General Category > Action Movies, TV and Books

The Rifleman

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E-Z:
Hmm, I have never read anything weird about Chuck Connors myself; I must have gotten only the glowing reports.  Folks like actor Jack Elam really seemed to think a lot of him, and Johnny Crawford only says glowing things about Chuck now.  Odd they'd make them glowing after he passed away.  Usually, it's the other way around.  I will say Chuck made a creepy werewolf in that last series he did, and a mean old bad guy in "The Yellow Rose" primetime soap/Dallas-sytle series clone with Sam Elliott in the 80s.  But I just put that down to his being a good actor.  He was the first or one of the first basketball players to smash the glass backboard with a basketball and a pro baseball player, too.

I do think Jack Lord was a little weird, but what a unique individual.  A bit of a recluse, an art afficiondo, and a former Merchant Marine, and apparently a hard-nosed tyrant on the set, which he could be since he pretty much ran the show after the first few seasons, and owned a lot of it.  I saw him once when I was stationed in Hawaii in 1977; he was walking on a North Shore beach.  With his hair undyed between seasons (it was white or gray-white as I recall) unshaven and wearing a "Hawaiian Punch" kind of straw hat on, you'd have thought he was a beach bum until you got a good look at him.  He didn't suffer fools gladly, but I enjoyed the Five-O show immensely.  Did you know they offered Jack the role of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek" and he turned it down when he couldn't own half the show?  (Shatner was third choice--Llyod Bridges was the second). 

I was sad to hear Jack developed Alzheimer's before he died and had no idea who he was at the end.  He and his wife left a huge amount of money to local Hawaiian charities, however.  Whatever else his faults, Jack Lord gave back to Hawaii.

I had no idea that Richard Boone was Hawaiian, however.  I liked Boone in many roles, including Paladin on "Have Gun Will Travel" and his sidekick character to Chuck Heston's lead role in the movie "The Warlord," but I'm sure glad he turned Five-O down!  I could barely stand to watch him on Heck Ramsey.

You know, Hock, I actually had one of those toy Rifleman rifles as a kid.  It must have been 1960, when I was 4.  I can remember the plastic butt stock broke off of it, but I still wouldn't throw it away.  My mom finally got rid of it when I wasn't looking.  It was pretty well trashed by then.

I still want one, but now I want a real one.  Not quite sure I want to pay two grand for it, but a guy in North Carolina makes some pretty nice "real" replicas at his house, pretty much made to the same specs the Stembridge Gun Company used when they made the ones for the show:

http://riflemansrifle.com/own_riflemans_rifle.htm

On the other hand, I've paid more than that for a guitar before, so maybe it would be worth it.  Certainly a piece of my childhood memories.  I'll have to consider it.  I mean, after all, it is the lever action I really want, so why not?

I kind of want a starship too, but I can't find anyone to build the Enterprise for me.  That would cost a lot more, and where would you keep it?  I can picture Rawhide working in Security and wearing a red shirt.   

I fear they'll mess the new Rifleman show up somehow.  Not real confident they won't.  But who knows?  Maybe we'll luck out once in a while.

But I think it is going to be extremely hard to replace Chuck Connors.

Hock:
Richard Boone...one of my favorite actors, went to hell after Paladin. A news reporter said he would drink a vast amount of booze very day and by the time Heck Ramsey came along he was a complete, overweight sot and looked horrible. Ate a hole in his stomach. But he retired to Hawaii and loved it there. It seems only a few folks like John Wayne could coerce him to the mainland for parts. BUt when Hawaii 5-0 started, Boone was not that bad. (Trivia, in the pilot  episode of Paladin, our hero had to bring in a ruthless killer...played by...Jack Lord.)

I loved the old Hawaii 5-0. Watched it faithfully (that and Kojack - which "wore away" as time passed). Remember when Jack Lord was the first Felix Leither in DR No!

The comments by Johnny Crawford were at a time when the public caught wind of Conners weirdness (maybe when he died? I can't remember) but the newsman doing the interview asked Crawford point-blank about it and Crawford acknowledged the overall stories. But, it isn't important and I could see how the stories just passed away. And now, no one really cares. He is just a popular TV legend.  For you young-ens and international types out there - here's a fun film clip. Hey, this was big stuff in the 1950s!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xXBAoxHYpM&feature=related

Hock

Hock:
Hal Needem worked on these shows and with these guys a stuntman.
Look here
http://www.hockscqc.com/bookclub/hockshowlingcommando.htm
and scroll down to see his book...

Hock

Professor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xXBAoxHYpM&feature=related

The rifleman doing some shooting....

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