THE RIFLEMAN.....CLASSIC WESTERN SERIES The appeal of "The Rifleman" is the chemistry between Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford. In my opinion, this is the reason this wonderful series has endured. The black and white 30 minute series is action packed and fast paced with sharp timing and dialogue and Connor's portrayal as Lucas and Crawford's as Mark are touching yet strong. It is obvious they held a deep affinity for one another and it comes through beautifully.
I have all sixteen volumes and I wish they had the entire 'episode' output...but I'll take what I can get!
A must for all western fans and the uniqueness of the music and production values are also worthy of praise!
A Great Western Series From TV's Classic Years This four-volume set of "The Rifleman" episodes would be a great addition to your video collection. It contains 20 shows - each complete with their opening and closing credits. Details are given at the end of this review.
(NB: If you cannot justify buying the full set, the four tapes are also for sale as individual items.)
"The Rifleman" was one of the best Western series broadcast in those classic days when TV was proud to be black & white. It starred Chuck Connors as "Lucas McCain" - a widower determined to make a fresh start in life in New Mexico, along with his young son, Mark (played by Johnny Crawford).
Lucas carried a modified Winchester with a large ring mechanism that cocked the rifle by lever action. Viewers got a clear idea how it worked at the start of each episode - as the opening credits showed Lucas firing off a volley of shots while striding purposefully down Main Street.
Most shows had Lucas using his Winchester either to protect his own land, or to help the marshal rid the town of desperadoes. Inevitably this also gave Lucas an opportunity to teach young Mark the differences between right and wrong.
The quality of picture and sound on all these tapes is superb. The selected shows are ranged from the very first episode (from 1958, when Mark was 12 - and defenceless against baddies) through to the Fifth Season in 1962 (when Mark was a teenager looking to fight his own battles). My own favourites are the early shows, which were written and directed by a young Sam Peckinpah. However, the standards are consistently high throughout. I personally bought Volume One first - then Volume Two - and finally Volumes Three and Four. Looking back, I could have saved some cash by buying the box set in the first place - and that is my recommendation to you. Here are the details: . . . .
Volume One (from Season One) Sharpshooter (the first episode, with Dennis Hopper & Leif Erickson) - Home Ranch (with Harold J Stone) - End of a Young Gun (with Michael Landon) - The Marshal (with Paul Fix & Warren Oates) - Duel of Honor (with Cesare Danova & Jack Elam)
Volume Two (from Seasons One & Two) The Angry Gun (with Vic Morrow) - The Sheridan Story (with Lawrence Dobkin & Royal Dano) - The Money Gun (with John Dehner) - The Mind Reader (with John Carradine & Michael Landon) - Bloodlines (with Buddy Hackett, Warren Oates & Denver Pyle)
Volume Three (from Seasons Two & Four) Day of the Hunter - The Vaqueros (with Martin Landau) - Knight Errant (with Lawrence Dobkin) - The Long Goodbye (with Edgar Buchanan) - High Country (with James Coburn & Ellen Corby)
Volume Four (from Seasons Four & Five) Man from Salinas (with Robert Culp) - Two Ounces of Tin (with Sammy Davis Jr.) - The Deadly Image - Waste: Parts I & II.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
