I have been binge-watching The Rifleman series. For a kid who sees people being killed every day, Mark sure is a pleasant little boy. I haven't gotten to the later seasons yet but I remembered Mark as being kind of stiff, and with very few speaking lines other than, "Yes, pa" or "Sorry, pa," but at least in the first two seasons, he has a fairly significant role and is quite animated. Not a bad actor, actually.
I watch it every Sat morning here. it runs from 5 am up to noon.on AMCTV. always was a fav of mine. real name Johnny Crawford comes from a family of professional entertainers, and thanks to the inspiration of his parents and grandparents, he has been entertaining audiences throughout the world over the past six decades as an actor and musician. Johnny Crawford's entertainment career began in 1955, when he was cast as one of Walt Disney's original Mousketeers. I never knew that. funny how they lived a normal life at the ranch but dad there was always ventilating the bad guy with that special 30-30. I think all the episodes are on youtube
I watched that and all the westerns when I was growing up and loved them....they don't appeal to me now though.
I quite liked Wanted with Steve McQueen. I like to watch these old shows and try to place all the actors faces. it's really interesting to see where some famous actors started their careers.
Johnny Crawford actually sang, as well. He had one charted hit, "Today is Cindy's Birthday", or maybe, "Cindy's Birthday". I liked the kid. Frank
Chuck Connors played pro baseball and pro basketball, plus he was drafted by a pro football team, but never actually played in a game.
When networks earn money from viewers who watch their shows, you'd think they might owe them something at the end. Apparently, The Rifleman was abruptly cancelled at the end of the 5th season because there is no finale or indication that the last episode wasn't just another episode. Although Johnny Crawford had a couple of music albums, some of which were done during his time on The Rifleman, he only sang in two episodes, one of them being the last episode.
I always felt Chuck Conners seemed too stoical, pre-occupied, he never smiled, rarely displayed true emotion, I thought. Still, he was loved by the public, and that's what counted. What counts today to the public? I'm open to suggestions. Frank
Of all the "Gunslinging" western TV shows, this is the most unlikely to ever exist in real life. Chuck Connors, as Lucas McCain, attempts to use his lever-action Winchester .44-40 as if it were a .45 Colt 6-shooter! In a quick-draw situation at close-quarters, such as in a Saloon or on the Town Street where the combatants are 20-50 feet apart, the Rifle is awkwardly inefficient in its movement into firing position compared to the Colt. In real life, the rifleman would be shot down 10 times out of 10, because of the unwieldy bulk and awkward movement of the rifle. The rifle is at its best when carefully well-aimed shots at great distances are required, not "quick-draw" situations. Hal (I expect rebuttals)
I've never been into long guns. I like shooting handguns. The high caliber stuff (and even shotguns) beats me up too much...it's just not pleasurable. I'm a skinny gun with little meat on his bones. AR-15s are fun, but they're basically adult .22s What are you holding with the drum mag on it?
I suppose "The Rifleman" is as accurate as any Western was. I contend that he could have been just as fast as if not faster than any pistol puller. He carried the rifle in one hand, never on his shoulder never in a sling. Practice practice practice would be all it would take to be as accurate as a quick drawn hand gun. With a little file work and the modified lever and practice he could probably shoot as fast as a revolver. Not saying you're wrong Hal.
That's a Thompson .45 Cal Submachine Gun, modified by the factory to shoot only in the single-shot mode, as fast as the trigger can be pulled. It is made by the Auto Ordinance Company, the same company that has produced the "Tommy Gun" since 1920. It can be fitted with either the 50-round or the 100 round drum magazine. I have the 50-round drum mag. Hal
You may be right too, Peter...it's just that it looks too unwieldy compared to the compact Colt Single-Action Army six-shooter. Give me the cowboy shooters seen on Gunsmoke, Maverick, Bonanza, Paladin, etc...they're no nonsense tightly-focused shooters that need no acrobatic theatrics! Hal