Attention!
Have you been ripped off?
Victims of consumer Rip-off want justice!
309,303 have been reported as of March 7, 2008
Go to ripoff.com to file a report. Thanks Steve for this info!
Buyer Beware!
Are you thinking of buying "The Rifleman" DVD's.....?"
EBAY WARNING! |
The Rifleman is copyrighted by the respective
producers (LGL Productions) and The McCain Ranch is here for entertainment purposes only.
I STRONGLY hope that you will support the producers & family members and purchase the "Original DVD's."
Please do NOT help others to make money off of this great show!
I'm sure by now most of you are aware that "The Rifleman" DVD's are limited and are currently OOP!
(But we fans hope not for long!)
Please be careful and make sure you are buying the originals by MPI.
(Not all of the original episodes are available at this time, no matter what anyone says)
If for some reason you aren't sure what you are purchasing, please feel free to e-mail me.....I would be more than glad to help if I can. 
List of original DVD's released to date & also the 48 episodes which have not been released to date.
*There are a few others that are legal beside MPI, but they haven't published as many episodes or Boxsets as MPI......Look for the product details.....Studio: MPI Home Video — Studio: Alpha Video & Studio: Treasure Box Collection
I have been getting a lot of e-mail from fans wanting to buy all 168 episodes of The Rifleman. I have been telling everyone all 168 are not "legally" available on DVD to date. Some people were sure they were buying the real thing even after what I have told them. So I wrote to Arnold Laven (One of the producers of The Rifleman) and asked him what I had stated above was correct.....here is his reply.....
Update as of 11/28/07—
.....Anyone looking for The Rifleman DVD's.
Buyer Beware! All 168 episodes of The Rifleman have never been legally released. MPI was contracted to release The Rifleman episodes a few years ago. But this past year LGL Productions ( Levy, Gardner & Laven) did not renew their contract with MPI. Which leaves 120 episode "legally" released by MPI on DVD. The producers are looking into other options and are not telling right now what they are. There are 48 episodes that have not yet to date been released. I do have a copy of that list if anybody would like it.
Just e-mail
As far as the DVD's go with the exception of 'The Day of the Hunter' - 'Mail Order Groom' & 'Outlaw's Inheritance' have been released on DVD. Those three were contract special for sale & also included in varies western Boxsets. You may find some VHS's out there from before. I doubt you will find any now, but you never know. They are from MPI - Venture and a few more but can't think of the names at this time. But would know the cover to see them.
I don't know about you, but I hate bad copies of any show/movies!
FYI - The Rifleman is now being aired on The Western Channel.
We here at The McCain Ranch are hoping for a 50th anniversary Boxset plus extras. Don't know if that will happen, but keep your fingers crossed. Crossing your eyes & toes won't hurt a bit either. ; )
If you have a link to a page with the Rifleman DVD's for sale and not sure what to buy.....I would be glad to take a look at it for you or help you any way I can. Just send me the link. Please feel free to ask, I am more then willing to help you!
*FYI-for all of you who do not know the copyright laws—Current copyright laws vary from country to country, and while many countries allow private copying for personal use, some may not. However, no country allows you to make copies of copyrighted material for sale or distribution
(even free distribution to friends—No exceptions!).
Please respect all laws and regulations of the country that you live in.
So please don't ask! 9/7/06
Do you have a horror story to tell about trying to purchase
"The Rifleman" DVD's?
*Something's to watch for when purchasing "The Rifleman" DVD's from Rifleman fans just like you that has had problems in the past.....
Margie: I then forwarded Rob's e-mail to Arnold.....
Margie to Rob.....I have forwarded your e-mail to Steve Gardner...I am not on top of the particulars, but I am ninety nine percent sure that none of the episodes of the Rifleman are in public domain...that LGL is very careful to renew all copyrights before they expire and therefore the DVDs posted on E-bay as well as any other DVDs on the market, that are not distributed by a company authorized by LGL, are illegal...Steve is currently addressing the problem of "pirated" DVDs.... many thanks for the information contained in your e-mail...
We're doing the best we can here...trust all is well with you...Arnold
Steven Gardner to Arnold: Please tell Margie “Thank you”. I have notified E-Bay.
Steven H. Gardner
Professional Law Corporation
9595 Wilshire Blvd. #610
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Tel: (310) 246-2300
Fax: (310) 246-2328
www.sgardnerlaw.com
Again I was notified by the same person with more links of phony sellers. All those links have been forwarded to Steven Gardner.
Who owns the rights?
Hi,
Being an avid “Rifleman” fan, my wife bought we a DVD boxset of the complete TV series. When I received same, it was obvious that it was a pirated version. Can you tell me who owns the rights to the TV series, so that they can be alerted that the series is being pirated?—Greg
Hi Greg,
All 168 episodes as of to date are not available on DVD, legally - only 120 episodes are available at this time and that was by MPI. The producers have chose not to re-new their contract at this time for the other 48 episodes, but are looking into other options. Again just to make myself clear.....There are 48 episodes not yet published, legally. The originals are really hard to get right now, they are most likely sold out (MPI).
Levy, Gardner & Laven - own the rights to The Rifleman.
I have been told that they are aware of this, but I'm not sure, I only know what a friend of mine had said.
Here is the link I found on the web with their info LGL Productions
Sorry Greg for your misfortune, I have warned everyone that enters The McCain Ranch about these pirated version, time and time again in my newsletter and messageboard. If you have further question, please feel free to e-mail me.
If you do get in touch with the producers, I'd be interested in what they have to say.
FYI - The Western Channel is now airing The Rifleman.
Catch ya' later!
Margie
Hi,
Dear Margie,
I very much appreciate your prompt and gracious reply to my earlier email. In the “for what it’s worth department,” in the end the only true misfortune I’ve suffered is not having the full DVD collection. I contacted my credit card company and contested the charge on the basis of fraud. The charge was credited back to my account after filling out a form and mailing it back to the credit card company. The outfit that sold me the DVDs (TVBOXSET.COM) contacted me and asked me to return the product. I informed them (and the credit card company) that I certainly would…but only to the rightful owner. Two weeks ago, and after the matter had been fully adjudicated with the credit card company, I sent the DVDs to the address listed on the website that you furnished me. Thanks.
I’ll let you know if I hear anything back from the production company.—Greg
Here is what Greg wrote to LGL on July 19, 2007:
Levy-Gardner-Laven Productions
9595 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90212
Dear Sirs:
I am an avid fan of “The Rifleman” television series. This Father’s Day, my wife decided to get me a box set of the complete series, which she did at TVBOXSET.COM. At first I was delighted. However, shortly after having opened the set and after watching some of the DVD content, it became painfully obvious that the product was “pirated.”
I immediately contacted the company that sold my wife the DVDs and pointedly suggested that the material appeared to be pirated, and asked them for a response. In their replies and during the course of our email communications they conveniently danced around my direct inquiries. They finally offered to refund my money and sent me instructions on how and where to return the product.
After conducting some research on the internet, I found several web pages that referred to this company and their apparent fraudulent and improper reproduction of licensed material. At that point, I emailed them and told them that I would return the product…not to them, but to its rightful owner. I think that owner is you.
Fortunately, my wife paid TVBOXSET.COM with a credit card. I contacted my credit card company and disputed the charge to my card on the basis of fraud. I advised the credit card company of my intended course of action and they credited my card for the $160 that was spent.
In any event, enclosed herein, and as sad as the reproduction quality is, kindly find your property. I don’t know if you will want to pursue legal action against TVBOXSET.COM, but if you do, I’d be glad to furnish any information that I might have in furtherance of that endeavor.
From what I’ve learned on the internet, on one of “The Rifleman” fan sites, the whole series has not been released, and the episodes that had been previously been released, are in short supply. Hopefully you guys will release the series again, at some point in the future. At that time, I’ll be happy to buy the “real deal.”
Sincerely, Greg
June 11, 2007
Capital One
P.O. Box 30279
Salt Lake City, UT 84130
SUBJECT: Disputed charge on xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx by WWW.SXR.CA
To whom it may concern:
Capital One account number: xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
Merchant Information: WWW.SXR.CA, aka TVboxset.com, 05/12/2007, $159.98
Reason for returned merchandise or cancelled service: I ordered a DVD box set of the TV series, “The Rifleman.” When it was received, I noticed that the quality of the videos was inferior. In most instances, it appeared to have been recorded on a VCR and transferred to DVD. After viewing several of the episodes, it became clear the product was a pirated reproduction. I conducted further investigation on the internet which revealed that the entire series of “The Rifleman” was not licensed for DVD and/or VCR reproduction, further; a google search revealed there appear to have been other instances of this company pirating other video properties.
Date of cancelled service: I emailed the company (TVboxset.com) and advised them that I wanted a refund on June 1, 2007.
Date of returned merchandise: I have not returned the product. In as much as the product is pirated, it does not belong to www.sxr.ca. It is my intention, that once I receive a credit to my account for the fraudulent sale, to forward the product to the copyright holder, Levy, Gardner, Laven Productions, in Los Angeles, CA. This property belongs to them.
Describe attempts to return merchandise: As mentioned above, I emailed the TVboxset.com to advise that I wanted my money back. When they replied on 6/4/2007, they said that they were going to issue a credit to my account within 3 to 5 days. Along with that email, they advised me to mail the product back to them. (See attached email from them). As noted above, I intend to send the product to the rightful owner, once this matter has been satisfactorily resolved.
Describe merchant’s return/refund policy: 30 Day Unconditional 100% guarantee.
Did I return the merchandise according to the merchant’s policy: Absolutely not. TVboxset.com is a fraudulent operator, and a thief. They have improperly reproduced video property that does not belong to them. As stated above, once this issue is resolved, I will be sending this DVD set to the rightful owner, the production company.
Describe efforts to resolve the dispute with the merchant: There is no negotiating with individuals who are thieves.
Describe the merchant’s response to my request to receive a credit for the disputed merchandise: As noted above (see attached email from TVboxset.com), they said they would issue a credit to my account within 3 to 5 business days. They have yet to do so.
Sincerely
Gregory XXXXXXXX