The Rifleman
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Chit Chat on bloopers and things worth mentioning!

'The Sharpshooter' episode #1

When Lucas arrives in North Fork he is wearing a vest.  No vest when he goes to dinner.  The At the end he has the vest on again.

Did Lucas take his vest off when he sent Mark ahead to order supper?  After the Turkey Shoot when Lucas was getting their things together to leave town he has his vest on again.  When he went to the room did he put his vest on again?

Take a close look at the cowboy hats Lucas is wearing. 
The picture on the right is from the beginning of the episode when Lucas & Mark stop to checkout the land.  The picture on the right is near the end when Lucas confronts Big Jim & his gang.  Also his vest is on again off again!

(A) Johnny Crawford tried to do a bit of a southern accent - I am glad he dropped it - it sucked. (B) They never mentioned that "North Fork" was in NM, and the name of the hotel (The California House) suggests that the original idea was to have it in California.

(C) Lucas makes his very first "Raise the boy right Micah" speech to Vernon. 

*Please be patient while this song/sound byte loads, it may take a few seconds to load but is well the wait!

Lucas says to Vernon.....
"That boy of mine is your responsibility....."

Thanks Renewed Fan!

When Mark was having lunch with Vernon, he told
Vernon that he can shoot his "Dad's" rifle.
  First Mark said "Dad's rifle" not "Pa's rifle" and second considering Mark wasn't allowed to shoot his "Pa's rifle" or have his own rifle until the episode 'Mark's Rifle'.  Remember when Lucas won a shotgun for Mark, but he couldn't have it until he was old enough to use it?  'The Promoter'. 
 

What other episode to you hear Mark call Lucas "Dad?"

When Lucas & Mark came to North Fork.....what horse was Lucas riding? Cowgirl!

The horse on the left was Lucas' horse in 'The Sharpshooter' 
The horse on the right was Lucas' horse, Razor in 'Home Ranch'

When Lucas and Mark rode into town, Lucas rode a blaze-faced Sorrel. In the next episode, Home Ranch, he had Razor.  Did he swap? Did he buy, even though he was strapped for cash?? BTW, did you notice the same blaze-faced sorrel was ridden by one of the gang in 'End of a Young Gun'?  I have a blaze-faced Sorrel myself. He's my big boy  :)
It is interesting to note that one horse is usually ridden by the character actor in the shows.  He is often seen tied in the street also.  It looks like a blazed sorrel and has white stockings.  He has been in almost every episode.  He must have been a wonderful horse because: He stands nicely when they mount, and he stands quietly when they need him to, besides that he was a nice looking horse. Thanks Lu!

There were a lot of changes between the pilot 'The Sharpshooter' and 'The Home Ranch'. Mark aged about 6 months and this was obvious. Another thing I never quite understood was that in an era when beer sold at the local saloon for 5 cents, Lucas in the pilot refers to that little prize money ($500) helping make their first payment on the Dunlap Ranch. $500 in those days would have bought most of the ranch, I would think.  Thanks Sweeney!

Hi Cowgirl - Greetings from rainy Seattle, Washington Some interesting notes from 'The Sharpshooter' Early in the first episode there is a shot looking into the distance from in front of The Dunlap ranch house with very obvious utility lines (see screen shot). Could be telegraph in 1880, but maybe 1958 power lines?
Also, the mama cow that Mark herds out of the scene has a chain and number ~ I can't find documentation that cattle chain tags date back to 1880 as an alternative to branding.
Thanks JB from Seattle, Washington!
 

In 'The Sharpshooter' Mark told Vernon he could shoot his Pa's rifle, but later we learn that Mark cannot shoot.  He gets his first shooting lesson in episode # 150 - 'Mark's Rifle'Cowgirl!

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