North Fork was holding their annual sharpshooter contest.  Each man was allowed five rapid shots at the target.   The prize being a twelve gauge shotgun.  That shotgun caught Mark's eye.  He sure would like to have it.  He thought it would be fine for huntin' and such, so he said.  I told him I didn't have any need for it, but  I'd try and win it for him.  But if I did win it, he couldn't have it until he was old enough to use it. I saw Micah standing there watching.  I went over to him.  I told him I thought I'd give it a try.  "Lucasboy, looks like your gonna have a run for your money. There's been quite a few good shots come in from out of town to win this shoot." he said.  "Mark's kinda got an eye on that shotgun, so I guess that kinda puts me on the spot. 

There was some good competition in this shoot.  It was down to three of us.  The target was moved back five paces.  The first guy got four in - one out.  The second guy,  Black Hat Murphy did good he got five all in.  Now it was my turn.  "Five all in - no wider then a nickel! Dead center!"  I won the rifle.  Mark was excited.

Mark and I decided we'd eat at the hotel before we head for home.  Mark had just finished and asked if he could go outside.  He wanted to take his rifle along and show it to some of his friends.  I told him he could but not to stray off.  I was still eating when a man came over to me.  He told me his name was Jack Scully and invited himself to set with me.  He had heard of a man in these part with a reputation with a rifle.  He asked me if I was that man.  I told him if I had a reputation it wasn't because I went  looking for it.  I told him I take no pleasure in gun fighting.  I told him I can't tolerate a man who does, especially the kind who likes to watch it.  "Sometimes a man can't avoid a fight.....if he's a man." Said Scully.  "Good day Mr. McCain."  There was something about him I just didn't like.  He seemed smug. 

Mark was out in front of Micah's office pretend shooting his rifle.  When a man approached him.  He was admiring Mark's shotgun.  He told Mark he saw the contest.  He thought that was some mighty fine shooting.  He told Mark there was some a mite better.  Mark started boasting about his Pa being the best shot ever.  He never saw any better.  He asked Mark if he could hold it.  "I had a rifle once.  My Pa taught me good. Ain't no man say anything against me unlessen he comes up against my gun," said Reuben.  Just then I walked over to Mark.  He introduced me to Reuben.  He seemed nice enough, a little slow, but nice.  I told Mark we better get started loading the wagon.  Reuben seemed to be a friendly guy.  He asked me if I had work to be done.  I told him we we're going to pick up some supplies at the General Store.  "I can lift three hundred pounds, picked up a horse once. Want me to show you?" Asked Reuben.  I stopped him before he did pick up a horse.  He wanted to help.

In the mean time Scully is over at the saloon drumming up bets.  He makes his spending money by tricking Rueben into getting into gunfights and then betting on Rueben to win. 

Reuben helped load our wagon.  He handles a 100lb sack of potatoes like it was nothing.  Mark thought he was the strongest man he ever saw.  I told Mark I was going over to the harness maker and asked him to tell Millie we'd be back in on Friday. 

"What do you mean talking to McCain," said Scully.  "Well I'd say he's a pretty nice feller, and his boy there too," said Reuben.  He told Reuben I'd be saying things behind his back.  Reuben told him how friendly we were.  He told Reuben that was because I was afraid of him.  Reuben found it hard to believe.  But Scully convinced him it was true.  He told Reuben I didn't want them in town.  He told him I called him a dirty half breed.  He then gave him his gun and told him he should start wearing it.  He sure knew how to play Reuben. 

I picked up my harness and went back to my wagon.  Reuben was still there.  I thanked him for his help.  He told me I would be needin'' my rifle.  I asked him what was troubling him.  He said I was talkin' behind his back.  I had no idea what he was talkin' about.  I asked him to explain.  He yelled, "Own up McCain!"   Everybody started to gather around.  Something was up.  He then took off his gun.  I went to get onto the wagon.  He grabbed me and hit me.  That was it.  We just kept hitting each other.  Micah came running out.  Shot into the air and broke up the fight.  Micah asked me what this was all about.  I told him I had no idea.  I went down to Micah's office to clean up. 

Reuben was heading towards the saloon when he heard the cowboys making fun of him.  They were purposely edging him on,  They wanted to see how good he really was.  He gave them several demonstrations.  He was better then they thought.  Scully then walked in and told Reuben to go up to their room.  Some of the men wanted to withdraw their bet but Scully wouldn't let them.  They were standing there arguing when Micah walked in and told Scully he wanted to talk to him. "What's on your mind Marshal?"  "Get out of town and take that boy with you."  He told Micah he knew his rights, he hasn't done anything wrong.  "You've been trying to engineer a fight between Reuben and Lucas McCain. You've been taking bets on it."  He told Micah he hadn't done anything against the law, that Micah couldn't do anything.  "Maybe not now, but if that boy gets into another fight I'll call him a menace to society and throw him in jail. That goes for you to Scully. I mean what I say!"

Scully went back into the saloon.  He told them the bets were off.  He called Reuben a  big dumb farmer and he wished he had bet on McCain.  "Just a minute Scully, your not saying you'd bet against your boy, are you Scully?" Asked Black Hat Murphy.  Scully told them Reuben wasn't his boy anymore, they could have him.  They were playing right into his hand.  "Alright then, how about you givin' us Reuben and backin' McCain yourself?"  Asked Black Hat Murphy.  He pretended to think about it.  "Alright, it'll be a pleasure," said Scully.  His plan worked.

Scully went to their room.  Reuben was sleeping.  He took Reuben's gun and lodged a piece of wood in the trigger. He then slammed the door making Reuben think he just came in.  He told Reuben that I had been saying things again.  He told him I wanted them out of town and now I turned the Marshal on them.  Reuben felt it was him they didn't want, he was willing to leave. He was tired of all of this.  He felt Scully was the only friend he had in the whole wide word.  If it wouldn't had been for Scully he didn't know what he would had done.  "McCain has got to die," said Scully.  He started again telling him a bunch of lies, trying to get him all riled up. He just kept at him and at him.  Reuben put his gun on.  He went to check his gun.  Scully told him he already checked his gun. 

We were just heading for home when Reuben came running out of the hotel.  "McCain, McCain. You ain't gonna run out on me. You've been talkin' about me again McCain!"  "Scully, you better call off your boy!"  He told me it was between Reuben and me, he wanted to be left out of it.  Micah said he wanted no gun fighting in town.  Reuben threatened Micah.  I told Reuben that his friend Scully had been making bets on gun fight.  He told me Jack was his friend, he trusted him.  Micah came up to me and told me that Scully changed his bet awhile ago.  He had pull all his money on me.  "Alright Reuben. I'm gonna check my rifle first. I'd advise you to do the same thing."  "Jack's already checked my gun."  "Jack already checked."  I said.  "Alright Reuben, you got your gun fight."  "Make your play McCain."  I acted like I was making a play.  He drew and tried to shoot.  His trigger was jammed.  Reuben took the piece of wood out of the trigger. "You see Reuben, I couldn't loose. Your friend Scully was betting on me.  He turned to Scully.  "You said you already checked it!"  "Now Reuben, you know I wouldn't do anything like that," said Scully.  "There all lying to you. Reuben, trust me. Please trust me."  He then turned his back towards Reuben and pulled out his gun to shoot Reuben.  Reuben was faster.  He killed Scully.  "He never really liked me, he just used me."  "I'm sorry Mr. McCain." 

I went to get into the wagon.  Mark handed me his shotgun.  "Here Pa, you keep it."  "Why?" I asked.  "You told me I couldn't use it until I was old enough. I didn't understand before but now I do."  "Alright Mark, I'll keep it, until you think your ready for it."   "I guess it's good sense, not age that makes the difference," said Mark.  "Well, your getting smarter all the time."  "Let's go home."            

piddlin' stuff.....Denny Miller played Reuben Miles.  He's the big guy who could lift a horse. 
He also appeared with Chuck in the episode - 'Nightwatch,' in the TV series "Werewolf."
He played Tarzan in the TV series "Tarzan the Ape Man."  He became the first blonde Tarzan.
He played Mike McCluskey in the TV series "Mona McCluskey," starring Juliet Prowse.  Gee whiz, anybody remember this?
 "Hardcastle & McCormick" as Blake in 'McCormick's Bar and Grill.'  "Hunt 'em, hear 'em and hang 'em. That's the code of the west," says old Hardcastle.
I would say we remember him best as Duke Shannon on Wagon Train.  (1961-64)
What a hunk!!!!!
Since the 1990s until early 2005, actor Denny Miller had portrayed the Gorton's Fisherman in a series of print and TV advertisement. The Fisherman always wears a traditional yellow rain slicker complete with hat and galoshes. Gorton's actually changed the Fisherman's appearance on their product logo to resemble Denny Miller (as mentioned in his 2004 autobiography 'Didn't You Used To Be What's His Name?').
Please check out Denny Miller's website
I got to meet Denny and his wife Nancy when I went to "The Festival of the West."  They were both super and made you feel like you fit right in!

 Dabbs Greer played Jack Scully in this episode. Dabbs is one of your most well known character actors. He has been in the business for over five decades.  He has appeared in "The Rifleman" eight times. 'The Stand-In' as Taylor, one of the prison guards - 'The Wyoming Story' (1&2) as Finny - 'The Promoter' as Jack Scully - 'The Jailbird'  as Farley Steel - 'Panic' as Brett - 'Boomerang' as Sam Elder - 'Outlaw's Inheritance' as Marcus Trimble.  I think out of all of them I liked him best in 'The Wyoming Story.'
He had many recurring appearances - "Perry Mason" - "Gunsmoke" as Mr. Jonas the storekeeper - "Picket Fences" as Reverend Henry Novotny - "Little House on the Prairie" as Reverend Alden - "Untouchables."  I especially like him in "The Green Mile."  He is remembered for being in those oldie but goodie 1950's sci-fi movies like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" - "It ! The Terror from Beyond Space" - "The Giant Claw" and "The Vampire".  I tip my cowgirl hat to you for a job well done!

Robert F. Hoy appeared in two episodes of "The Rifleman."   'Woman from Hog Ridge' as Lester Boyle and 'The Promoter' as Dabbs.  He also appeared with Chuck in "Branded" in the episodes 'The Vindicator' & 'Seward's Folly.'
He was a regular on "The High Chaparral" as Joe Butler. He played in "The Untouchables."  He did a lot of stunt work.  He doubled for Charles Bronson, Audie Murphy, Tony Curtis, Tyrone Power, and Robert Vaughn.  This man has credit forever long!  Great work cowboy!

Jack Lester played Black Hat Murphy.  He's the man who Lucas beat in the sharpshooter contest.
Appeared as Sky King on ABC Radio's "Sky King" (1948-1950).

Ollie O'Toole as John Crabtree.
He has been on "Gunsmoke" quite a bit.  Mostly as a telegrapher, but not always.

piddlin stuff from Denny Miller's book.....When I was working on "The Rifleman," I had a scene to do with Chuck in the dirt street outside the town's General Store.  I was playing the part of a cowboy known for his strength.  Lucas and Mark were loading supplies from onto their wagon.  Sacks of potatoes and flour, beef jerky — I asked if I could help, bragging that I was really strong.
In fact, I said going over to Chuck's horse and crouching down and putting my arms under the horse's belly, "I can lift your horse. Wanna see me do it?"  Chuck says, "That won't be necessary!"  They finished loading, got on the wagon, a slap of the reins and they rode off.  A couple of more rehearsals and we're all ready to shoot the scene. 
"Action!"  We started the scene.  It is going well.  We get to the part where I say, "I can lift your horse. Wanna see me do it?" 
Chuck folds his arms and say, "Yep, I'd like to see you do that!"  Leaving me holding his nag.  He roared — Chuck, not the horse, ran in a circle and off the set where two of his baseball teammates were cracking up.  Mr. Connors was having fun,  He loved working, but there was always time for a relaxing chuckle.
Forty years later we worked together on a TV show called "Werewolf."  He was playing the "Werewolf" and I was a German fisherman.  We worked nights in a thick fog down by San Pedro Harbor.  His back hurt from years of doing fight scenes and he sat down between takes to rest his knees.  I hate it when my film heroes get old.  But Chuck still had the gift of laughter.  You could hear it through the fog.
To get pictures of Denny or to purchase his book, please click here.....Denny Miller
I'm sure most of us are familiar with from the outtakes from
 "The Rifleman" — Volume 2

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updated 10/5/08