....	composer: theme music (11 episodes, 1959-1960)
Earle Dearth	....	music editor (7 episodes, 1958-1959)

Series Other crew
Marian Carpenter	....	assistant to producer / assistant to producers / ... (155 episodes, 1958-1963)
Frank Baur	....	production executive (40 episodes, 1958-1959)

Production Companies

• Four Star Productions
• Four Star Television
• Sussex Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1958-1963) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• UAV Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MPI Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD) (box set 5)
• Unicorn Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Brentwood Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS) (3 episodes)
• MPI Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (box set 6)
• Colbert Television Sales (????) (USA) (TV) (syndication)
• MPI Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD) (vol. 1-2)
• MPI Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD) (box set 1-2)
• MPI Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD) (vol. 3-8)
• Me-TV (????) (USA) (TV)
• Peter Rodgers Organization (1958-1963) (worldwide) (all media)
• Radio Tokyo Television (1960) (Japan) (TV)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (168 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Four Star Productions

Trivia:

This was said to be the first TV series ever to have an actor or an actress play a widowed parent.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Lucas McCain's rifle is a modified 1892 .44-40 Winchester, even though the series clearly establishes itself in the 1880s.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Mark McCain:Pa!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Psych: The Polarizing Express (#5.14)" (2010)

A tall man, his adoring son, and his co-star...The Rifle! (man...)

I first saw this show as a 6-year-old kid and didn't think too much of it at first but once I got a few years older, I really started to appreciate it and now I consider it one of my all-time favorites...not so much as a replication of authentic Western living (I recall Chuck Connors' quote during the show's run: "We offer relaxing entertainment. If you want period realism, go read a book")as it was an interesting show with GREAT background music by Herschel Burke Gilbert, one of my all-time favorite TV composers. I've noticed that people usually have pretty strong opinions about the show....they either really like it or they hate it...usually those who hate the show focus on the violence (they claim Lucas would kill over nothing, which certainly never happened in any episode)...and those who love the show tend to focus on...well, the violence! I've heard comments like, "If there were N number of Rifleman episodes, the body count during the show's run would be >N"...a funny quote, to be sure, but simply not true. In fact, there were episodes where a bad guy would draw on Lucas, he'd sense it, and fire near him to show that "I've got enough firepower to cut you in half"..there'd be other episodes when somebody would draw a gun and Lucas would "sting their hand" to keep from having to shoot them. (hokey, yeah, but that's TV for ya). You have to remember that the TV audience and the ABC network in particular expected action in its Westerns and crime dramas. The ABC network wanted a lot of action in its shows at that time because they were trying hard to get established as a network and compete with NBC and CBS. Some claim "The Rifleman" was something of a gimmick show. It slipped close to becoming one from time to time but the warm interaction between Connors and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark were part of what kept the show from becoming a "Colt .45" or "Hotel de Paree" period parody. Fans of the show often mention the cinematography. Yes, it was good, indeed. In fact, until I started seeing episodes on DVD, I didn't know just how good the film work was. Was it a grim show? No. Those who really don't care for dramatic, near-baroque background music probably get that "grim" idea. Was Micah the sheriff near-useless? Yes, I admit that. Lucas usually ended up being a one-man North Fork SWAT team, to be sure. But man oh man, could a viewer get revved up! They got great character actors like Jack Elam, Martin Landau, James Coburn, and John Anderson to play bad guys...and they'd just work you to this crescendo, just get you where you couldn't wait for Lucas to get out that gun and wail on' em! I'd recommend by-passing most of the last-season (1962-63) episodes of the show. By then, Johnny's Mark was now into puberty, Chuck looks bored and tired of the show (he, in fact, WAS tired of doing it and afraid of being typecast by the Lucas character by then)and although Patricia Blair looks great, the shows are pretty uneventful and stale and they tried too much to play to the Ricky Nelson angle and give Crawford an excuse to sing. "The Rifleman" has really aged well, from the dramatic opening sequence right down to the Four Star Banner logo at the end. It's a TV classic near and dear to my heart, regardless of the body count, heh heh...