The Rifleman
"Welcome to the McCain Ranch"
'Long Goodbye'
Episode 119
Mark and I rode over to Grandpa Fogarty's. His place sure could use some fixin' up. There was stuff lying around and the steps to the porch were bad. As we entered the house, Woody was reading to his Grandpa. We were surprised to find a pig in the kitchen. I wanted to see if he had finished braiding my riata. 
I knew that braiding riata was an art. He hadn't finished it yet. I told him I wasn't in any hurry for it. I told him that Mark and I were going into town for supplies and was wondering if we could pick up anything for him. He said not. He liked getting his own supplies. We told him we'd see him later.
We had gone into town. Grandpa Fogarty and Woody were already at Millie's. Grandpa wanted a pair of britches for Woody. Millie was showing them to him when we walked in. "When do you start school?" Asked Millie. "Oh I'm not going to school, Miss Millie. I keep pretty busy out at the place," said Woody. "Ahhh a new pair of trousers for school, huh Woody?" "Mr. McCain! I mind my own business, I expect my neighbors to do the same," said Grandpa. "Simmer down Mr. Fogarty, school is everybody's business." He asked Millie how much for the pants. She told him 75¢ and asked him if he would like her to put it on account. He was offended. "You don't derail me of no charge account. If I can't afford it I won't buy it! I mind my own business, go as I please, I expect my neighbors to do the same." He took Woody, the britches and left. "That old bronco's four square and hard as bedrock," I said to Millie.
Mrs. Dalrymple, North Forks leading busybody, was in the store absorbing all of this. When Grandpa left, she walked over to us, shaking her head. "That poor little fellow never knew a mother's hand to tuck him in at night, saying his prayers." She patted Marks shoulder. "I hope you know how fortunate you are Mark to have a proper education." "Yes ma'am, said Mark." "Poor little Woody, completely ignorant of the finer things in life," said Mrs. Dalrymple. "But he sure can read," said Mark. "Why you should have heard him read to his pig in the kitchen this morning!" "His pig! In the kitchen?" Asked Mrs. Dalrymple. "Yes ma'am, she's smart, that pig," said Mark. "A pig in the house?" 
Asked Mrs. Dalrymple. "Yeah," said Mark. I had to hide my grin. Mark was so serious. He didn't realize what he was telling Mrs. Dalrymple until after he saw how surprised she was. "Woody's real smart for his age tho," said Mark. "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree," said Mrs. Dalrymple. That was enough for Mark. He excused himself and went to pick up the mail.
Mrs. Dalrymple approached me. She said she had to talk to me as a responsible member of this community. She was upset. She felt Woody was being raised in a pig sty. I tried to reassure her that Woody was a fine boy. She said he was filthy and she felt he didn't eat right. Millie reminded me that he had been missing school. I reminded them that Grandpa and Woody had just got here and they haven't had much time to get settled in yet. "Lucas, you're head of the town counsel," said Millie. I couldn't get a word in between Millie and Mrs. Dalrymple. Just then Micah was going by. He saw the ladies had me corned and decided to keep going. Mrs. Dalrymple saw Micah and called to him. She told him something had to be done about that poor Fogarty youngster. Micah described Woody as a typical boy, "dirty, hungry and curious." Mrs. Dalrymple wanted him to put Woody in a foster home. Micah responded to her by saying, "Grandpa wants to be left alone. I know!!" Said Micah. Millie and Mrs. Dalrymple persuaded me to butt in. "What if it was Mark? Wouldn't you want him taken care of? Asked the ladies." Micah and I agreed to go out and talk to Grandpa.
I told Grandpa that we came out to talk to him about Woody. I told him about the concerns of the ladies in town. I mentioned about placing him in a home, just until he got settled in. He wouldn't give up Woody. He got upset. He didn't want to hear anymore. He started to go inside, but before he did he turned to me and said, "Lucas McCain I always trusted you as a friend!" "I'd be a poor friend if I didn't speak my true thoughts, Grandpa." "Well now Mr. Fuss and Feathers, you just listen to me! That boys not living on charity and their ain't nobody gonna make
a grub line coyote out of him!" He said just kept going on and on. He made it clear that nobody was takin' his grandson from him.
Grandpa and Woody were outside making a flume to bring water from the springs to their house. Just then Grandpa heard someone call to him from the house. He went to check it out. It was an old friend of Grandpa's. He was an escaped convict, Debo. He came looking for Grandpa. He thought Grandpa was hiding the money from a train robbery they had pulled together about five years ago. Grandpa told he him never had that money. He told Debo the money burned up in the wreck when Debo dynamited the train. He never knew anything about any money then or since. Debo wanted to know why Grandpa was hiding out there. Grandpa told him he was tired of everybody nagging him about the money shipment. He told Debo that nobody bothers them there. Debo wanted to know what he meant by that. Grandpa realized what he had said. He didn't want him to know about Woody. So he told him he meant him and his pig. Debo grabbed him by the throat. He wanted the money. Grandpa told him it was in the North Fork Bank and it wouldn't be open anymore until morning. Debo had hurt his hand during his escape. He had Grandpa look at it. Grandpa had to get Woody out of there so he told Debo he had to go get some water for his hand.
When he got outside, Woody was on stilts he had made. Grandpa acted like he was upset with him. He told him he was useless, no good. Woody apologized. Grandpa told him it was too late to be sorry and he pushed him away. He told Woody they had to go their own ways. Woody was practically in tears. He told Grandpa he had no place to go. He told him to go to the McCain's, the Marshal's or any of the do gooders in town. Woody pleaded with him but Grandpa told him to git. "Please don't talk like that Grandpa, I love you!" Grandpa again told him to leave, that he was sick and tired of him weighing him down. Woody ran off. "Alright.....I'll find me a place, a place where a cranky old man 
won't be yelling at me all the time!" Both of them in tears and their hearts aching.
Mark's stirrups on his saddle were too short. I told him I needed to make him new ones. Mark said he liked the old ones. We got to talking about Woody. I told Mark that Woody might be living in town for a while. At least until Grandpa got their place fixed up. I told him they would still be able to see each other. "But Pa, they got it better then you think! They get along real well, laughing, and working together. And they figured out plans for fixin' up their place." I tried to make Mark understand. What if something happens or a gun goes off, or a fire breaks out? What if Woody got hurt? Grandpa can't see real well. "But Pa there are other things just as important. Woody's got a Grandpa and they stick up for each other. The two of them together. Like.....you and me!" Boy that hit home. It made me think. "And Pa, you wouldn't let anyone separate us if things weren't going right, would you?" "No Mark, I wouldn't." I told Mark I'd see what I could do so Woody could stay with Grandpa. He thought that was great!
"Mr. McCain! Oh Mr. McCain! Mr. McCain!" It was Woody. He was upset and crying. He told us his Grandpa said he was no good to him. 
Woody had made a pair of stilts and his Grandpa got upset with him and told him to get out and find another place. That didn't sound like his Grandpa. Woody thought maybe the heat was affecting him or maybe the man that was at their place. He started to cry. "I ain't really crying Mr. McCain. I just don't know what I'm gonna do!" I told him I knew he wasn't crying, he was here with us and nothing to cry about. It was gettin' late. I asked Mark to make him some scrambled eggs. He was glad to, with strawberry jelly on 'em. I told Woody I had an errand to do and he should stay with Mark.
Something just didn't feel right here. So I thought I'd go over to the Fogarty Ranch and see what was going on. When I got to the ranch I approached slowly. I could hear voices coming from inside of the house. It was Debo and Grandpa. I slowly got on the porch. Debo was getting ready to head into town with Grandpa to go to the bank. The pig was there on the porch. I worked it quietly to the door then went around to the back. The pig pushed the door open. Debo grabbed Grandpa and held a gun to him. He didn't know what to expect. He laughed when he saw the pig. Debo shoved Grandpa and they started for the door. I then entered the room. "Alright, hold it! Grandpa, are you hurt?" He wasn't hurt, he was only interested in finding Woody. I told him not to worry, he was in good hands. Debo was trying to distract me. He told me he was harmless and that I scared him. He said he and Fogerty had been old time partners. All the while he slowly moves his hand and goes for his gun. He then upsets the table and lamp. Everything went dark. He shot at us and I shot him. Grandpa
lit another lamp. He was dead. I asked him who he was. Grandpa told me to take him to Woody and he'd tell me all about it.
Grandpa and Woody had finished the flume. They did a really good job on it. Micah was even impressed. Mark and Woody had built some stilts. They were having a good time. Mark asked me if I wanted a go at it. "No thanks Son, but take one big step for me." He did just that, he fell flat on his face into the pig's wallow. We all stood there laughing at him.
piddlin' stuff.....Edgar Buchanan as Grandpa Fogerty. Edgar Buchanan played Doc Burrage, in 5 episodes of "The Rifleman" ~ 'The Angry Man' - 'The Second Witness' - 'The Deadly Wait' - 'The Trade' - 'The Pet.'
He went on to play Uncle Joe in the series "Petticoat Junction". 
How many of you remember him as "Judge Roy Bean"? He also appeared in "Shane." He had a role as Judge Bryson in "Move over Darling" with Chuck. He has entertained us for years and years.
How many actors played Doc Burrage? How many actors played Nils or was it Niles or Nels? Was it Swenson or was it Svenson? See my Blacksmith page.
Teddy Rooney as Woody. Son of Mickey Rooney.
He had a guest role in "Lassie" ~ "The Rebel" ~ "McHale's Navy" ~ "Wagon Train" to name a few. He hasn't really done too much. I can't find anything on him since 1963.
Virginia Christine appeared as Mrs. Dalrymple in this episode 'The Long Goodbye'. She is the town busy-body who sticks her nose in Grandpa Fogerty affairs. She also played in another episode, 'The Spiked Rifle' as Mrs. Hardy. She's the lady that was on the stage and told Lucas to give the man the money, give him whatever he wants!
She played Mrs. Olsen in the Folgers Coffee commercials during the 1970's. She appeared in "The Untouchables" several times. "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" and "High Noon."
She appeared with Chuck in "Good Morning Miss Dove."
William "Bill" Zuckert as Debo Lee. He was the bad dude who claimed he and Grandpa were partners in a train robbery. He came after Grandpa thinkin' he had the money from the robbery.
Bill has appeared in just about everything imaginable. From "Hang 'em High" ~ "How the West was Won" ~ "Little House on the Prairie" ~ He had appeared in "Captain Nice" ~ "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" and "Mr. Novak"
Bill played Quint Asper's father in "Gunsmoke"—'Quint Asper Comes Home'.
*riata is a lasso: a long noosed rope used to catch animals
How about Mark on those stilts? Looks like he did his own stunt.....whatcha' think?
'The Long Goodbye'—as the grandson runs around the corner of the McCain house you can see his SHADOW against the "hills" in the background. Also, as Lucas leaves to go to the boy's grandfather, you can see the shadow of a boom mike against the McCain house. Thanks Rob!
'The Long Goodbye' episode #119—What does this episode/The Rifleman/and Yancy Derringer have in common?
Thanks Kevin Gallagher & John Gilbert for this great question and piece of information.
*If anybody has any information on any of the stars, and would like to share it, please get in touch with 
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updated 1/18/07