The Rifleman
"Welcome to the McCain Ranch"
 Archie Butler—Stuntman—Stunt coordinator—Actor

September 27, 1911 — February 4, 1977 in Overton, Nevada, USA

Archie has been in more episodes then anybody with the exception of the regular cast and he probably was in more episode then some of them. 
Remember him in 'The Sharpshooter?'  Remember when Lucas shot the bottle and it shattered into pieces?  Archie was the Cowboy who slide the bottle to Lucas.

Here are some pictures from the episode 'The Actress' I found interesting. 
Just look at how many times Archie appears in the same scene

Archie coming out of the
Telegraph Office

Archie riding behind Lucas & Jacob
traveling to the right

Archie riding behind Lucas & Jacob traveling to the left

Archie riding behind Lucas & Jacob
traveling to the right-again

Archie driving the buckboard that hits Jacob

 I asked Arnold Laven if he could give me any information on Archie Butler.....Here is what Arnold had to say:  "Archie Butler....What good memories his name brings back...If I remember, Archie was part of The Rifleman from the start...he was Paul Fix's stand-in, played occasion small parts, and was an extra when otherwise not occupied, indeed, he was a stunt person when it came to riding stunts as he was an exceptionally good horseman...I don't remember how old Archie was when he first joined us, but I think he was pushing sixty...I mention this to explain why his stunts were limited to his being on horseback....but topping all the things he contributed to the show was that he was a warm and generous person always looking to help out in every way possible including helping Johnny learn to be a very good rider." Arnold

'Two Ounces of Tin' episode #131 (click on link to go to the blooper section).  Here you see Ted (Johnny Ginger) standing with this lady in the scene where Tip Corey asked....."Go ahead McCain, go ahead and ask them! Ask them.....who will pick up the badge?"  "I'll pick it up! Yelled Mark.  (The picture to the right which is the next scene) You see Archie Butler in the same spot where Johnny stood, next to the lady.

Here is a list of episodes you can 'see' Archie in. 
I've just started to keep track of these episodes, so I have a lot of catching up to do. 

1.   'The Sharpshooter'
5.   'The Brother-in-Law'
7.    'Duel of Honor'
9.    'The Sister'
10.  'New Orleans Menace'
11.  'The Apprentice Sheriff'
14.  'The Gaucho' 
21.  'The Indian' 
27.  'The Wrong Man' 
30.  'Three-Legged Terror' 
32.  'The Woman' 
33.  'Money Gun'
38.  'Outlaw's Inheritance' 
40.  'The Mind Reader'
42.  'Bloodlines'
43.  'Blowout' 
44.  'Obituary'
49.  'Spiked Rifle'
53.  'The Coward'
59.  'The Hero'
65.  'The Deserter'
67.  'Lariat'
68.  'Smokescreen'
69.   'Shotgun Man'
70.  'Sins of the Father'
72.  'The Fourflushers'		 73.  'The Jailbird'
74.  'Meeting at Midnight'
75.  'Nora'
76.  'Hangman'
78.   'Woman from Hog Ridge'
79.   'Seven'
82.   'Baranca'
87.   'The Promoter'
88.   'The Illustrator'
94.   'The Actress'
102. 'The Assault'
104. 'The Clarence Bibs Story'
110. 'The Queue'
121.  'Long Gun from Tucson'
122.  'The High Country'
124.  'Skull'
131.  'Two Ounces of Tin'
134.  'The Tinhorn'
140.  'Millie's Brother'
141.  'Outlaw's Shoes'
146.  'Quiet Night, Deadly Night'
148.  'I Take this Woman'
149.  'The Assailants'
151.  'The Most Amazing Man'
152.  'Squeeze Play'
153.  'Gun Shy'
159.  'The Sixteenth Cousin'

I got this e-mail from Poncho about Archie & here is what he had to say.....

I knew Archie when I was a kid, my Dad and him were partners in a pack station they packed hunters and fisherman into the High Sierras. Archie brought Chuck Connors and another man there to hunt. I was very excited to meet them at that time. Archie was a true cowboy, he had been in pictures since in the 30s this all took place around 1958 or 59. Thank you for the memories. Poncho
 

“Your Grandfather is a Stuntman on TV.”

I got this short e-mail from a granddaughter of Archie Butler & thought I'd share it with you.

Dear Cowgirl – Stumbled across your website searching for my grandfather on line.  He is actually my step-grandfather.  He married my grandmother, Dorothy Sikes, and raised my Dad, Tom Butler, and my uncle Donnie Butler.  My maiden name is Butler.  All I grew up with is “your grandfather is a stuntman on TV.”  I met him once when I was a small child and from then on I was “hooked” on the “The Rifleman.”  Still watch it to this day.  Thank you for the pictures.  I don’t have any and it was a shock to the memory to see his face.  Once again, thank you.

It sure sounds like Archie had a big heart!  
 

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