"The Rifleman" - Bloopers Index - Episodes 143

'Waste' part 1 episode #143— Here's a question about Waste. They're so lost they don't even know if they're in Old Mexico or New Mexico. That's pretty lost. So how come all of a sudden when Lucas is going to send Mark for help he knows EXACTLY how Mark can get home ~ the North Star. With all the life and death drama that was going on ~ and with all Mark's questions, when did Lucas have time to figure that out or did he have the idea tucked away the whole time? Thanks Rhiannon!

After Micah goes up the hill to see what he can see and Lucas and Mark follow the trail...when they come back Mark goes up the hill in search of Micah and Lucas finds Micah's hat with a fresh blood stain. How could his hat be there on the trail when Micah went up the hill and probably got assaulted up there. Also why didn't he have a head injury according to Mark they "cut him up something awful." Thanks markisddg!

Lucas, Micah and Mark found refuge in an old saloon, right. There is a back door and a front door. The front door however is locked on the inside. Mark is told to look out the back door to see if they are coming. They show Mark opening the door and looking forward out into the street and sees them out there. Then later Lucas is looking out the peephole towards the front of the building and out into the street. Thanks markisddg!

Well when the 3 banditos are coming Lucas sees them first cutting across the street he tells Mark to get into position for the lantern lighting. When the two banditos knock off the bottles and open the door behind them is a wooden wall like they are in a hallway. But earlier Mark opened that same door and looked out right into the outside. How do we explain that. Thanks markisddg!

Also when Lucas goes out the back door later to get Micah whiskey when he comes back it looks like he's walking across the street from the front of the saloon. But enters the back door. Anyone see what I mean?
Thanks markisddg!

'Waste' part 2 episode #144 — Micah was talking to Mark about his mother. Mark says he doesn't remember much because he was only 3 at the time. Cowgirl!

Lucas tells Mark not go to the ranch...go right into town, and find Judge Hanavan and to tell him what happened.
The Judge has not been seen since 'The Photographer' - episode #18 and never seen again.
But then who else would he tell Mark to get? Nils, Sweeney, Eddie?
Was there any mention of any other judge in this episodes except for Judge Hopkins in 'The Bullet?'
I always like the character of Judge Hanavan and wished we would had seen more of him. Cowgirl!

'Lou Mallory' episode #145 — Lucas & Lou were to meet the next day to finalize their business deal for Millie's, General Store. Lucas goes looking for Lou when she's no where to be found. When he first goes into the hotel, notice how he slowing approaches and peeks thru the curtains, not the day before when he just entered them, catching Lou in her arms before she fell. But when he comes back with Micah to look again for Lou the curtains are partially opened. Cowgirl!

The Jackman's characters appeared in these two episodes, but check out the pictures of the Jackman brothers, they had changed. Pa Jackman is still played by Peter Whitney & Halsam Jackman played by Conlan Carter. Love that Peter Whitney! He sure was one of the greatest character actors. "The Rifleman" sure had it's share of them character actors! Cowgirl!

FYI—"Madera" is the name of a city in the San Joaquin Valley & "North Fork" is the name of a town in the nearby Sierra Nevada foothills.
The late screenwriter/director Sam Peckinpah & grew up in the Valley & used those names in many of the TV shows & movies he wrote. Also, Peckinpah's family ranch was called The Dunlap Ranch same as in "Home Ranch."

This script for 'Lou Mallory' was originally named 'Ellen O'Toole' Cowgirl!

The hotel sure has change throughout the episodes.
And where Eddie had billiard tables Lou had a bar & a dining area Cowgirl!

'Quiet Night, Deadly Night' episode #146 — Just saw the episode with Ed Ames. When Nils is playing checkers with Mark, he calls him "John". Thanks Jon!

The stage arrived in North Fork after "two days" of hard traveling from Denver. Well, Denver to the New Mexico line is right at 200 miles. From geographic clues in other episodes, North Fork seems to be closer to Mexico than to Colorado. That stage coach must have been flying!!! I think that a reasonable pace for a stage coach would be 6-8 miles an hour. Allowing for a 10 hour travel day, 60-80 miles a day would have been reasonable. (The Butterfield Overland Stage did about 2800 miles in about 25 days, but they were the fastest, or one of the fastest, lines- - even assuming that the Denver to North Fork stage went just as fast, it still barely had time to reach the New Mexico line. Thanks Renewed Fan!

How about the part where Lou demands that Coyle, the gunslinger, pay for his whiskey. He throws a coin right at her face. Lucas snatches it right out of the air. "Good catch, Cowboy!" Cowgirl!

And how about the part where Nils was going to offer Mark a drink? "Would you like―can I get you a drink of water or something?" Asked Nils. Cowgirl!

Anyway when the stage pulls up to the hotel in 'Quiet Night, Deadly Night' the driver says they need a doctor one of the passengers is sick. There are only 3 passengers Molly, Betty and Lee Coyle but they are all sitting together on one side of the stage coach when there was plenty of room on the opposite side. If she was so sick why didn't Coyle move to the other side. Thanks markisddg!

When Lucas is talking to Mark from the hotel door the wide shot shows that Mark's hair is down on his forehead but when they do the tight shot his hair is all combed back under his hat. I guess it was the way they edited it.
Thanks markisddg!

When Lou comes towards Coyle holding the "contaminated blankets" they show her holding them and the next shot the blankets in her arms are totally different looking. It was so obvious. Thanks markisddg!

'Death Never Rides Alone Blooper' episode #147—About 7 minutes in - Drago goes into the bar, gets a drink, and sits down - Sweeney is talking to one man standing at the bar, and there are about 4 others seated.
The door flies open and a couple of cowhands enter - but suddenly the bar is very crowded with people who seem to have mysteriously materialized out of thin air. Thanks Renewed Fan!

Take a look a the photo on the right — The pot belly stove is in the corner. The picture on the wall is to the left of the stove - our right - and it has a light above it.
Take a look a the photo on the left — The pot belly stove is up further, not in the corner. Also the picture is to the left - our right - of the stove & no light above it.
One more thing - on both pictures the men in the background are different. Drago is in the picture on the left and another man is in the picture on the right unless they changed Drago's position. Cowgirl!

This is just a sample of the different types of curtains that was in The North Fork Saloon.
If you happen to find a different combination of curtains, I would be glad to add them to this page. Cowgirl!

'I Take this Woman' episode #148 — Poor Razor.....did you see him in the background when Lucas knocked Dennis out of the window in to the street? He got spooked and ran off. I wonder if he went back to the McCain Ranch. ; ) It looked like Lucas might have tied Razor up outside of the hotel.....now that's a no.....no, Lucas! Remember what Lou told Lucas about that in the episode. "Lou Mallory?" Cowgirl!

What does 'A Young Man's Fancy' episode #128 & 'I Take this Woman' episode #148 have in common?
In these two episodes we see the McCain's kitchen table right by the window. The table & chairs usually sets in the middle of the room. But in these two episodes the McCain's have company, and for some reason they set in front of the window. Also in both of these scenes you can see the kitchen table in the background.
This is usually where Lucas's chair & lamp sets. Look in the background of both pictures you can see their table & chairs. Did you take a look at the hutch also in the background? They are both different. The hutch on the left is bigger & no curtains. It also looks like the wall fixtures are also different along with the stuff in the hutches. Cowgirl!

'The Assailant' episode #149 — Did you notice that when Nils enters Micah office to attend the Cattlemen Association's Meeting, he closes the door behind him (camera angle, outside).
Then when Nils is taking his seat and Lucas is addressing the members, the door is wide open (camera angle, inside). Thanks Deanne Bertram!

Did you notice......Lucas tells Mark to bring the buckboard around to the Marshal's office then Lucas goes and talks to Micah. Lucas makes a decision to take a few men and go out to meet the senator. In the meantime Mark brings around the buckboard and stops in front of the telegraph office where Micah is being detained. Lucas never told Mark he was leaving town....I guess it was one time he forgot about his son after all when Lucas left he had no idea the town was being taken over by the assailants. Thanks markisddg!

'Mark's Rifle' episode #150 — New Merchants in North Fork? While Lucas waits in the Livery to see if Marty will try to grab his horse and leave town. We see a scene of nighttime outside the Livery. Two signs are visible. One says Joe Calhoun, M.D. The other says Culver's Livery Stable- Stanley Culver, Prop. Cowgirl!

We also see the same night scene/sign of Joe Calhoun, M.D. in 'The Guilty Conscience' episode #137. Cowgirl!

Watch were the bullet hole appears that Lucas shoots through the hotel door. Now look at the hole from the other side when Lucas opens it. The hole appears much lower in the door. Lucas was kneeling when he shot so if anything the hole should be higher not lower. Thanks Pete!

Remember the part where Lucas and Lou get back to the hotel and Lucas told Lou he had never seen her look prettier then she did that night as he took a piece of straw from her hair? In Chuck's book....."The Man Behind the Rifle" by David Fury, there is a part something like this, I wonder if this episode and the quotation in the book go together?

Remember in 'The Photographer' and 'The Surveyors', Mark and Lucas had different opinions there too, and Mark was the one who was right.

"One time we we're walking in, and we knew we'd been out in the wagon − so Chuck sprinkled hay all over me, and he was picking it out of my hair as we came in! And we were carrying our shoes, which sort of told everyone what we were out doing! And that was the way Chuck was, he would do things on the spur of the moment − and it was always with the movement, and the interplay in the scene. He was just wonderful to work with," said Patricia Blair. Cowgirl!

In 'Conflict' Lou tells Lucas she was wearing a new dress. She worn the same dress in an earlier episode - 'Mark's Rifle' Cowgirl!

'The Most Amazing Man' episode #151 — How about Mark's composition? When Wade first looks at the composition the title "The Most Amazing Man by Mark McCain is written in the middle of the paper using 3 lines with an A+ towards the middle.
However minutes later when it's on the table in Wade's room it's a whole different format. The title is written right across the top line and Mark McCain is over at the right with the A+ at the far left. Like they had two different copies. Thanks markisddg!

Or am I confused? Lucas is in the dining room. Lou comes in and says "Good Morning, Lucas." Then Mark walks in, apparently just coming in from school to show Lucas his first A+ (Which from what I heard of the composition definitely didn't deserve an A or a B or a 14 year old kid!!!)
After Randall's speech, it's apparently supper time. So, apparently Lou was confused about what time it was...
Thanks Michelle Palmer!

Wade Randall aka Orley Fudd, told Lucas....."He didn't want to bleed to death on a street in North Fork." Isn't that what his character, Tip Corey did in 'Two Ounces of Tin?'

I liked what Mark said about Wade....."He carries a coat of right and wrong inside of him." (That phrase makes you feel good.)

In 'Squeeze Play' episode #152 — near the end, Mark is locked up by the baddies. When Lucas lets him out, it's from a tiny shed built onto the side of the house or barn.. It is clearly an outhouse, with moon on the door and all. I'm sorry I didn't make note of this blooper, was this you?

In the scene where Carver puts Mark in the shed, take a close look, Mark has a shirt on.....no jacket. In the shed when Mark is pounding on the door; he has a denim jacket on, he even looks somewhat younger on the right then he does on the left. I think the clip on the right is file footage from 'Squeeze Play' & 'The Score is Even'
Thanks Pete!

When Prescott gives Lucas an envelope with bribe money out on the range Mark is long gone in the buckboard looking over the fence.
Later on the front porch Mark asks Lucas how much money was in the envelope that Prescott offered him. (How did he know about an envelope?) Did they discuss it at dinner? Thanks markisddg!

Lucas walks into the hotel. They never show whether or not he stops at the desk to get Prescott's room number. But when Prescott opens the door to his room there is no number. How did Lucas know which room was Prescott's? Cowgirl!

'Gun Shy' episode #153—Watch the scene where Mark and Fred are struggling for the rifle, and accidentally shoot Charlie - the muzzle of the gun is not pointed anywhere near Charlie when you hear the shot - but Charlie falls down anyway. Thanks Renewed Fan!

Did you notice where Lou kept the ham? Cowgirl!

Did you notice when Lucas rode into town looking for Mark that he had a shirt on but no jacket. But when he walks into the hotel he had a denim jacket on. This looks like film file from 'The Anvil Chorus' Cowgirl!

Lucas & Mark's rifle - side by side Cowgirl!

Mark is in room #5. When Lucas asked for the key Lou says there is no lock on the door! Why would there be no lock on the door to the hotel room? Cowgirl!

'The Anvil Chorus' episode #154 — The wanted guy on the poster is called Karl Platt but in the credits his name is Cory Platt? Thanks markisddg!

'The Anvil Chorus' episode #154 — recycled ideas from so many older episodes
(a) No one can carry guns on the street - 'The Day the Town Slept'
(b) Mark and another are held overnight by outlaws, so that a bank robbery can be carried out in the morning -- 'Sheer Terror'
(c) Nils calls someone "Lucas" to tip them off that something is wrong - - Micah called Mark "Nils" in
'The Assailants'.
And, one last comment -'The Anvil Chorus' episode #154—Did I actually hear Nils call Lucas "Lucasboy"??
Thanks Renewed Fan!

When Lucas ran from behind the jail to the front to stop Platte, for all of you who have this episode that is so neat the way he approached Platt, running off the porch.

"The man behind that gun could take the head off a pop weed at 50 yards." Sound byte

'The Conflict' episode #155 — Lucas wasn't wearing his wedding ring any longer. Have you noticed it before now?
Chuck wore a wedding ring in the first few seasons, but we noticed he didn't wear one in the last couple of seasons. We are assuming he took it off when he was divorced from his first wife. But we don't really know. He just wasn't wearing a ring anymore. In one of the early shows 'The Vision' Mark tells his "mother" that his father still wears his ring.

"If you would have been shooting target practice you wouldn't have been so riled," said Micah. "I keep seeing that cat leaping at Mark's throat instead of running away." "If that had happened....." Micah interrupted Lucas....."'If' is a troublesome word."

'The Indian' and 'Conflict'— Margie, Remember that 'mullein bush with five pods' that I pointed out to you in
'The Indian' episode #21? Not only does it make a return appearance in 'Conflict' episode #155— but they actually re-use that very same shot. Thanks Pete Villafea!

In the episode 'Conflict' they show an alarm clock. Can you give me a little history on it and is about when this alarm clock is dated? Alarm clocks have been around for a LONG time. There was a medieval water powered alarm clock that monks used to wake up to pray (no kidding!). It was a container of water that slowly dripped into a second, lower container. When the water level of the second container reached a certain level, a floating piece of wood tripped a release latch, which caused a tightly round spindle to unwind, striking a bell repeatedly as it did so. Rube Goldberg would have been very proud of this device, but it actually worked! Inventors had been working on mechanical alarm clocks from the 1500's onward. By the late 1700's, they had clocks that worked pretty well, but were very bulky. In 1876, Seth Thomas patented the first small bedside alarm clock - and by the time that the Rifleman is set (early 1880s) these would have been very common. Thanks Renewed Fan!

After Lucas speaks to Micah, he actually mounted his horse from the right side! Not often seen!

Rhodes Reason as *Ben Todd/Ben Kendrick. He was the one who Lucas threw out of Lou's hotel. Lou calls him Ben Todd and the credits say he is Ben Kendrick?????
He is the younger brother of Rex Reason. ("Man Without a Gun" and "The Roaring 20's") Cowgirl!

Has anyone kept track of how many times they have used the same rock scene they use in 'The Conflict' episode #155? I can think of two other times, but I'm sure there have been more, 'Suspicion' & 'First wages'?
Thanks MilVC!

"If you would have been shooting target practice you wouldn't have been so riled," said Micah.
"I keep seeing that cat leaping at Mark's throat instead of running away." "If that had happened....." Micah interrupted Lucas....."If' is a troublesome word." Cowgirl!

The opening scene in 'Conflict' (file footage), when Lucas and Mark are riding down the trail, before they stop their horses, dismount and examine the cougar track was used again, just two episodes later in 'Suspicion'...
Thanks Michelle Palmer!

Lucas & Mark's Hat - side by side. Would you like to own a hat just like Lucas's?

In 'Conflict' Lou tells Lucas she was wearing a new dress. She worn the same dress in an earlier episode - 'Mark's Rifle' Cowgirl!

'Incident at Line Shack Six' episode #156 — Jeb—Davey —Vale Croton

'Suspicion' episode #157 — When Mark is leaning against the water trough and talking to Lucas, about 10-12 minutes into the episode, he calls the salesman "Quincy." The man's name was actually Quince.
Thanks Renewed Fan!

What do you think of Winslow's philosophy....."Better to have more and not need than to have less and want?"

We never did get to see Matt Larson.

Twenty dollars for the wheel and Ten for the horse? Go figure!

Kurt says.....I recently saw the Mark Twain episode w/Kevin McCarthy—'The Shattered Idol.' Two days later they aired an episode w/McCarthy—'Suspicion' and he appeared to be using the same makeup props from the Twain episode (just darker.) He's dressed in eastern clothing, sitting upon a huge boulder. Thanks Kurt Burgess!

This is not the only episode that a painter visited "The Rifleman." What was the other episode and who was the painter? (Hint: He was a painter, but not a sign painter, although he did paint the walls of Micah's office).

'The Sidewinder' episode #158 — When Lucas puts the six matches in the hitching post and shoots them to light them, and Gridley Maule (Billy Hughes Jr.) shoots them out, note that they are both shooting right towards the front of a building which is behind the hitching post - oops, hope nobody minded getting their store shot up, or got killed inside it.

According to IMDB Billy Hughes Jr. was probably not yet 14 when this episode was filmed - his gunhandling, at least on film, was impressive for someone of any age and well worth re-watching to pay attention to. When he first confronts Mark McCain at the house, he does a pretty impressive twirl of his revolver and drops it right into the holster; later when he returns to try to force Mark into a duel, he throws a pistol on the ground and orders Mark to "Pick it up or I'll kill you - pick it up!" and as he does so he draws his own gun - if you watch, he's incredibly quick. In the match-shooting scene he also rips off six quick shots from a revolver. Of course they're blanks and aim meant nothing but a revolver is not the simplest gun to fire quickly and reliably. Hughes must have spent quite some time on his own learning gunhandling because he didn't get that good just by rehearsing for TV shows.
I also got a kick out of the fact that he's smoking a cigar while waiting in the house for Lucas to return. I doubt they'd allow that these days even for filming just one scene of a TV show. Unfortunately, the last part of the episode kind of 'jumps the shark' when this young gunslinger suddenly changes from an intense hateful character into a polite young man. All through the episode this pint-sized gunslinger is a powderkeg ready to kill people, and a few minutes later he's passing out exploding cigars (but agrees that he himself is too young to smoke now). Thanks rooster davis!

Another blooper—file footage—before Lucas realized that Grid is on his way to the ranch he has on a short sleeve shirt. When they show him on the way to the ranch he has on a long sleeve shirt/gloves—when he gets to the ranch he has short sleeves on again. Cowgirl!

When Mark rode to the north ridge to tell Lucas about Gridley Maule, pulling a gun on him, watch Blueboy! He keeps nudging Mark (Johnny) and all the while Mark's talking he's trying to keep Blueboy in control.

More "W" spottings on the Wrangler Jeans. Lucas walking out of the hotel in 'The Sidewinder.'
(You have too look really close for this one, I had to re-size this picture, but you can see it.) Thanks Chipster!

'The Sixteenth Cousin' episode #159 — Mark and Lucas are riding on the first train to North Fork. When you first see the train, it’s Denver Western and Rio Grande. When the train pulls out from North Forth, it is an Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe. Thanks MarlonFromClinton!

Did anyone notice when they were fighting in the street, and the one cowboy was thrown into the building, the whole set moved? I thought maybe the window was going to break or the barrel tip over. Cowgirl!

'Hostages to Fortune' episode #160 — I Stanford Jolley played Joe Fugnar/Bulgutch-according to the credits at the end of this episode his name is Joe Fugnar—according to IMDB/TV Tome his name is Joe Bulgutch—In the beginning of this episode Sylvester/Paul Mazursky calls him brother Joe. Sylvester's last name is Bulgutch. But in this episode Mr. Bullock calls him Mr. Fugnar????? I would say they are brothers. Cowgirl!

Percy dressed like Mark towards the end of the episode. In what other episode do we see a visitor at the McCain Ranch dressed in Mark's clothes? Cowgirl!

Tony Haig played Percy Bullock Jr. in 'Hostages to Fortune' — Remember....."A Percy! A Percy?!" I met Tony in 2004 when I went to Tehachapi for Chuck Connors Day. Cowgirl!

'And the Devil Makes Five' episode #161 — The grave at the end. They must have used stock footage. You see a hat hanging on it. AND you see a gun and gun belt - - since the criminal was in chains and was under arrest, where did his gun/gun belt come from? Thanks Renewed Fan!

'Two Ounces of Tin' verses 'And the Devil Makes Five' - gravesites.

Micah uses the word "bamboo". I doubt that word was in general use in New Mexico in the 1880's (I think it would have been called "cane") but I am not sure enough to call it a blooper. Thanks Renewed Fan!

As to if the word 'bamboo' was in general use or not in that area and time-frame, I have no idea how such a determination might be made; however, the plant was used for many things in the good ol' USA, even back then: Thomas Edison used it in a light bulb that he patented in the year 1880. (That bulb still burns today, in the Smithsonian.) Thanks Rob!

Is it just me, or did it seem weird that with all the activity (stepping around Lucas especially) loud conversation, making breakfast etc. (which probably took more than an hour since the beginning of all the activity) that the rattlesnake didn't seem to even notice any of this and react until Mark went to wake Lucas up? Seems VERY unlikely to me. Thanks Rhiannon!

While filming this episode the scene where Lucas is still wrapped in the blankets and can’t move because of the rattlesnake, the Connors’ boys were fooling around and accidently pulled a cable that put the entire set in darkness. From out of that darkness, they heard a very loud, angry voice yell, “You kids get off the set NOW!” Knowing that was their father’s voice, they didn’t wait for a second request but took off as fast as they could away from that set! Later on Chuck tried to find out which son had pulled the cable, but they didn’t rat Steve out.

'End of the Hunt' episode #162 — John Gilbert played the boy who came to tell Lucas that Granny Mede's kin was at her place. John is the son of Herschel Burke Gilbert. Thanks John!

If you look at the scene where Mark gets a chance to shoot the deer (Old Spike), Mark is standing behind a big tree trunk that is itself shaped like a deer! Check that scene out, it's a wonderful picture! Thanks Pete Villafea!

Mark took his rifle and went deer hunting. Lucas was out to kill Reef Jackson.
North Fork is in NM, right? You were out west to the ranch. Did you ever see 40 and 50 foot pine trees in NM? Mark is sitting among all these pine trees and looked out to see the deer less than a 100 feet away and not a pine tree in sight. Amazing what they got away with. Thanks Bob Booth!

What does "The Rifleman" & "The Westerner" with Brian Keith have in common? Spike aka Old Spike

Here we have another sighting of Spike in 'The Angry Man' Cowgirl!

When Lou asked Harry Finley if he would watch over the hotel while she went out. It sure sounds like Lou says Harry.....what say you? Maybe Lou called him by his real name by mistake.

♫ Mark's theme — This is the music you hear in the beginning of this episode when Mark is cleaning his rifle.
A special thanks to John Gilbert for sending this to us. John is the son of Herschel Burke Gilbert
*Please be patient while this song/sound byte loads, it may take a few seconds to load but is well the wait!

Reef Jackson shot Lucas in the back 10 years prior, happening when Margaret was still alive and Lucas still living back in the Nations (Enid). Reef is Granny Meade's nephew. She lived in Enid because she remembered the fight they had while digging a ditch when they were growing up. How is it that Granny Meade is now living in North Fork?
Thanks Bluewindfarm!

In 'The Bullet' when Lucas signs the hotel register the signature above his is J. Levy - Drummer - P. Springs. I would guess that this is an inside joke for producer Jules Levy. P. Springs, I'm sure refers to Palm Springs. Thanks Sally!

'The Bullet' episode #163 — Lucas cocks his rifle after already doing so: he would have ejected a live round.
Thanks Rob!

Watched one last night about the ballistics and fingerprints. Good episode. The Bullet
Double blooper right at the beginning. When Lucas broke up the party. It started by fast cocking the rifle and shooting Harry. Then he did the complete rotation and cocked the rifle again and this time it didn't fire. Then he told Richard to dig up the buried guy and swung the rifle down and cocked it again. Enough time must have elapsed between shooting the scenes they forgot what they did. The editor couldn't take it out because then the story would have been short. Thanks Bob!

After watching the episode 'Bullet' it impressed me as an attempt to create a spin-off series. By the time Bullet was made, the producers/writers/directors for The Rifleman clearly knew that the show was about to end.
They created an interesting character (a lawman who uses science and his brains to solve crimes in the old west) with a side-kick, then had an episode in which Lucas McCain was basically the guest star to introduce the new characters. Note that the focus of the episode (and of the camera!) is usually on the sheriff, not on Lucas.
Obviously, while the concept was interesting, the idea did not "take". Thoughts? Thanks Renewed Fan!

'Requiem at Mission Springs' episode #164—Did anybody notice when Lucas was hiding from the convicts he was next to a rock and when he leaned against the rock...IT MOVED! Thanks Christine!

There's a scene where Lucas is behind a boulder, watching the bad guys; this is just before he gets into the shootout with them, I think. Anyway, Lucas has his shoulder against the boulder and pushes off a bit ... and the "boulder" wiggles! Can see it move ... (makes me think, didn't Chuck play Superman once??) Thanks Rob!

Throughout the chilling scenes in Requiem at Mission Springs the wind can heard blowing through the desert supposedly contributing to a cold so intense that Lucas fears he may not even be able to fire his gun. (Fat chance of that!) However, despite the sound of the freezing wind, none of the brush is moving! Thanks jahern!

At first when I started to watch this episode I could see the bushes moving, but no howling sounds from the wind. But when night time came this is when you hear the howling. I didn't see one bush move. I like the part where Rance looks up at the cross & you can hear the wind. It made him uneasy. Cowgirl!

'The Guest' episode #165 — A couple of minutes into the episode, Mark and Lucas ride away from the ranch - it is obviously a MUCH younger Johnny Crawford with a different shirt. Thanks Renewed Fan!

Lucas is heading off to bed and reaches up to "dim" the light on the wall just outside their bedroom, the light either dims or goes out, but if you listen closely you can hear a "click" just like a light switch. Speaking of lights, has anyone else noticed that the lights never flicker, like a lamp with a wick would. Oh, maybe North Fork was one of the first towns in 1881 to get electricity!!!

File footage — The picture on the left is Lucas & Mark getting ready to leave the ranch. The picture on the middle is when they are riding away from the ranch. The picture on the right is when they return to the ranch.

Mark forgot to take his wallet out of his right rear pocket before filming started?
The scene where he and Pa are coming out of the House, head to the horses and talk about having to go move the cattle because 3 - 4 fence posts appear to have rotted off. Look at Mark's back right pocket, I swear he's got his wallet in there. Thanks Deanne Bertram!

'Old Man Running' episode #166 — When Lou shows Mark the hotel register, his grandfather's address is simply "Bensonville". All the other addresses are very odd for a 19th century hotel register.
Like " P. O. Box 2876" or "1867 S. 28th Street"

None of the other addresses in the hotel register named a city or a town - just a street or a P.O. box.
I am wondering if some of the crew may have listed their own personal addresses on the register, figuring it would be an inside joke that would flash by the viewers in an instant, and not knowing that later Tivo users could freeze a frame and read it? Thanks Renewed Fan!

Even though Chuck was older then John, John played Chuck's father-in-law in "Old Man Running" aka "The Wanted Man." That makes him Johnny Gibbs "Pa!" Still, having a father-in-law just a few months younger is an interesting concept! A credit to Anderson's ability to morph into a character. He's listed as 6' 51/2" too. Thanks Kurt Burgess!

'Which Way Did They Go' episode #167 — In the ending scene where they're all at the bar, Lucas's beer changes colors, from light to dark! Thanks Lone Star Mama!

What about the brand LMc? What would you have used for the brand? Would you have included Mark? How about McR—McCain Ranch? Maybe if the show went on longer we would have seen a different brand. This was the first time we ever saw the/their brand.

Remember this from "Long Gun from Tucson"—"Waller & Son. Gee Pa that makes them partners!" Said Mark. "That's right!" "That gives me an idea.....why don't we put a sign like that up on our barn?" Asked Mark. "Do you think we need a sign.....partner?" I asked. We both laughed. We had something more then that. We didn't need a sign to have that! Did they really need a brand with both of their names on it or a brand that covered both of them? Not really but it would have been nice. "What say you?" Cowgirl!

In the beginning of the episode when the sheriff is hanging the Sheriff's Sale sign.....Ned Jackman calls "Hi W"? How comes Micah's not the one to hang the sign?

Paradise sure looks a lot like North Fork..... Cowgirl!

'Old Tony' episode #168 — Mark's ideal woman is pretty and can cook real good.
Lucas's ideal woman is—remember this from "The Sister?" "Yes, I'd like to take another wife someday, that's only natural." "When?" Ask Mark. "When I find the right woman." "How will you know her?" Ask Mark. "I think I'll know her when I meet her son." With a big grin on his face Mark asked, "What will she be like?" "Well, she'll have to cook and sew and scrub. Her hands gotta be soft, she's gotta have hair like the crimson as the setting sun. Eyes as brown as chestnuts. She's gotta wear a flower because that's womanly. Ride a horse like a man."

I think Lorrie's shirt looks just like Mark's, just a tad darker. Something like the shade in the earlier episodes.

When Lucas rides into town and goes into Micah's office, he's wearing his shirt sleeves rolled up. (Before Joe arrives in town and insists that Micah arrests Tony.) Lucas, Micah, and Joe ride to Old Tony's place looking for Mark and Lorie, Camera angle from the back shows Lucas is wearing a long leave shirt. Camera angle changes to the front and Lucas is back to wearing his sleeves rolled up. Thanks Deanne Bertram!

What I also find interesting is when Lucas rides into town the first time he had long sleeves on at this time to start. Cowgirl!

Lorie asked Mark if he's ever thought about what his wife would be like, when he's married. Mark recalls a conversation he had with his Pa, he mentions his Pa smoking a 'PIPE'. I don't remember a pipe, I always remember the cigar. Does anyone else know if Lucas did smoke a pipe or is this really a "blunder"? Thanks Deanne Bertram!

It's a blunder! Lucas NEVER smoked a pipe - he always smoked cigars!!! (except for the first episode where he smoked a cigarette...) In The Vision, Mark stated this as well. Thanks Michelle Palmer!

Our favorite rifle, the one that Lucas used in North Fork, is sort of an oddity for the show. Winchester didn't even make that rifle (the model 92) during that time period. It was not even introduced until 1892. Lucas kept law and order way before than. So one might say that not only Lucas was one heck of a shot but also had great foresight. And that doesn't even touch on his gunsmithing skills. He was quite a man!
Can you put that under bloopers? Is this the greatest blooper of all? Thanks Pete S.!

Throughout the series, in North Fork, it's obvious from the prints made by people's footsteps and the marks left by wagon wheels and hoof prints, that the dirt in the street has been laid down to cover the real surface (wood staging? tarmac?) Thanks Rob!

Pictures of what was Chuck Connors "real" ranch — Medicine Hat Oaks Cowgirl!

How many of you know who Archie Butler is?

Love this finger pointing! — Lucas was good at getting his "point" across! Cowgirl!

I had someone in the messageboard ask me if I knew how Johnny got the hole in his hat? I found an article from an old TV Guide that quotes Johnny as saying.....Crawford treasures his Rifleman memorabilia, including the first felt hat he wore on the series. "One of my dogs chewed a hole through the peak." Mark's Hat
Not sure how many of you have seen Mark (Johnny) wet his lips a lot? I have noticed this in a lot of the episodes. Here is another part from the article....."Sometimes my voice sounds scratchy, I blink or I have a tendency to wet my lips. I have to watch that."

Yuma Prison—Yuma prison has been referenced a number of times on The Rifleman. The prison received it's first inmate in 1876 and released it's last inmate in 1909 when a larger facility was built in Florence, Arizona. It was a territorial prison so a person convicted in New Mexico would not have been sent there. Today Yuma prison is a state park and museum. Thanks Earl!

Of course Sweeney the bartender would notice something like this—When and why did Micah become a heavy drinker? Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be more inconsistencies about Micah's background than about the location of the McCain Ranch?
When we first meet Micah, Sheriff Fred Tomlinson ('The Marshal' episode #4) remarks that when he knew Micah about 10 years ago and he was one of the finest peace officers on the border. It seems to be implied that Micah lost his nerve and started drinking heavily when his arm was hurt in a gunfight. Later we learn that this happened 5 years ago in a gunfight with Dan Maury ('The Deadly Wait' episode # 26). Yet there are several references to Micah having a long term drinking problem. In 'Closer Than a Brother' episode #98—He remarks that for 16 years he has had been afraid of Ansel Bain, a man who was nothing without his eyeglasses.
In 'The Guilty Conscience' episode #137 with his evil twin Charming Billy. Micah tells Lucas that for 22 years, he rarely drank less than a quart of whiskey a day (would be dead in a week from a quart of whiskey a day)
I don't know why this hit me now but does anyone out there have any theories about this? Has anyone else even noticed it? Thanks Sweeney!

Yes, there are some discrepancies with Micah's history. In one story he says he's been a lawman for 26 years, in another it's 30. He did say he drank a bottle of whiskey every day for years. I think it was Dan Maury's bullet that damaged his arm. I'm not sure but I don't think that he started drinking when he was shot, but that he lost his nerve and left being a lawman and drank more heavily. After hearing him tell of losing his wife and his farm 30 years ago, I assumed that's when he started drinking.
I don't think the different writers ever keep track of what was said in each episode and tried to keep continuity.

The other discrepancy I noticed –'The Blood Brothers' episode #35, the Elizabeth Cook, Micah indicates that just like Lucas, he is a widower. Thanks Duane!
Then in 'Guilty Conscience' episode #137—he makes a comment that implies he was never married.
I also noticed that in 'The Day The Town Slept' episode #139—it is stated that Micah has been North Fork’s
marshal for 5 years. This is not possible because:
• We know from 'The Wyoming Story' episode' episode #96/97 that Lucas and Mark came to North Fork in 1881 (which is roughly when the show’s first season takes place). Micah became marshal not long afterward, I would assume.
• The fourth season takes place circa 1884, which would have been at the most 3 years since Micah became marshal. I say 1884 because in 'Two Ounces of Tin' episode #131— Tip Corey’s grave is marked 1884.
Unfortunately continuity and consistency was a weakness throughout the series. Of course in the 1950s/60s we didn’t have VCRs or DVDs to help us pick up on the slip-ups.

As far as Micah’s drinking, I think I have to go with Lucas’ explanation to Mark from 'The Marshal' that Micah was wounded, then he turned to alcohol to assuage his fear. I guess I consider 'The Marshal' an official reference to everything else that happened because it was the episode that first introduced Micah. (Maybe some of the writers should have watched it when THEY were writing their episodes.)

Has anybody ever come up with a body count? How many folks did Lucas actually shoot in the series? My guess is 300-400. Thanks Renewed Fan for this question.....
As far as a body count goes I will quote a part from Chuck's book.....The Man Behind the Rifle.....
"And there was a lot of violence on 'The Rifleman.' We once figured out that I killed on the average of two and a half people per show." There were 168 episodes X 2 1/2 = 420 people for the whole 5 seasons.
Be sure & check out Donna's Casualty list — Thanks Donna a.k.a. Picklemum
At one time "The Rifleman" and "The Untouchables" were consider the two most violent shows on TV.
What is your opinion? We'd sure like to hear it! How many shots..... Pete's theory
How many shots were fired in the opening scene of The Rifleman? Video

The "reading the rights" business came up in the 1960's. Some petty hoodlum named Miranda appealed to the Supreme Court because he contended he made incriminating statements without a lawyer present. Years later, Miranda supported himself by selling cards with the "Miranda warning" and his autograph on them. He was stabbed to death in a bar room fracas. Legend has it the police forgot to read the Miranda rights to the murderer.
Thanks Renewed Fan!

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense."
I use to love this on "Hardcastle & McCormick!" Judge Hardcastle was something else. He was a stickler for the "Miranda warning." Love this show! It's my modern day western! "Hunt 'em.....Hear 'em and Hang 'em.....That's the code of the west! Cowgirl!

North Fork Saloon curtains Cowgirl!

Watching Rifleman now and something seems odd to me. While Lucas and Mark are not wealthy and Lucas has chastised Mark for tearing his shirt fighting in one episode ("shirts don't grow on trees") how on Earth is it that on such tight money, Mark has bedroom slippers to wear with his nightshirt? In The Prisoner, Lucas goes to town and he buys Mark several new shirts. He does buy them a few sizes too big, so he gets more wear for his money out of them. Millie comments on this. Seems like a silly thing for a kid in the old West to have in his wardrobe, especially when basic clothing is such an expense. Thanks rooster davis!

roosters follow-up—I read somewhere that back in those days shirts were expensive and most guys didn't have a lot of them. When guys would get into a fight they usually took off their shirts first rather than get them torn or ruined, because they were costly, hence the old saying "Keep your shirt on" meant keep your cool, don't get into a fight". So with the cost of replacing shirts (as Lucas mentioned) it just seemed to me like a kid or even adult in the 1870's would've just gone barefoot in the house. With outdoor plumbing they'd have had to put on regular shoes anyhow to go out to use the 'facilities' and they sure weren't spoiled against some inconvenience and discomfort. The slippers just seem like an unnecessary expense for someone in Lucas' situation.

The relative expense of buying shirts would explain Lucas' displeasure over Mark's fighting and tearing his up, as well as Lucas' reluctance to buy a new one for the church supper. Thanks rooster davis!

I wonder if the guy loading the wagon, bottom right on "stock" town scenes ever finished loading it....Thanks Jim!

Date Discrepancy—Okay, I know we've talked about this issue before but I really noticed a big date blooper.
In the first season, Mark is 10 and in 'The Vision' episode #66 - season 2—we learn that Mark was 6 when his mother died.
In 'The Wyoming Story' episode #96 & 97 - season 3—the sign on the McCain Ranch says it was rebuilt by Lucas and Mark in 1881 - so we think Mark is 10 in 1881 when they moved to North Fork.
Well, in 'Tension' episode #45 - season 2—Lucas said he buried his wife in June of 1871 and that proves he couldn't have been robbing a bank hundreds of miles away. That would have meant that Margaret died when Mark was born.
Let's not even bring in Mark's telling Micah he was 3 when his mother died in 'Waste' episode #143 & 144 - season 5— Did anyone else pick this up?

Well I also noticed that Mark aged funny throughout the series. When he starts the show he's 10.
Near the end of season one, in 'The Raid' episode #37 - season 1—Mark is still 10.
Only a few episodes later, in 'A Case of Identity' episode #57 - season 2—Mark say's he's 12.
Then, over a year later, in 'The Actress' episode #94 - season 3—when asked how old his son his, Lucas says he's 12. What happened to 11? And why was he 12 for so long?

I also wanted to let you know that you finally ended a mystery for us re: someone we noticed years ago on "The Big Valley" (my real passion) who appeared continuously in nonspeaking, character type roles. He is one of the main reasons, other than the producers, who made us realize that these two shows were intertwined, but we just couldn't find any information on him. The Virtual Valley site, which I've been on for years, hasn't picked up on him yet, at least I've never found any info. We were so glad to find him on your site and wanted to write to you sooner about
Archie Butler. We enjoy looking for him and really get a bang how they often have him in two shots in the same scene. For instance, in 'The Brother-in-law' when Uncle Johnny is riding the bronc, Archie is the wrangler holding the horse before he blasts off. Cut to the cowboys sitting on the fence, and there is Archie clapping. Thanks Charlene F.!
It is so neat to see that you noticed Archie. Archie was on all those shows back then, you just need to look in the background. Sadly he went unaccredited for the most part. Arnold Laven speaks very highly of him.

Razor, Chuck's horse was given by Chuck to the president of the Houston Livestock Show, Neill Masterson, to be auctioned off, with the proceeds going into a scholarship fund. Cowgirl! - from Chuck's book by David Fury

It is not really a blooper, but ... I have noticed that the first aid is nearly always the same: " Bring some water! " Okay, if they are in the desert ... But I do not believe that they are very thirsty with a bullet wound in the body or other injuries. Thanks Kira!

There are three episode were either a cinch was cut or broken..... can you name those three episodes.

The Gunsmith Shop sure changes a lot in North Fork.

In real, life, Enid wasn't even founded until the late 1890's by the railroad, the area was barely settled and had been Indian Territory. But the settlers and cattle drives were using that land before it became Enid. Enid was named after a mythical character in a book by a railroad worker. Anyhow, this isn't to say Lucas couldn't have come from there, It just wouldn't have been called Enid at the time. Enid, Oklahoma
Thanks Frank aka Weinerdawgy!

Lucas's "trick" rifle ...as guest star: Richard Anderson once called it... is equipped with a screw/bolt mounted thru the lever that automatically 'trips the trigger' and fires the rifle each time it is cocked. We see that in every show open when Luke rapid fires more rounds than the gun would hold. And in several Close-Ups of the lever itself (ie. #90 'Miss Bertie').
Given this fact about the rifle... in episode #49 'Spiked Rifle' Lucas has the rifle point right into the chest of Richard Devon (I just love to hate that guy, he was so good at being bad) as his character is telling Luke he has Mark kidnapped back at the McCain ranch. Luke promptly cocks the rifle in a threatening "don't screw with me Mr." gesture!
And the rifle does NOT fire! Normally, this would have killed the guy!
Also, in episode #91 'Six Years & A Day'.... the bad guy grabs Luke's rifle and rapidly cocks the rifle repeatedly (3 times I think) to empty the bullets from the rifle and it does NOT fire a shot. Again, normally this would have fired a trio of shots though his ceiling.

So apparently it is only a "trick" rifle when the directors want it to be. Thanks KC!

Sometimes they have a hitching post along the front porch and sometimes they didn't. Thanks Rhiannon!

Zippers!!!!! One of the largest Bloopers in "Bonanza" were the zippers - because they were invented later. Is that the same with our "Rifleman"? Thanks Kira!

The McCain Ranch 'bedrooms.' We are aware that in "The Rifleman" they used different sets/ranches. Another good example is "What happened with their bedroom?" Thanks Kira, markisddg, Rhiannon, Thanks Deanne Bertram!!

Did Hattie or Milly live in back of The General Store? Milly did have her own place in 'Millie's Brother.' But in some of the episodes it makes you wonder if she didn't live in the back of the store.

I always thought Milly & Hattie live in back of the store.
In 'Millie's Brother,' Harry Chase takes her back to the store. He has already been to her house, so he does know where she lives. Why not her place? She probably had things to do at the store.

What about Hattie's cat, Penelope?
Although we never saw Penelope, I can't imagine Hattie would keep a cat in the back of the store. But she could have! You'd think as many times as Hattie or Micah went in the back room, the cat would have gotten out.

I just happened to think..... In 'Sheer Terror' Milly was going to bake a apple pie, but never had the chance to. I assume she was going to bake it there at the store. Also in 'Sheer Terror' you see Lucas walk Milly back to the store. Lucas walks Milly back to the store. You can see her unlocking the door to the store. It dark so we assume she is settling in for the night.

In 'The Wyoming Story' Milly calls the guys for supper.

“Supper’s on the table. You boys coming?”
"Yes ma'am! Last ones a rotten egg!" Yelled Mark.
Looks like Micah's the rotten egg!

She was in front of the store when she called to them. So we assume they are eating there.

Lucas sold The General Store for Milly what happen to her house/farm/ranch? Cowgirl!

Sidney Blackmer played Judge Hanavan in 'The Sharpshooter' — 'The Safe Guard' & 'The Photographer.'
Judge Hanavan's last appearance was in 'The Photographer' episode #18 which was in the first season and although Judge Hanavan was not in 'Waste' (fifth season) he did have an honorable mention!

'Waste' — Lucas talking to Mark: “Alright now, listen. Just follow the North Star. By daylight you’ll see the mountains, just north of home. You’ll cross the trail to North Fork not far from the house. Don't go to the ranch...go right into town, and find Judge Hanavan, tell him what happened.” Cowgirl!

Pete Villafea's page on Rope Portier (door drapery) in westerns. Thanks Pete!