*Any character actors name
that is in blue, is a link and has appeared in The Rifleman
and is a link to their character actor's pages.
1. Survival.....
Jason McCord, the ex-cavalry captain who was falsely charged with
cowardice and dismissed from the service, has the tables turned on him
when he saves a stranger from certain death. [B/W]
First aired: 1/24/65 Writer: Larry Cohen
Director: Richard Whorf
Guest Stars: Alex Cord (Jed Colbee), Robert
Carricart (Navajo), Valerie Szabo (Jessie Colbee), Janet De Gore
(Sally), Harry Harvey Sr.
(Stable Owner), Chalky Williams.
2. The Vindicator..... Jason is
questioned about his reputation as a coward during an army-Indian
Massacre. Ned Travis has made a career of crucifying McCord in his
paper. [B/W]
First aired: 1/31/65 Writer: Larry Cohen
Director: Joseph H. Lewis
Guest Stars: Claude Akins (Ned
Travis), Harry Carey Jr. (Lt. John
Pritchett), John Litel (General James Reed), June Lockhart (Sue
Pritchett), Johnny Jensen (Johnny), Robert Random (Soldier), Charles Thompson
(Telegrapher), William Meader (Witness), *John
Pickard (Sergeant).
3. The Test.....Jason
saves the life of a priest during an attack by four drunken Indians.
Chief Looking Glass charges the priest with killing three of the Indians
and orders him to fight Wild Horse, the one Indian who escaped. The
priest refuses and McCord offers to take his place. [B/W]
First aired: 2/7/65 Writer: Jerry Ziegman, John
Wilder Director: Leonard Horn
Guest Stars: Jason Evers (Father Durant), Jay Silverheels (Wild Horse),
Joe De Santis (Indian Chief), Michael Kemp (Bold Eagle), John War Eagle
(Medicine Man), Alberto Monte
(Indian), Cherokee Landrum (Indian),
Milan Smith (Indian), Lucian Tiger (Indian), Tony Urchel (Indian).
4. Rules of the Game aka Elsie
Brown..... Jason, unjustly labeled a coward, is nearly hanged in his
attempt to bring self-respect to a town. McCord arrives in town just in
time to intervene when gunslinger Vance tries to take Elsie Brown, his
former girlfriend away with him. Vance then terrorizes the town. Sheriff
Pollard and the townspeople are too frightened to act, until he kills a
man. McCord offers to help, but when his identity is revealed, the town
turns against him. [B/W]
First aired: 2/14/65 Writer: Larry Cohen
Director: Lawrence Dobkin
Guest Stars: Jeanne Cooper (Elsie Brown), Russ Conway (Sheriff Pollard),
Brad Weston (Vance), Harry Bartell
(Mayor), L.Q. Jones (Miles), Kathy
Garver (Ginny), Arthur Peterson (Harkness), Irene Tedrow (Mrs.
Wilcox), Helen Kleeb (Mrs. Bryan), Cal Bartlett (Ben Vance),
Robert "Bobby" Hoy (Cody Vance),
William Meader (Townsman), Phil
Schumacher (Townsman), Jack Tornek
(Townsman), George Tracy (Townsman).
5. The Bounty..... The hunted becomes the
hunter when Jason assumes the identity of a dead man. When the Starett
Brothers — Gil, Vance and Andy, accuse McCord of cowardice and attack
him, Johnny Dolan comes to the rescue. But McCord learns Dolan is a
bounty hunter out to kill him for a $5,000 reward. [B/W]
First aired: 2/21/65 Writer: Larry Cohen
Director: Harry Harris
Guest Stars: Pat Conway (II) (Johnny Dolan), Gene Evans (Matthew
Paxton), Michael Ansara (Thomas Frys), Juli Reding (Liz),
Charles
Maxwell (Andy Starrett), Regis Parton (Vince Starrett), Pete Kellett (Gil
Starrett), Duane Grey (The Sheriff),
Jimmie Booth (Barfly),
George Sowards (Barfly), Sid Troy
(Barfly).
6. Leap Upon Mountains..... Jason
befriends a trouble-beset widow and prompts a change in a bully's
attitude. Renger a cattleman, resents the efforts of widow Cooper to
start a farming community for Quakers and chases away her hired hands.
McCord learns of Mrs. Cooper's troubles and stays to help. Renger
realizes he faces a tough adversary and purposes marriage to Mrs.
Cooper. When she refuses, he hires gunmen to go after McCord. [B/W]
First aired: 2/28/65 Writer: Larry Cohen
Director: Harry Harris
Guest Stars: Claude Alcaise (Karp),
Claude Hall (Buckrum), John Ireland (Renger),
Joan Leslie (Mrs. Cooper) Michael Masters (Sheriff), Lionel Decker
(Barber), Bill Hart (Chet), Alex Sharp (Lathe), Harry Carey Jr. (Lt.
John Pritchett), John Litel as Gen. James Reed. (archive footage).
7. The Coward Steps Aside.....
Rumor of a silver strike empties a town of all but its women, children
and old men. Taking advantage of the situation, Luke Garrett and his
hence men plan to rob the bank and threaten to burn the town unless
Deputy Clay Holden disarms everyone. McCord comes to Clay's aid and
rallies the townspeople. When Garrett tells them that McCord is the
coward of Bitter Creek, they lay down their arms. [B/W]
First aired: 3/7/1965 Writer: John Wilder, Jerry
Ziegman Director: Harry Harris
Guest Stars: Johnny Crawford (Clay Holden), Charla Doherty (Karin),
Skip Homeier (Luke Garrett), Allen Jaffe (Topaz),
Dennis Cross (Webb),
Richard Arlen (Hatton), Loyal T. Lucas (Stoner), Robert Nash (Jenkins),
Harry Fleer (Adams), Melville Ruick (Bates), Ron Perranoski (Lennart),
Sol Gorss (Ward), Mathew McCue
(Townsman). Jack Tornek (Townsman).
8. The Mission - part 1..... Jason
returns to Washington to help out an old flame and is asked to testify
against his former commander, in order to renegotiate a treaty. McCord
is approached by the black House to help in adverting a war with Mexico.
[Color]
First aired: 3/14/65 Writer: Jameson Brewer
Director: Bernard McEveety
Guest Stars: Robert Q. Lewis (Hatch),
George Bruggeman (Party Guest),
Bill Hickman (Secret Service Agent), Chuck Hicks (Brawler), Pete Kellett
(Cowboy), Kenner G. Kemp (Party Guest), Murray Pollack, (Party Guest),
Sydney Smith (Senator), Maja Stewart (Elena).
Recurring role:
John Carradine (General Josh McCord)
― William Bryant (President
Grant) ― Kamala Devi (Lauratte Lansing) ― Jon Lormer (Colonel Snow)
Bill Hickman (Secret Service Agent).
9. The Mission - part 2..... Jason
undertakes a mission for President Grant, infiltrating and leading a
band of Mexican bandits under the command of renegade General Arrioin.
The Plan is for them to be captured in an attempt to steal the army
payroll at Fort Perry. But things get tough for Jason when the only man
who knew of the President's plan is killed. Jason must go ahead with the
raid. [Color]
First aired: 3/21/65 Writer: Jameson Brewer
Director: Bernard McEveety
Guest Stars: MacDonald Carey (Senator Lansing), Peter Breck (Crispo), Cesar Romero (General Arrioin), H.M.
Wynant (Brissac), Nick Borgani
(Townsman), Jack Lilley (Townsman), Montie Plyler (Angulia), Maja
Stewart (Elena), Bruno VeSota (Bartender). Recurring role:
John Carradine (General Josh McCord)
― William Bryant (President
Grant) ― Kamala Devi (Laurette Lansing) ― Jon Lormer (Col. Snow).
10. The Mission - part 3.... As the
Mexican bandits tries to steal the army payroll at Fort Perry, McCord
turns on them, and the raid is foiled. Unfortunately, Private Tyler
recognizes McCord as the coward of Bitter Creek, no one believes Jas is
working for the government. Jas is to be shot at dawn before a firing
squad. [Color]
First aired: 3/28/65 Writer: Frank Chase
Director: Allen Reisner
Guest Stars: Peter Breck (Crispo),
Wendell Cory (Major Whitcomb), Patrick Wayne (Corporal Dewey),
Steven Marlo (Private Tyler),
Bill Coontz (Trooper), Charles Horvath (Guard), Pete Kellett
(Trooper), Sid Troy (Trooper), Rochelle Hudson
(Alice Whitcomb), H.M. Wynant (Brissac), Montie Plyler as Angulia, Maja
Stewart Elena.
Recurring role: John Carradine
(General Josh McCord).
11. The First Kill..... Jason sees a
young man in a saloon, and is struck by the resemblance to the first
solider he killed in the Civil War. Working on the young man's farm he
realizes he is indeed the brother of the solider, living with his
embittered father, so wrapped up in grief and anger over the loss of his
first son that he has virtually ignored his second. McCord must try to
get the father to recognize his son's value. [B/W]
First aired: 4/4/65 Writer: Frank Chase
Director: Alex March
Guest Stars: Howard Johnson (Poker Player), James
Dunn (Sam Manning), Chad Everett (Adam/Tad Manning), Pete Kellett
(Bartender), Nick Borgani
(Barfly), Chuck Hamilton (Barfly), Sid Troy (Barfly), *John Pickard
(Rand).
12. The Very Few Heroes..... Jason
becomes involved with Christina (Kathryn Hayes) who is in danger of
losing her farm. He learns that her brother had served with McCord at
Bitter Creek and had lost his life under suspicious circumstances.
McCord must help Christina prove that her brother did not die for the
life insurance, which bought her farm and testifies to the brother's
heroism. [B/W]
First aired: 4/11/65 Writer: Jerry Ziegman, John
Wilder Director: Bernard McEveety
Guest Stars: Tom Drake (Jordan Payne), Kathryn Hays (Christina Adams),
Bing Russell (Thomas Teal), William Cort (Alan Winters), Bill Hickman
(Ensor), Jay Jostyn (Judge), Stuart Lancaster (Chase),
Lovyss Bradley (Courtroom
Spectator), John Breen (Courtroom
Spectator), Noble 'Kid' Chissell (Courtroom Spectator), Chuck
Hamilton (Trial Spectator), Boyd 'Red' Morgan (Fighter), Rudy Sooter
(Trial Spectator), George Sowards
(Courtroom Spectator), Sid Troy (Courtroom Spectator).
13. One Way Out..... Jason is tricked into
visiting a virtual ghost town on the promise of an engineering job. What
he finds is a grief-stricken old man whose first son was killed at
Bitter Creek and who blames McCord for it. [B/W]
First aired: 4/18/65 Writer: Jameson Brewer
Director: Bernard McEveety
Guest Stars: Jim Davis (Malachi Murdock), Paul Brent (Micah Murdock),
John Dehner (Joshua Murdock),
Eddie Little Sky (Blue Hawk),
John X
Brands (Red Arm), Iron Eyes Cody (Grey Eagle),
Jesse Wayne.
14. That the Brave Endure.....
Richard Bain, a West Point cadet, faces a court-martial for making
statements that support McCord actions at Bitter Creek and he is forced
to find Jason to determine the truth. Bain finds Jason working on a
silver mine. [B/W]
First aired: 4/25/65 Writer: Michael Dunn, John
Wilder, Jerry Ziegman Director: Ron Winston
Guest Stars: Tommy Sands (Richard Bain), Marie Windsor (Carrie
Milligan), Douglas Fowley (Jed Peck), Don Collier (Wilkes), Willard Sage
(The Major), Boyd Morgan (Cole),
Archie Butler (Barfly), Bill Coontz (Barfly), Chuck Hamilton
(Barfly), Troy Melton (Barfly),
John Quijada (Barfly),
Robert Robinson (Miner),
Phil Schumacher (Barfly),
Cap Somers (Barfly), Sid Troy (Barfly).
15. A Taste of Poison..... While
escorting a young woman to a medical outpost, they stop at a well and
are told that it has been poisoned, and that Commanches are responsible.
McCord is suspicious of the old timer who they meet at the well, and
must unravel the truth. [B/W]
First aired: 5/2/65 Writer: William Putman,
Nicholas Rowe Director: Ron Winston
Guest Stars: Walter Burke (Luke), Carol Eve Rossen (Dr. Evelyn Cole),
Joseph
Perry (Cavalry Officer), Stuart Margolin (Taeger), Clarke Gordon
(Howland), Eddie Little Sky Indian.
16. Price of a Name..... All the clues
point to Jason's lovely new boss, Lucy Benson when she hires McCord to
work on her ranch. He must fend off a number of people who want to harm
him and it is clear that there is more to it than revenge for Bitter
Creek. [B/W]
First aired: 5/23/65 Writer: Nicholas Rowe
Director: Leonard Horn
Guest Stars: Jess Kirkpatrick (Pete), *Keith Andes (Roy Harris), Marilyn
Maxwell (Lucy Benson), Don Megowan (Carruthers),
Charles Fredericks (The
Boss), Don Douglas (The Banker), Jay Sullivan (The Shopkeeper),
Eddie
Little Sky (Indian),
Jimmie Booth (Cowhand),
Forest Burns (Cowhand), Jess
Kirkpatrick (Pete), Jack Tornek
(Townsman).
*This is the last episode of Branded aired in black and white.
Although shot in color, the producers decided to air some episodes of
the first season in b/w and some in color. The second season aired
entirely in color.
An * by the side of an actors/actresses name means they are among the
listed of character actors in
Tragedy Among the Stars.
