You never really see a proper western on TV anymore. The genre is most commonly associated with sci-fi nowadays, with shows like “Westworld” keeping it alive. However, back in the mid-1900s, westerns were some of the most popular series around. In the late 50s, there were 26 shows of this genre airing on primetime TV. Television was still growing in popularity, and so the availability of programmes was nothing like what we’re used to now. This meant that networks were producing shows in genres they knew would perform well, with westerns up there with the best of them. For the 1958-59 television season, seven of the top ten series in the Nielsen ratings were westerns, with the fourth position taken up by “The Rifleman.”
This epic western starring Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford struck a chord with viewers in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, mainly because of the chemistry between the two stars. The onscreen duo of a father and son wasn’t something commonly seen in this genre, which helped the show to make a name for itself. However, behind the scenes, not everything was as it seemed onscreen.
There are plenty of secrets about “The Rifleman” that we never knew about when it first aired on TV. Looking back now, it’s amazing to see how things nearly went very differently because of the happenings off camera. Might the show have gone on longer if someone hadn’t stood in its way?
[post_page_title]Casting the lead[/post_page_title]
When a show becomes popular, it’s hard to imagine it without its main cast. They’re part of what makes the series as great as it is. However, “The Rifleman” almost looked very different when it first went into production. When Chuck Connors was approached to play Lucas McCain, the lead character, he wasn’t impressed by the salary. He ultimately declined the offer and left producers struggling to find someone else to fill the role. Although they considered actors like John Anderson, they couldn’t get Connors off their mind. After looking into some of his past credits and seeing his ability to work with kids, they decided the extra money he wanted was worth it.
